DTD (Komdt H.C.W. Vermaas). City Coins December 2024.
Described as:
Hendrik Cornelius Wilhelmus Vermaas (1851-1927) was a well-to-do farmer of the present Ottosdal District. He became an Assistant Fieldcornet of a Lichtenburg ward in 1885 and represented Lichtenburg in the Second Volksraad from 1891 to 1896, but when he stood for the First Volksraad he was defeated by the sitting member, J.H. de la Rey. In 1898 he was promoted Commandant and with 200 men he was involved in the first battle of the Anglo Boer War (Kraaipan, 12 October 1899) where the British armoured train “Mosquito” was derailed. According to the dictionary of SA Biography Vermaas took the surrender of Lt. R H Nesbitt the next morning. He subsequently saw action at Modder River, Magersfontein and Kimberley. In February 1900 he retreated to Christiana and in a telegram from there he urged President Kruger to conclude peace. After more than a month, following threats that the government would suspend him from office, he returned to the front. After June 1900 he operated mainly in the Western Transvaal and in November, 1900 he refused the offer of the rank of General. He was active in numerous skirmishes, including the attack on Lichtenburg (3 March 1901) and the Battle of Tweebosch (7 March 1902) where Lord Methuen was wounded and captured.
In 1907 he was elected to the Transvaal Legislative Assembly, representing Lichtenburg and in September 1910 he was elected unopposed to the First Union Parliament. In this capacity he received the 1910 Union Medal.
He applied for and was awarded the DTD and ABO in October 1922.
