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His Family
Willem
Hermanus was born 6 June 1855 in the Cradock district, baptised at Cradock 15
July 1855. He was the son of Schalk Willem † 9 Sept 1906 and Maria
Elisabeth Pieterse † 14 Sept 1914.
Willem Hermanus married at Dordrecht, 19 July 1876 to Maria Christina Elizabeth BEKKER. They had the following children:
g1 Schalk Willem born 14 May 1877
g2 Stefanus born 31 January 1879
g3 Willem Hermanus born 1 September 1881
g4 Marthinus Johannes born 10 November 1885
g5 Hester Susanna was baptised at Dordrecht in 1888
Served
in the Cape Parliament
He
became the parliamentary representative for Woodhouse. The electors presented
him with a gun plate (30k), from unpublished
paper by PFS Janse van Rensburg: Stambooom van Barend Johannes van Rensburg.
Van Rensburg sided with Jan Hofmeyer's Afrikaner lobby group. He got to
know Cecil John Rhodes. It is known that Rhodes needed the Cape Afrikaners
in order for him to have political domination in the Cape Colony, Rhodes also
offered opportunities to these Afrikaners in the expansion northwards into Rhodesia.
They were also offered gifts of shares in Rhodes's various companies. It was
a form of mercenary recruitment. One
wonders whether there was any such involvement with van Rensburg.
Rhodesia
1895, Matabele Uprising and Leader of Afrikander Corps
Van Rensburg trekked to Rhodesia and very soon was confronted with the Matabele
uprising. The Matabeles murdered many of the whites. The Dutch residents in
the town at once offered to form a corps of their own for the defence of the
country of their adoption. This force was afterwards known as the Afrikander
Corps, and rendered the most valuable service throughout the campaign under
the command of Captain van Rensburg. Willem Hermanus van Rensburg gave the leadership,
see title photo, which was taken from the book by FC Selous, Sunshine and
Storm in Rhodesia established the Afrikander Corps, p 243, who assisted
their english speaking whites to suppress this uprising. FC Seleous in
his book Sunshine and Storm in Rhodesia wrote: "When the rebellion
broke out, Commandant Van Rensburg at once formed an Africander Corps, the great
majority of his members were Boers .... and it is a matter of history that those
dutchmen have done a splendid service ....in a way which has won for them the
admiration and respect of their brothers in arms ..... of British blood."
Photo of captain van Niekerk (13k) from
the book by FC Selous, Sunshine and Storm in Rhodesia, p 120. These Boers
who had experience with wars against other natives in the Cape and the Zuid-Afrikaansche
Republiek were invaluable since they knew the tactics to employ, and how to
avoid being ensnared, when vastly out numbered by the natives.
On the early morning of March 31 the garrison at the Campbell store heard heavy firing in the distance, and as this gradually drew nearer it was conjectured that the reinforcements were arriving. This proved to be correct; for in a short time thirty men, drawn from the Rhodesia Horse Volunteers and the Afrikander Corps, galloped up to the store, under the command of Captain Macfarlane and Commandant van Rensburg. This relief force had been fired upon at a spot close to where the Queen's Mine is now situated, and a running fire with the rebels had been kept up for about half an hour. None of the party had been wounded by the rebels' fire, but two members of the advance-guard, Troopers Henderson and Celliers, were reported missing. These two men, it may be mentioned, arrived at Bulawayo almost exhausted on the morning of April 1, when it appeared that they had been fired upon by a party of rebels who had got between them and the main body, with the result that Celliers had his horse killed under him, and was himself severely wounded in the knee, so that he could scarcely stand. Henderson at once dismounted from his own horse and insisted on Celliers getting into the saddle while he walked beside it; and in this fashion the two men, one of whom was badly wounded, hid among the hills for three days with thousands of rebels almost within sight of them, until at length they managed to reach Bulawayo. Had they been attacked, there was nothing short of a miracle that could have saved their lives. If Henderson had been so minded, he could have in all probability escaped, for both he and his horse were unwounded; but he preferred to remain and risk death rather than abandon his helpless companion. Such an instance of devotion was only one of many which occurred during the rebellion in Rhodesia, and yet it was such men that Mr Labouchere in his paper, ' Truth,' denounced as " buccaneers." Celliers was at once conveyed to the hospital at Bulawayo, but he unfortunately died of his wounds on May 16. http://home.wanadoo.nl/rhodesia/henschap11.htm
"The '96 Rebellions-British South Africa Company Reports on the Native disturbances in Rhodesia, 1896-97" published by the Rhodesia Reprint Library Libra Series Vol II Facsimile reproduction of the 1898 Reports Books of Rhodesia Bulawayo "gratuitous services of.....van Rensburg and van Niekerk... the gallantry of Greys Scouts, Giffords Horse and the Afrikaner Corps." Action took place on the Umgusa river 25 April 1896 at Collenbranders farm. There were some casualties there, killed in action April 19 MacFarlane's Patrol: George Walter Boyes, J.J. Heineman, Wirnand Cornelius Van Zyl, Henry Montgomery died of wounds from action: John Celliers March 29, Shiloh Patrol. Died May 15 died from other causes: William Henry Wallace, BFF dysentery. Bulawayo hospital wounded in action: Eziah Michael Ter Blanche April 19 MacFarlane's patrol Joh. Christian Botha " " " " Jacobus Combrinck June 6 Spreckley's Local Patrol. See photo of the Afrikander Corps (48k), Willem Hermanus is the fifth from the left, he has stripes on his coat sleeves. Willem Hermanus' brother f7 Schalk Willem served as a Lieutenant with his older brother during this uprising (his first wife and their twins died there before returning to the Cape, I think he is the second person on the left on the photo, standing behind the horse. His wife was Susanna Abigael Elizabeth Jacomina Fourie, and their son, Ebenezer, was baptised on 7 December 1895). The fourth person from the left looks like his father e8 Schalk Willem, from the book: The 96 Rebellion -British South African Company Report. Captain van Niekerk was mentioned for conspicuous service Gwando Patrol. In the unpublished paper by PFS Janse van Rensburg: Stambooom van Barend Johannes van Rensburg, see photo of father e8 Schalk Willem (19k) and also photo of brother f7 Schalk Willem (24k).
The B.S.A. Company's Report on Native Disturbances in Rhodesia in 1896/97, published 1898. Matabeleland, Afrikander Corps, two troops, one 35 strong under Commandant van Rensburg, the other, 30 strong, under Captain van Niekerk, ex-trooper B.B.P. (http://www.rapidttp.co.za/milhist/vol012gt.html)
Account of Captain van Niekerk and 50 Afrikander Corps on Tuli road http://www.btinternet.com/~rhodesian.library/bsac/tuli.html
The first of these forces was composed of fifty men of the C troop of the Bulawayo Field Force under Captain Brand, and as many of the Afrikander Corps under Captain van Niekerk, together with a mule-waggon and a Maxim, and this left Bulawayo for the Gwanda district on April 1. They soon reached Umsingwani river. The column set off on its return on April 9, and all went well until the afternoon of the following day, when a party of rebels were seen seeking cover about 1000 yards from the head of the column. The Maxim was at once got into action, and as soon as the range was found made splendid practice, so that the natives were forced to retire after firing a few shots. The position cleared, the patrol once more moved forward, and after travelling for some little time came to a spot that was eminently suited for an ambush by the rebels. It was a narrow pass between two hills, with ample cover, and here it was thought that the Matabele would make a stand, - a conjecture that was quickly verified, for as the column approached the pass a heavy fire broke out on the left flank. This was at once returned by the whites, but the enemy were so well hidden that but little loss could have been inflicted on them. The Maxim was immediately brought into action, and commenced sweeping the bush from where the fire was coming. At this moment an unfortunate incident took place which greatly delayed the column, and led to more of the force being wounded than would have otherwise been the case. This was the breaking of the disselboom or pole of the mule-waggon through a sudden outburst of firing just in front of the team's heads, causing them to swerve violently. While this accident was being repaired the natives kept up a warm fire on the force; and had it not been for the fact that there were many old and experienced campaigners among the detachment of the Afrikander Corps present, the patrol might easily have suffered the same fate as Major Wilson and his men in the 1893 war. The force at length managed to get through the pass, though in a terribly disorganised condition, and as soon as the open country was reached the men spread out into skirmishing order, advancing towards the enemy, who were now fully 1000 strong. ... On April 11 Bulawayo was reached, when the wounded (one man had died on the way) were transferred to the hospital. How the little force of 100 men escaped complete annihilation was a mystery. A considerable share of the credit must be given to Captain van Niekerk, who took command at the request of Captain Brand, and whose knowledge of Kafir warfare stood him in excellent stead; but all the men engaged fought with a bravery and a coolness which it would have been hard to surpass. http://home.wanadoo.nl/rhodesia/henschap11.htm
There was also a Captain Pittendrigh of the Afrikander Corps.
On April 24, a
force, which numbered 120 whites and about 170 natives, was commanded by Captain
Macfarlane. 35 of the Afrikander Corps under Commandant van Rensberg formed
part of this. They left Bulawayo early on the morning of April 25 and marched
towards the Umguza river once more. "This
movement would have doubtless caused much loss to the patrol had it not been
for the fact that, as it was being carried out, the Afrikander Corps made a
dashing charge on the Matabele line, driving the rebels from position after
position in fine style. The natives in their flight made straight for the ford
across the Umguza river, but the Afrikander Corps were before them, and managed
to deliver a crushing blow at the rebels as they attempted to cross the river,
killing about seventy of them". At
the beginning of May Colonel Napier received news that a small relief force
from Salisbury was advancing towards Matabeleland, and it was at once decided
to equip a large force to go towards the Shangani to meet this column, which
was accompanied by Mr Rhodes. The force numbered in all 655 officers and men,
including 62 men of the Afrikander Corps under Commandant van Rensburg. The
column advanced some distance across the Umguza river before anything of the
rebels was seen beyond a few scouts, but as they approached the hill to the
north-east of Bulawayo, known as Thabas Induna, a considerable body of Matabele
was suddenly come upon by the dismounted scouts that had been sent forward under
Mr Selous. A few shots from the Maxim, which was pushed forward, sufficed, however,
to send these to the right-about, and they made for the thick bush which covered
the country to the north of Thabas Induna.
http://home.wanadoo.nl/rhodesia/henschap12.htm
BULAWAYO FIELD
FORCE. Consisted of about 850 men distributed as below:
(a) Artillery troop
(b) Engineer troop
(c) Greys Scouts
(d) Dawsons Scouts
(e) Giffords Horse
(f) Afrikander Corps
Raised March 25, 1896, and disbanded July 4, 1896.
Giffords Horse wore a metal badge consisting of the letters GH.
http://rapidttp.com/milhist/vol011es.html
LIST OF CASUALTIES
IN MATABELELAND SERVING IN THE AFRIKANDER CORPS http://www.btinternet.com/~rhodesian.library/bsac/casualty1.html
Baker, Richard Arthur Trpr., Afrikander Corps. Gwanda Patrol, April 10
Boyes, George Walter, Afrikander Corps., April 19, McFarlane's Patrol
Heineman, J.J. Afrikander Corps., April 19, Vedette duty
Van Zyl, Wirnand Cornelius, Afrikander Corps., April 19, Vedette duty
Montgomerie, Henry, Afrikander Corps., April 19, Vedette duty
Wounded: Troop-Sergeant-Major
Johannes Christian Botha; all doing well. http://www.btinternet.com/~rhodesian.library/bsac/colenbrander.html
Return
to the Cape
The
Jameson Raid and the Anglo Boer War must have had some bearing on Willem Hermanus
leaving Rhodesia. In 1906 Willem Hermanus returned to Dodrecht, where
he lived until his death. Photo of him with
his family (32k), from unpublished paper by PFS Janse van Rensburg: Stambooom
van Barend Johannes van Rensburg
Maybe this is his
estate papers?
Depot KAB
Source MOOC
Type Leer
Vol No 6/9/3553
System 01
Ref 22977
Part 1
Description Janse van Rensburg, Willem Hermanus. Estate Papers.
Starting 1929
Ending 1929
Depot KAB
Source MOOC
Type Leer
Vol No 6/9/473
System 01
Ref 1316
Part 1
Description Janse van Rensburg, Maria Elizabeth. Nee Bekker. Death Notice.
Starting 1903
Ending 1903
References:
M Tamarkin, Cecil Rhodes and the Cape Afrikaners
"The
'96 Rebellions-British South Africa Company Reports on the Native disturbances
in Rhodesia, 1896-97" published by the Rhodesia Reprint Library Libra Series,
Vol II, Facsimile reproduction of the 1898 Reports Books of Rhodesia Bulawayo"
FC Selous,
Sunshine and Storm in Rhodesia
PFS Janse van Rensburg: Paper, Stamboom van Barend Johannes van Rensburg
See Drawing of Corps http://www.btinternet.com/~rhodesian.library/bsac/images/greys.jpg
http://www.btinternet.com/~rhodesian.library/bsac/sched_a_mat.html
http://www.btinternet.com/~rhodesian.library/bsac/period1.html
