TOPIC:

EFV wrote: Obviously from an British album because the annotation is rather approximate.

The photograph is from an album that came from the estate of General French's groom, James Rainford. Whether it originally belonged to General French I do not know.

Below is another image from the same sitting, but with a different mix of men and excluding Van Deventer. Any idea why some officers feature in both images? These include Maritz, Dr Muller (between Smuts & Maritz), Schoeman (the man in profile), and Roberts (the officer lying on the ground wearing khaki and looking as English as his name). Perhaps staff officers?




..

Neville some names:



The officers of the Smuts Commando as depicted in the Ziegler photograph taken in the Cape Province on April 17. 1902. Hereunder a short synopsis.

General Jan Christian SMUTS. In civil life the ZAR state Attorney. One of the most important and influential Boer personalities during and after the war.

Burger R.D. (Oom Barend) BOUWER Snr. Oldest man on Commando aged 62. Fought in 1865 against Basutus and was severely wounded.

General Jacob Louis VAN DEVENTER. ZAR State Artillery. Thought to have fired the first shot of the war at Kraaipan.

Field Cornet Alexander George BOSHOFF. Fearless, one of the best shots on the Boer side. Severely wounded in February 1902 at Vanrhijnsdorp.

Commandant Barend Daniel BOUWER. Public prosecutor in civil life. Participated in many important battles in Natal and Western Transvaal and Cape Colony. Wounded four times during the war.

Field Cornet Cornelis BRINK. Potchefstroom. Served under Barend Bouwer.

Field Cornet Jan VAN DEN BERG. Also Potchefstroom commando. Wounded twice, one resulting in permanent disability.

Field Cornet Piet F. VISSER. In civil life a Mining Official of the ZAR.

General S.G. “Manie” MARITZ. Formerly of Theron’s scouts. Famous/notorious for his actions in the Cape Colony. One of the 1914/15 Rebels.

Field Cornet Willy KOTZé. A sharpshooter from Calvinia.

Field Cornet Hennie VERMAAS. From Klerksdorp. A spy.

Field Cornet Jan VAN BRUMMELEN. A kaaskop Hollander, well-liked by the Boers.

Commandant Stoffel SCHOEMAN, A Free Stater. Ex Theron’s scouting corps. Followed Maritz into SW Africa after the war.

Military Commissioner Jacob BRINK. Johannesburg. Served under Bouwer

Field Cornet A. STANDERS. Ventersburg. Ex Danie Theron Scouting Corps. Served under Commandant Schoeman.

Field Cornet Ben COETZEE. In civil life a n official of the Pretoria Post office. Served first under Commandant Bouwer, then under Schoeman.

Marquis “Roberts”DE KERSAUSON. French volunteer of noble birth. Courageous dispatch rider. Also travelled between Europe and the commando’s in South Africa with messages and funds.

Medic Carl T. MOELLER. Graaff Reinet. Studied medicine in Scotland and arrived with Sievewrights Ambulance in the ZAR. Worked under Dr. Neethling in Lijdenburg. Saved the lives of van Deventer and Bouwer.

My best guess:

You have Robert De Kersauson De Pennendreff correctly identified, this Front Cover from his book 'Ek en Die Vierkleur'

Excellent.

I had assumed all the photographs had been taken during the same session, so hadn’t noticed that Bouwer and Visser were in both shots, as they are wearing different uniforms.

My annotated image labels the Marquis de Kersauson simply as “Roberts”, so I guess that is how the Brits referred to him. In the second image a stereo-camera (an expensive piece of kit) is lying on the ground in front of him. I wonder if any of his stereoviews have survived.

..

An Englishman's attempt at naming the officers.

This photograph came to me in a very faded state, but the wonders of Photoshop have brought it back to life.





..