TOPIC:

Served: Krugersdorp.

Jacobus Petrus Johannes (JPJ) Van Der Merwe was one the original 300 commandos who bravely crossed the Orange Free State and entered the Cape Colony on the 4th September 1901.

His Vorm B was personally approved by Prime Minister Jan Smuts in January 1948:



Originally from the Cape Colony and a few years older than Smuts; JPJ Van Der Merwe’s local knowledge would have been insightful to the raiding party.

He was captured 7 weeks later in the Graaff-Reinet district and spent the remainder of the war as a POW at St Helena.

Map of Jan Smuts raid into the Cap Colony[1]:



The perilous adventures of Smut’s raiding party was recorded by Deneys Reitz in his book “Commando”; this is how he described their chance encounter[2]:

“It was near the end of August (1901) by now, and the rainy season might be upon us at any moment, when a single freshet might render the Orange River impassable, so, as we were come to within fifteen miles of it, we made ready for our final effort.

Upon the very morning, however, on which we hoped to cross, a large body of horsemen appeared over the shoulder of a distant hill. By their formation and manner of riding we knew them to be Boers, but as there was no commando of that size round here, we waited for them with considerable interest. After an hour the column came abreast of us and we were astonished to see that at its head rode Mr Smuts, the Transvaal State Attorney, now a General, who, after hearty greetings, told us that he was on his way to the Cape Colony with three hundred men.”

He described their journey to this point as follows:

“I learned from them of the great hardships and dangers which they had encountered on their way through the Free State. The English had wind of their intention to invade the Cape Colony and strenuous efforts were made to head them off. Large forces were hurried up from all sides, giving them no rest either night or day, and it was only by hard riding and hard fighting that they had escaped, with the loss of many men and horses.”

After entering the Cape Colony the Commando endured harsh conditions and heavy fighting; Reitz detailed the infamous encounter with the Lancers on the 17th September 1901.

As noted by Reitz:

“Following this the commando was divided into two portions commanded by Jacobus van Deventer (later Sir Jacobus van Deventer in the Great War.) and Ben Bouwer respectively, both good fighting-men but neither of them possessing the personality or the influence over men that General Smuts had, to save us from going to pieces during the difficult period upon which we were now entering.”

POW - 21 October 1901

According to JPJ Van Der Merwe’s Vorm B he also served under General Van Deventer.

In the book “General Jan Smuts and his Long Ride” by Taffy and David Shearing “Van Der Merwe” was captured in October 1901 who was serving under V/C Smit, in Van Deventer‟s commando:

"Major Shute‟s diary of 23 October, 1901, states that a prisoner, Van der Merwe, was captured by Lukin at Schoonberg, Graaff-Reinet in October, 1901. Reported to Maj Shute that he belonged to the Boer Ambulance and carried a certificate from Smuts to that effect."

Given that JPJ Van der Merwe was captured in the Graaff-Reinet district on 21 October 1901 it is highly probable that the “Van der Merwe” noted in Maj Shute’s diary of 23 October is that of JPJ Van der Merwe himself.


BIRTH: 28 September 1866
Wellington, Cape Colony, South Africa

DEATH: 13 July 1959 (92y 9m)
Frankfort, Orange Free state, South Africa

Parents
Father: Philippus Petrus Van Der Merwe (1841 - 1890)
Mother: Susanna Maria Hamman (1842 – 1874)

Jacobus was the second eldest of 6 children.

Spouse
Wife: Susanna Cornelia Henrietta Roux (1873 – 1928)

Jacobus and Susanna were married on the 7th June 1894 at Villiersdorp, Caledon, Cape Colony; by this time Jacobus was living in Johannesburg where his young bride joined him.

Prior to the war they had 2 children together; Philippus (born 1896) and Susanna (born 1898).

2nd Anglo Boer War

On the 2nd October 1899 he joined the Krugersdorp Commando and listed General Jan Smuts under whose command he served.

In addition to stating that he was part of Gen Smuts raiding party in the Cape Colony he was also present at the following battles:

• Pretoria

• Battle of Nooitgedacht

• Krugersdorp

• Battle of Chrissiesmeer (6 February 1901)

The Battle of Chrissiesmeer (Lake Chrissie) started with an attack by General Louis Botha on the British forces under General Smith-Dorrien. Botha's main aim was to cripple the advance of Smith-Dorrien into the eastern Transvaal.

The Boers attacked at 02:50 in pitch darkness. The burgers achieved initial success, but could not gain a foothold on the slopes and were not able to open direct fire on the main camp situated on a plateau. At 04:30, covered by thick morning mist, Botha ordered them to retreat.

The Boer commando suffered about eighty casualties and the British seventy-five.
About 300 horses of the British force were killed or stampeded. Despite heavy losses on the Boer side the British advance into the eastern Transvaal was delayed by the loss of their horses, which gave the Boer commandos time to re-group.

• Ermelo

• Koster

• Derby

After the War

After the war JPJ Van Der Merwe was repatriated back to South Africa where he rejoined his family and had another 4 children with Susanna.

Susanna passed away in 1928 and he re-married in 1946.

Following the award of his ABO medal in 1948 JPJ Van der Merwe passed away at the impressive age of 92 years old.

References:

[1] www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/armstrng/map2.htm
[2] www.angloboerwar.com/books/35-reitz-comm...ter-19-farther-south

A very nice example Sturgy, and the added bonus of the "Oubaas" signature to boot. Van der Merwe must have known Smuts to get him to sign the Vorm B.

Rory

Thanks Rory; that's what I was thinking as well.

I could not imagine Prime Minister Smuts approving an application form of someone he didn't know.

What an adventurous commando they were.

Regards,
Sturgy