Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A: Maj JJ Naude, DTD by Hennie Heymans

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PUBLISHER | UITGEWER

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Contents PUBLISHER | UITGEWER .............................................................................................................. 2 NONGQAI: OORSPRONG & OOGMERKE ..................................................................................... 4 NONGQAI: ROOTS & GOALS......................................................................................................... 5 VOORBLAD | FRONT COVER ........................................................................................................ 6 1914: Major JJ Naude, DTD of Naudé’s Scouts by Mark Naudé .................................................. 6 SA MILITARY HISTORY | KRYGSGESKIEDENIS .......................................................................... 7 SEXTON, SOLDIER, SPY, SCOUT: THE ANGLO-BOER WAR ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN JACOBUS JOHANNES NAUDÉ DTD .............................................................................................. 7 Compiled by M Naudé .................................................................................................................. 7 ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 9 NAUDÉ’S SCOUTS: A SOUTH AFRICAN INTELLIGENCE UNIT OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR 14 Compiled by M Naudé ................................................................................................................ 14 NONGQAI TRUST | IT 002701/2018(T)......................................................................................... 31 THANK YOU! | DANKIE! ................................................................................................................ 32 VAN DIE REDAKSIE ..................................................................................................................... 34 •

OOGGETUIEVERSLAE VAN TERREURDADE GESOEK .................................................. 34

SLOT | END ................................................................................................................................... 35

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NONGQAI: OORSPRONG & OOGMERKE

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NONGQAI: ROOTS & GOALS

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VOORBLAD | FRONT COVER

1914: Major JJ Naude, DTD of Naudé’s Scouts by Mark Naudé

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SA MILITARY HISTORY | KRYGSGESKIEDENIS

SEXTON, SOLDIER, SPY, SCOUT: THE ANGLO-BOER WAR ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN JACOBUS JOHANNES NAUDÉ DTD Compiled by M Naudé Jacobus Johannes Naudé was born at Smithfield, Orange Free State in 1876. After attending school at Edenburg he relocated to the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek where he worked as an attorney’s clerk and studied part-time. His first experience of military service was during the Malaboch War in the Zoutpansberg as a member of Commandant Steenkamp’s commando. Little is known of his experience during this campaign, except that he carried a Whitford rifle. In 1896 he was mobilised again in reaction to the ill-fated Jameson Raid. It was during the war of 1899-1902 however that he was to discover his niche as scout and spy. The first battle of the war occurred at Talana near Dundee. To his dismay, Naudé found himself allocated to a non-combatant role with Van der Merwe’s Field Ambulance. He narrowly avoided capture. Unbeknown to him at the time it would be the first of many close calls and narrow escapes. At Willow Grange (near Estcourt) he was allowed to join a combat unit. Along with a few others he volunteered to conduct reconnaissance patrols into the Natal interior, behind the British lines, in the area between Mooi River and Pietermaritzburg. The scouting party returned to Ladysmith, besieged by the Boer Forces. Disillusioned by the siege tactics, he left for the Colesberg front where he served under Veldkornet Swart under General Lemmer’s forces. He was again involved in scouting activities. In 1900 he was granted special leave to travel to Pretoria to acquire equipment for scouting work. While trying to return to the front, he only managed to get as far as Brandfort. Bloemfontein had fallen to the British. He stayed in Brandfort for a while with a force under General de Wet before joining the Irish Brigade. This was a multi-national, pro-Boer formation under command of Colonel John Finnemore Blake, a West Point graduate. The Irish Brigade became famous for its reconnaissance work. Naudé served under Captain John Hansell, an Irish-American “soldier of fortune”.

“He is the coolest, most determined and daring young man I ever saw, and I believe he is the most wonderful spy known, when all the circumstances are considered” John F. Blake A West Pointer with the Boers (1903)

With the British Forces closing in on Pretoria, Naudé was left behind in order to act as a spy following the British occupation. He was part-time koster or sexton of the Dutch Reformed Church in the 7 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

centre of Pretoria and the belfry of the church made a useful observation post from which he noted troop movements around the city. A number of firearms were also hid in the ceiling of the church. Following the occupation of Pretoria, he joined the Special Mounted Police that had been formed by the British to maintain law and order and was even promoted to sergeant! His service in this force caused him animosity from some Boers who regarded him a collaborator or even a traitor. His service in the police provided excellent cover however and allowed him to become acquainted with British military customs and etiquette. He was also instructed in drill by a former British South Africa Police trooper. These lessons would serve him well in future days when impersonating a British officer! A network of civilian spies was set up in Pretoria but was however betrayed leading to the execution of Adolf Krause. Naudé left Pretoria as a result. In 1901 he was appointed as Kapitein en Hoofd Speciale Diensten [Captain and Head of Special Services] by Commandant-General Louis Botha. Despite a bounty on his head, Naudé entered and escaped from occupied Pretoria on ten separate occasions. A new network of spies was established; most of them women. The workings of this network are described in The Petticoat Commando (or Die Kappiekommando in Afrikaans). The women proved instrumental in sending information out of Pretoria. Some single ladies were on friendly terms with English officers, attending dances and the like. These occasions were useful for eavesdropping. Information was often smuggled out of the city by Naudé and his team. The ladies also corresponded with family and friends overseas. Messages were often written in between the lines of innocent conversation using secret ink. Railway schedules and a nominal roll of Boers who had joined the British forces were among the useful items smuggled out. Captain Naudé acquired British uniforms and accoutrements. This enabled him and one of his men to masquerade as “an English officer and his batman” and brazenly walk the streets of Pretoria. When not working in the city, Naudé and his men operated as conventional scouts. The Boers had a number of specialist scouting units. Units usually had 50 to 100 men on strength and were usually commanded by a kapitein [captain]. Officers held military-style rank (e.g. luitenant, kapitein) rather than commando titles (e.g. veldkornet, commandant) and sometimes wore distinctive uniforms. The most famous of these units was arguable Theron se Verkenningskorps commanded by the legendary Captain Danie Theron. They operated mainly in the Free state and wore khaki uniforms with green facings. Captain Naudé’s reported directly to Commandant-General Botha. It is interesting to see that the “reconnaissance commandoes” of old were also considered to be “Chief of Army units” back then. Naudé avoided capture and surrendered after the end of hostilities. At the time his unit was operating with the Heidelberg Commando. Soon after the end of the war, the Military Governor, General Maxwell, arranged to meet Naudé. The general was apparently curious to meet the 26-year-old who had so successfully avoided capture. During the meeting the governor requested that the former scout and spy be kitted out with a British uniform so that he could see for himself how convincing Naudé’s impersonation of a British Officer was. After the war, Captain Naudé issued each of his men with a printed and signed Certificate of Service. Naudé sought new employment armed with a handwritten testimonial from General Louis Botha. Botha soon became Prime Minister of the Transvaal Colony and in 1910 of the Union of South

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Africa. Naudé found work in the Railway Department until the First World War interrupted, but that is another story1. In the 1920s the Union government finally instituted some awards to recognise service in the former Boer Forces during the war of 1899-1902. In addition to the campaign medal for the Anglo-Boer War, Jacobus Johannes Naudé was awarded the Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst [Decoration for Devoted Service]. The DTD was considered to be “the Boer DSO” and in fact ranked immediately above the DSO in the Union of South Africa’s Order of Precedence. References The preceding article is a condensed account based on a variety of sources, including the secondary sources listed below as well as documents held by the National Archives. Blake, J F (1903). A West Pointer with the Boers. Angel Guardian Press. Boston. Brandt, J v W (2000). Die Kappiekommando of Boerevrouwe in Geheime Diens. Protea. Pretoria. Malan, J (1990). Die Boere officiere van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog 1899-1902. Van der Walt. Pretoria. Scholtz, G D (2001). In Doodsgevaar. Protea. Pretoria. Van Bart, M & Scholtz, L (2003). Vir Vryheid en Reg. Tafelberg. Cape Town.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Capt JJN and scouts Boer War

Major JJ Naudé commanded Naudé’s Scouts, SA Intelligence Corps, was mentioned in dispatches and awarded the French Croix de Guerre.

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Capt JJ Naude and Heidelberg Commando at surrender.

Capt JJ Naude and Lt Gillyland

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Capt JJ Naude and staff

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Capt JJ Naudé 12 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

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Herbegrafnis van Kmdt Danie Theron | Reburial of Cmdt Danie Theron

NAUDÉ’S SCOUTS: A SOUTH AFRICAN INTELLIGENCE UNIT OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR Compiled by M Naudé ESTABLISHMENT Jacobus Johannes Naudé had excelled as a scout and spy during the South African Anglo-Boer of 1899-1902 and was appointed as “Captain and Head of Special Services” by Commandant-General Louis Botha in 1901. On 3 October 1914, he was appointed a Temporary Captain in the newlycreated Union Defence Force. It appears that Naudé’s Scouts was formed the same day as the appointment of Lieutenant Vlok and the transfer of Lieutenant Reeves were also affected on the same date.

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Deed of Commission

Originally the unit was to have a strength of 50 specially enrolled scouts 2. Records indicate that Naudé tried to recruit additional men early in 1915 to increase the strength to 100 men. It appears that around 90 served in the unit at one time or another. ROLE AND AFFILIATION According to Brigadier-General Collyer3, “Every mounted brigade in German South West Africa had its “scouts”, from 25 to 50 strong, under a selected commander whose name they usually bore, thus “de la Rey’s Scouts, “Lemmer’s scouts”, “Swart’s Scouts”, and so on. Special scouts were a feature too of the Republican Armies in 1899-1902. They contained some of the more adventurous spirits and, especially in the case of Theron’s Scouts, led by Danie Theron, performed numberless feats of audacity.” Major Tylden4 described the organisation of the Mounted Brigades raised for the German South West Africa campaign, of which (according to Tylden) there were five excluding the SA Mounted Riflemen which formed a separate brigade under Brig-Gen Lukin5. Typically, each brigade consisted of two wings, usually three regiments strong. Regiments usually had three squadrons of 2

D Doc S: Minute from Acting Staff Officer General Staff Duties dated 15 October 1914. G.4/70. F/9199 3 Brig-Gen JJ Collyer, CB, CMG, The Campaign in German South West Africa, 1914-1915 (p. 72). 4 Tylden, G, Major, Armed Forces of South Africa (p.115-6) 5 Brig-Gen HT Lukin, later Major-General. 15 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

roughly 100 men each. In addition, there were also “brigade troops” including an artillery battery, machine-gun section and scouts. Each brigade had their own scout unit, of roughly squadron strength under command of handpicked officers. Tylden listed the Brigade Commanders as well as the scout units attached to 3, 4 and 5 Mounted Brigade. Midland Scouts were listed as having been with 4 Mounted Brigade under Van Deventer, however it is clear from other sources 6 that Naudé’s Scouts were in fact also with the 4th Brigade from Schuits Drift through Nabas at least. Some attestation forms for Naudé’s Scouts had “SA Intelligence Corps” written across the top7. This suggests that an Intelligence Corps may have been raised during the First World War and later disbanded8. Most members of the unit had attested into the “SA Veterans Reserve”. Some of the younger members were however attested on different forms. MOBILISATION On 8 October 1914 Naudé received minute G.3/70F/9199 from the Under Secretary for Defence. The content of the minute is not known but on 10 October, Naudé replied that the instructions had been carried out and attached a list of 50 men who had been provisionally enrolled, subject to confirmation. He added that in every case he had been provided with a testimonial and that he was satisfied that the men had previous service and are suitable. His reply was typed on South African Railways and Harbours letterhead. At the time he was employed as the ‘Superintendent of White Labour’. The letter is however signed “JJ Naudé Captain Naude’s Scouts”. The letter was sent to the Minister for Defence on 11 October. An almost illegible note from the Staff Officer General Staff to the Quartermaster General dated 12 October 1914 mentioned “these 50 men get ready… soon as possible to… Col Brits9”. The note was endorsed as “Cancelled”. Further down on the same page, is another note in scrawling somewhat familiar looking handwriting: “Let Naudé’s Scouts now get ready to report to Col Brits”. It ends with the initial “JCS” for Jan Christiaan Smuts and the date “12/X/14”. By 15 October the powers that be had however decided otherwise and orders were issued for Naudé’s Scouts to proceed to Birdfield to report to Colonel van Deventer10 instead. The following day instructions were issued to entrain at 18:00 for Birdfield. At that time the unit consisted of three officers, 51 men, eight horses and one motor-car11. On 18 October the station master at De Aar detached the coaches the scouts were on to send them to Carnarvon instead. An exchange of telegrams between Naudé and Defence Headquarters ensued. At 07:45 the following day, Naudé telegraphed the Defence Staff to confirm that he had reported to Colonel van Deventer at Carnarvon12. COMPOSITION The Union Defence Force at that time included several soldiers who had been at war with each other only twelve years before. Like the UDF itself, the unit included many Boer War veterans from both sides. The majority of the men were older than thirty and had previous military or police service. Presumably the handful of younger members possessed special skills or local knowledge suitable for the task. Trooper Sheldon for example is believed to have been employed as a motorcycle L’ange, Rayner. Fullard and Solman’s forms have this inscription. 8 A similar situation arose during the Second World War. 9 later: Brigadier-General C J Brits, CB. 10 later Lieutenant-General Sir Jacob van Deventer, KCB, CMG, DTD, ADC. His brother, Dirk van Deventer, DTD, DSO at one time also commanded a detached column of the 4th Mounted Brigade. 11 Movement Order A42/9199 G10/707/9199 dated 16 October 1914. 12 Telegram from Capt Naude to Defence Staff Pretoria 10/70F/9199. 6 7

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dispatch rider at the relatively youthful age of 25. For the veterans, previous military service included Boer Commandoes, Colonial or Imperial Forces. On the Boer side, for example, Lieutenant Vlok had been a veldkornet during the war of 1899-1902 while Lieutenant Botha had been a prisoner of war. Examples from the English/Colonial side include: Lieutenant Atmore who served with the Border Horse; Trooper Solomon who served with the Imperial Yeomanry and Sergeant Curran who had been in Malcolm’s Scouts. Some members had previously been policemen. Sergeant Curran had been in the Cape Police; Trooper Berry had served in the Cape, Transvaal and South African Police. Trooper Solomon had been a policeman in Southern Rhodesia. A number of men also joined the Scouts in the field direct from other units especially Fraserburg Commando as well as others such as Studer’s Springbok Commando13, Namaqualand Commando and the Kalahari Horse. Judging by the surnames and previous military service (where known) the unit appears to have had a good mix of English and Dutch/Afrikaans speakers. Based on birthplace and next-of-kin details there were a few Scots and Irish members as well as possibly an Australian. INTRIGUES On 6 October 1914 the Secretary of Defence received a minute14 from Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Wyndham15 of General Staff Intelligence. At the time Wyndham was the Union Defence Force’s chief intelligence officer. The minute was stamped ‘Secret’. Wyndham said, “I have information that Daniel de Wet, brother of Andries de Wet, has enrolled himself as one of Naude’s Scouts. This man like his two brothers, is extremely disaffected and has only enrolled as a SPY”. Captain Naudé replied that contents of the letter had been noted, adding: “Experience gained in the past has taught me that every effort should be made to choose men in every way reliable” and that “no member will be taken on by me for this present Corps unless I am fully satisfied about his character, antecedents and behaviour”. Naudé added that in the event he required further men he would follow the Minister’s advice and wait until he reached the front, where men could be selected from units already there. On 7 October 1914 the Secretary for Defence, HRM Bourne, wrote to the Staff Officer General Staff: “Minister instructs that Captain Naude is immediately to discharge Daniel de Wet and a man named Rosseau, who resides in GERMAN South West Africa, if he has enrolled these two men in his corps”. The letter further stated that “Captain Naude is not definitely to engage anyone in his Corps until he has submitted the names to the Minister and received the Minister’s approval to each name”. This instruction was subsequently issued to Naudé by Major James Mitchell-Baker16. On 12 October 1914 the Secretary of Defence again received a ‘Secret’ minute17 from Wyndham. It stated that Wyndham had “information that two brothers Coleman, who are farmers from German South West Africa, District Aras, have been enrolled in Capt Naude’s scouts; my information is that both these men are German spies”. A handwritten postscript stated: “Might I suggest that a police check be secured on all men enrolled by Capt Naude”.

During the First World War it was not unusual to add the surname of the commandant to the name of a commando unit. This practice appears to have started during the rebellion era to distinguish ‘loyalist’ and ‘rebel’ commandoes. Later in the war, some towns/districts, such as Standerton, provided more than one commando unit for service. These are sometimes referred to as ‘A’ and ‘B’ Commandoes and sometimes by the name of the commandant. 14 GSI 6/A dated 12 October 1914 15 Lt-Col the Hon Hugh Wyndham, was the Union Defence Force’s first chief intelligence officer. A member of the “Milner Kindergarten” he was best man to John Buchan. After the Boer War he commanded the Eastern Rifles and Southern Mounted Rifles of the Transvaal Volunteers. He also stood for Parliament in Standerton. Later he moved back to England and became the 4th Baron Leconsfield. See: Van der Waag, IJ, Hugh Archibald Wyndham: his life and times in South Africa, 1901-1923 16 Major Mitchell-Baker was Brigade-Major at Delville Wood and was Quartermaster-General during the Second World War as a Major-General. After retiring, he became Mayor of George in the Cape. 17 GSI 6/A dated 12 October 1914 13

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No Colemans appear on any of the nominal rolls for Naudé’s Scouts. Whether they were ever enrolled or not and whether or not Wyndham’s information was correct is not known.

This picture was drawn for the writer by the late Sgt Andy May and was based on two separate photographs. The Major’s cap cover would have been khaki drill in the field.

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Only two days later the Secretary of Police informed Colonel Wyndham that a certain Zeeman had made anti-government comments and was believed to have made his way to Pretoria to join the Intelligence Department. The letter was endorsed as having been seen by Captain Naudé. On 16 October a minute from Major Mitchell-Baker summarised a discussion that Naudé believed that Zeeman was a brother of the man enrolled in his Scout Corps and that he could vouch for him. Mitchell-Baker ended by saying “The Minister desires you to make absolutely certain”. As HJ Zeeman was awarded the 1914-15 Star for service with Naudé’s Scouts presumably the matter had been put to rest. The declaration of War opened old wounds for many who had experienced the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902 and even lead to the open rebellion of some servicemen. It is therefore not surprising that suspicion and mistrust would surface from time to time, especially between former enemies. No doubt, Wyndham, who had served in the British Army during the Boer War, may have been sceptical of Naudé’s loyalties given that his wife and children had spent time in British concentration camps only 12 or so years before. According to one source, Naudé found himself in a difficult position when war was declared and he is believed to have decided to join up more out of personal loyalty to General Louis Botha than anything else. In February 1915, Naudé appears to have spoken with Colonel van Deventer about recruiting additional men to increase the strength of his corps to 100 men and intended recruiting additional members in Johannesburg. Telegrams exchanged between Colonel van Deventer in Upington and Major-General Smuts in Pretoria indicate that the latter was not convinced that suitable men would be found on the Rand. Smuts was of the opinion that it was more likely they would attract German spies and that the matter should not proceed.

Lt-Col Hugh A Wyndham

Col JL van Deventer

Maj-Gen JC Smuts

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Letter from Secretary of Police to Chief Intelligence Officer ACTIONS 20 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

The unit served in the northern Cape Province in the suppression of the Rebellion during 1914, and in the German South West Africa campaign of 1914-15. Rebellion The declaration of War would effectively open old wounds for many and lead to the open rebellion of a group of former Boer officers and their men. In 1914, Boer Rebels had gone over to the German side, and found themselves at odd with loyalist Union Defence Force units. Lieutenant-Colonel SG “Manie” Maritz, as well as approximately half of the troops under his command rebelled to join the Germans. Those under command who wished to remain loyal to the Allies subsequently found themselves “prisoners-of-war” and sent to German South-west Africa. In October 1914, Maritz and his rebels, as well as a small German force under his command briefly occupied the towns of Keimoes and Kakamas in the northern Cape Province, from whence he threatened to attack Upington. On 24 October the rebels faced a surprise attack by a force under command of Colonel Coenraad Brits18. Brits’ force liberated Kakamas but were unable to pursue the retreating rebels, their horses having been too fatigued from the previous night’s forced march. Maritz’s rebels retreated toward Schuit’s Drift, on the Orange River. The rebel Major Ben Coetzer and about 200 men were sent southward by Maritz to illicit support for the rebel cause. This force eased into Kenhardt which had been abandoned by its residents. Thereafter the force split into two columns. The first under Captain Louw headed for Calvinia and the second under Coetzee and Captain Reenen de Villiers made for Carnarvon. The latter column included a German officer Leutnant van Weiherr and two maxim guns that had earlier been captured from Lieutenant Freeth19 at Van Rooisvlei. On 24 October 1914 they ran into a “loyalist scouting party under Major Naudé, at a place called Breekkerrie”. A rebel officer rode under white flag to demand Naudé’s surrender, and to his surprise encountered his uncle and several close friends among the loyalists! Contrary to the rebels’ expectations the district was not in a state of rebellion. Consequently, the rebel party was convinced to surrender instead to the loyalists. Coetzee and de Villiers were however not among those captured as they had got lost in the dark the previous night and became separated from those under their command. At this time Naudé’s Scouts appear to have fallen under the overall command of Commandant CJ van Zyl. The other column that was destined for Calvinia was captured on 26 October at Onderstedoorns by a small force under command of Major PA Vermaas20.

later: Brigadier-General C J Brits, CB Possibly Joseph Cashmore Freeth, a New Zealander who later served as a Major in Pretoria Regiment and commanded 7 SAI in East Africa. 20 Major Petrus Arnoldus Vermaas, DSO of Vermaas’ Scouts 18 19

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Major PA Vermaas

Cape Field Artillery at Schuit’s Drift

On 27 October 1914, Colonel Brits met and defeated a portion of Maritz’s force at Schuit Drift. Brits was able to report that the invasion of the Cape had been broken, after his victory over a combined Rebel-German force at Schuit Drift. Brits returned to the Transvaal and temporarily transferred command to Colonel Royston21. Van Deventer marched from Upington at the end of February 1915, with his first objectives being Schuit Drift (on the Orange River) and Nabas (north-west of Nakob and Ukamas). Members of the Kenhardt-Calvinia, Murraysburg and Namaqualand Commandoes, the Karoo Schutters22 and Naude’s Scouts advanced along the north bank of the Orange and attacked Schuit Drift. The terrain was too rugged for horses and had the attack had to occur on foot., leader of the Scouts, and one of his men, even though both were wounded. In the meantime, the German positions were being shelled from across the river by a section of the Cape Field Artillery” 23. Schuit Drift is situated on the Orange River (approx. 28˚ 30’S, 19˚ 45’ E), roughly fifty miles northwest of the town of Kakamas24. The Orange River has few suitable crossings and drifts were thus of great tactical importance. Unfortunately, the name of the wounded scout is not mentioned. Corporal Louw had already died on 8 January 1915. Sources vary on whether his wounds were received at Schuit’s Drift or Sandfontein. If at the former, this may have been an earlier contact with the enemy than the one in February. Rayner lists only one member of Naude’s Scouts as wounded in the campaign, namely Trooper Germishuizen25, who was wounded at Nabas on 6 March 1915. (According to the Casualty List however the location was Stolzenfels!).

Later Brigadier-General JR Royston, CMG, DSO, VD, he would be better known as “Gallopping Jack” the nickname he earned later while commanding an Australian Light Horse unit. 22 14th Mounted Rifles (Karoo Schutters), Headquartered at De Aar. 23 L’ange, G. Urgent Imperial Service. 24 Map of German South-West Africa as printed in Mumby. 25 JM Germishuizen, later promoted corporal in Naude’s Scouts 21

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Grave of Cpl JCA Louw (CWGC) Nabas Nabas was a well-entrenched position and German forces resisted for nearly five hours before Van Deventer’s men could finally charge the positions26. Surviving Germans fled to Kalkfontein. By 5 April 1915, Van Deventer’s force had advanced as far as Kalkfontein, there occupying the southern railway terminus connecting the main trunk railway. The Left Wing of Van Deventer’s force (under Colonel Bouwer27) arrived two days later. Major-General Jan Smuts28 arrived at Van Deventer’s Kalkfontein HQ on 11 April 1915 to take command of Southern Force, which included the columns under Colonels Berrangé 29, Mackenzie30 and van Deventer31.

UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT L’ange later Lt-Col B D Bouwer, DSO 28 later: Field-Marshal the Rt Hon J C Smuts, OM, CH, DTD, ED etc. 29 later Brigadier-General C A L Berrangé, CMG, DSO 30 later Brigadier-General Sir Duncan Mackenzie, KCMG, CB, DSO, VD 31 later Lieutenant-General Sir Jacob van Deventer, KCB, CMG, DTD, ADC. His brother, Colonel-Commandant Dirk van Deventer, DTD, DSO at one time also commanded a detached column of the 4 th Mounted Brigade. 26 27

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A photograph of Major Naudé shows him wearing a drab service dress jacket with no collar badges, riding breeches, and leather leggings. His headdress appears to be a blue forage cap with a lighter cover (likely to have been khaki in the field or possibly white for walking out) and a row of passing braid on the peak. The badge on his cap unfortunately cannot be identified in detail. It is more than likely to have been the general service pattern badge of the era namely the Union coat-of-arms within a garter inscribed ‘South Africa’ and ‘Zuid-Afrika’ surmounted by a Tudor crown. This badge was worn by many units during the war. It is only much later that the SA Infantry badge of the era (a springbok head in a circlet) became the general service badge. A photograph of Trooper Sheldon shows him wearing a mounted rifle pattern bandolier over the shoulder and a Mauser bandolier around the waist. 32 He appears to be wearing a khaki drill shirt and riding breeches with leggings. Of interest, his slouch hat is dented ‘boy scouts’ fashion.

PERSONNEL Regimental Appointments Officer Commanding Maj JJ Naudé33

03/10/1914 - 26/05/1915

Second-in-Command Unknown. Most likely Captain NJ Vlok as he was among the first officers appointed and the first to be promoted to captain. Adjutant Unknown. Most likely Lieutenant Reeves. The majority of existing unit correspondence on file that was not signed by Naudé himself appears to have been written or signed by Reeves. Reeves had been transferred to the Scouts from the 13th Mounted Rifles (Noordelike Traansvaal Bereden Schutters). Quartermaster Unknown.

Maj JJ Naudé 32 33

Capt NJ Vlok

Capt RM Atmore

Many troops in GSWA were issued with the Portuguese Mauser Verguero 6mm rifle He was promoted to Temporary Major on 7 November 1914.

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Commissioned Officers34 Maj JJ Naudé Capt RM Atmore Capt NJ Vlok Lt GM Botha Lt WJ Cox Lt HL Hugo Lt CL Liebenberg Lt I d M Overbeek Lt AS Reeves Lt WH Rhoades

(later DTD, Croix de Guerre avec Palme, JP) (later DTD, DCM) (later Capt, the Hon, MBE, MEC)

(later Capt, MC) (later Major, VD)

Regimental Sergeant-Major RSM GM Botha 06/10/1914 – 25/10/1914 RSM I d M Overbeek 21/10/1914 – 14/11/1914 RSM H Lowery 15/11/1914 – 27/04/1915 RSM WP Whitney 28/04/1915 – 31/05/1915 Quartermaster-Sergeant QMS JT Pascoe QMS M Baumann

09/10/1914 – 12/02/1915 13/02/1915 – 25/05/1915

Nominal Roll

Surname

Forename(s)

Regt. No. (if known)

Age at attest ation

Town/District of Origin

Rank (if known)

Atmore

Rupert M

Malelane

Lt/Capt

Barr

Thomas

Witbank

Pte or Tpr

Baumann

Max

Johannesburg

Cpl/Sjt/QMS

Berry

John William

Witbank

Pte or Tpr

Bertram

Peter David

Johannesburg

Cpl

Botha

Gerhardus Maritz

Boksburg

RSM/Lt

Bourhill

Harold Peter

Delagoa Bay

Cpl

*Brand

Campbell

Neil

*Coetzee

Pte or Tpr

*Coetzee

Pte or Tpr

Cox35

William Joseph

*Curran

Curran

Richard Henry John

Witbank

Sjt

De Villiers

Stephanus Johannes

Williston

Sjt

*De Waal

Diffenthal

Frank

*Dreyer

Pte or Tpr 37

Middelburg, Tvl.

Cradock

Unknown

Lt Pte or Tpr

Pte or Tpr 49

Johannesburg

Sjt Pte or Tpr

Highest rank held in Naudé’s Scouts is indicated Served in Spanish-American War 1898 as lieutenant. Served in Boer War as Sergeant in SA Light Horse (18991900). Awarded Queen’s South Africa Medal with six clasps. 34 35

25 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

Surname

Regt. No. (if known)

Forename(s)

Age at attest ation

Town/District of Origin

Rank (if known)

Eugela

Gideon

Witbank

Pte or Tpr

Fullard

John Andrew

Knights, Jhb.

Pte or Tpr

Germishuizen

Jan Migiel

Newlands

Cpl

Gorman

George

Johannesburg

Pte or Tpr

Grocer

Harry

Witbank

Unknown

*Green

EPD

Gunning

Anthony Aubrey

Germiston

Sjt

Hobday

Bertram

Pretoria

Sjt

*Hollenbach

DGA

Hughson

William

Williston

Cpl

Hugo

Henry Lawrence

Johannesburg

Sjt/Lt

*James

Jansen

James Henry

Middelburg, Tvl.

Pte or Tpr

Jenner

Herbert Llewellyn

Boksburg

Pte or Tpr

*Johnstone

King

John

Newlands, Jhb.

Cpl

Lawery/Lowery

Henry

Middelburg, Tvl.

Pte/Sgt/RSM

Le Roux

Hendrik van der Graaff

Williston

Pte or Tpr

Lee

Phillip

Witbank

Pte or Tpr

Leggat

John Stephenson

Witbank

Pte or Tpr

Lewis

Sidney Charles

Grahamstown

Pte or Tpr

*Liebenberg

Louw

Jacobus Christoffell Andreas

*Louw

PGC

Pte or Tpr

*Lowery

Pte/Sjt/RSM

Luck

George Burnall

*Marich

Marshall

Graycroft Henry Hannay

Johannesburg

Mickie/Michie/ Miele/Miekle (?)37

Donald

Middelburg, Tvl.

Pte or Tpr

Muller

Hendrik Jacob Terblanche

Alkmaar

Pte or Tpr

Munro

William

Witbank

Pte or Tpr

Myburgh

Jan Christiaan Vogel

Boksburg

Pte or Tpr

Naude38

Johannes Jacobus

Pretoria

Capt/Maj

O’Shaughnessy

Michael Patrick

Witbank

Pte or Tpr

Overbeek

Immens de Mauregnauld

Johannesburg

Sjt/RSM/Lt

Palmer

George Andrew

Pretoria

Pte or Tpr

Papenfuss

Thomas Nicholas

Johannesburg

Unknown

Pte/Sjt

Pte or Tpr

Pte/Sjt/Lt 35

Johannesburg.

Johannesburg

Cpl36

Cpl Pte or Tpr

Andries

Corporal according to Commonwealth War Graves Register. Private according to medal roll. Surname illegible. On his attestation form it appears to be either Miche or Miele, but Captain LHD Hale of the SA Medical Corps wrote Mickie on the medical certificate! Could possibly have been Miekle. 38 No attestation form for JJ Naude in unit file. 36 37

26 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

Surname

Forename(s)

Regt. No. (if known)

Age at attest ation

Town/District of Origin

Rank (if known)

Pascoe

John Thomas

Newlands, Jhb.

Pte or Tpr

Pietersen

Charles Christiaan

Johannesburg

Cpl/Sjt

Reeves39

Alexander Stuart

Witbank

*Reid

Rhoades

William Herbert

*Roux

Sandberg40

Lieb

Johannesburg

Pte or Tpr

Sasieni

David

Johannesburg

Pte or Tpr

Scandett

Alexander Benjamin

Germiston

Pte or Tpr

Scrimgeocer41

Peter

Johannesburg

Pte or Tpr

Shawyer

Arthur James

Witbank

Cpl

Sheldon

Algeruon Victor

Pretoria

Pte or Tpr

Solman/Solomon42

Charles Wesley

Johannesburg

Pte or Tpr

Soulsby

Robert

Jeppestown, Jhb.

Pte or Tpr

Stanford

Guy Henwood

Witbank

Pte or Tpr

Uys

Nicolas Frederick

Williston

Cpl

*Van der Merwe Van

Rooyen43

Pte or Tpr 33

Newlands, Jhb.

Lt Pte or Tpr

Pte or Tpr

Jacobus

La Rochelle, Jhb.

Pte or Tpr

Van Wyk

Frans Petrus

Williston

Pte or Tpr

Van Wyk

Wessel Johannes

Williston

Pte or Tpr

Vasey

George Adolphus

Witbank

Unknown

*Vermeulen

Pte or Tpr

*Vlok

Pte or Tpr

Vlok

Nicolas Johannes

Boshoff, OVS

Lt/Capt

Vorster

Willem Stephanus

Johannesburg

Sjt

Walker

Reginald Clive

Parkton, Jhb.

Pte or Tpr

Whitney

William Peach

Johannesburg

Cpl/Sjt/RSM

*Willemse

Wilson

Charles Leonard

Johannesburg

Pte or Tpr

Woodcock

George

Middelburg, Tvl.

Pte or Tpr

Yeoman

Matthew Welsh

Middelburg, Tvl.

Pte or Tpr

Zeeman

Hendrik Johannes

Germiston

Pte or Tpr

Teske

Abraham Paulus

Johannesburg

Pte or Tpr

Tollemache

Reginald Ernest

Witbank

Pte or Tpr

Tollemache

Walter James

Witbank

Pte or Tpr

Tromp

Bastiaan Marthinus Paul

Johannesburg

Unknown

Pte or Tpr

Transferred to Naude’s Scouts Only member of unit to complete Dutch version of attestation form. 41 Difficult to decipher spelling from form. 42 Previous service with BSA Police 3 years and Imperial Yeomanry 2.5 years 43 Note on back of attestation form stating previous experience as Boer War 3 years and Zulu Rebellion 3 months. 44 Spelling unclear. Attestation forms look like starting with “Z” but Nominal Roll for 1914-5 Star looks as if starts with “T”. 39 40

27 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

PERSONALITIES Jacobus Johannes Naudé had been a soldier, spy and scout during the Anglo-Boer War. As a kapitein he was in charge of ‘Special Services’ for General Louis Botha and commanded Naudé se Verkennerskorps [i.e. Corps of Scouts]. For his First World War service in command of Naudé’s Scouts he was awarded the French Croix de Guerre and was mentioned-in-despatches. It is unclear what Naudé did between the end of the South West campaign in 1915 and 1917 when he resumed his role as Superintendent and Inspector of White Labour. Letters on South African Railways letterhead were exchanged between the General Manager of the Railways (Colonel Hoy) and Major Naudé congratulating each other on their respective awards for wartime service. Major Naudé does not appear to have performed further military service however he only relinquished his commission in 1920. In his civilian role Naudé was responsible for setting up and inspecting work schemes intended to address the ‘poor White’ problem. In this capacity he received numerous letters from poor whites addressed to various ranks and titles (e.g. kommandant, generaal etc.). The spelling of his surname seemed to attract as many variations as possible too. During the 1920s his post was disestablished following a change of government. Naudé went farming near Zeerust. The former labour inspector openly criticised the new Smuts Government’s approach to labour issues. Also, during the 1920s the Union Government introduced formal awards for service on the Boer side of the 1899-1902 war. Besides his campaign medal, Naudé was also awarded the Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst the Boer equivalent of the Distinguished Service Order. In 1940, G D Scholtz compiled a biography of his Boer War adventures entitled In Doodsgevaar [i.e. ‘In mortal danger’]. The book was silent on his First World War service. Possibly because a large proportion of the likely market was anti-War or anti-Government at the time. Naudé remained active in Boer War veteran’s affairs through the ‘Bond van Oud-stryders’ and attended one of the last formal reunions of exrepublican officers held in the 1950s. The Christian faith played an important role in his life. He served as an elder in the Dutch Reformed Church and wrote an article for Die Kerkbode on the subject. Nicolas Johannes Vlok was born in Calvinia which may have been of benefit while serving in the Northern Cape. Vlok was descended from an Admiral and had been a veldkornet during the Boer War and had farmed along the border of the Free State and Northern Cape. At the end of his service as a captain with Naudé’s Scouts he enlisted with the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force to serve in France as a mere private with the 2nd South African Infantry (Natal and OFS Regiment). He qualified as a sniper in December 1915. On 15 July 1916, Private Vlok was wounded at Delville Wood. He was shot in the upper arm by an exploding bullet that rendered his arm ‘quite useless’ (according to the Medical Officer that examined him). Despite this, he was reputedly the life and soul of the Ward he was recuperating in. He was discharged four months after his injury. Vlok was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for evacuating Lieutenant Tatham while under fire. He survived the war after many operations and like Naudé was awarded the Dekoratie for Trouwe Dienst for his Boer War Service. His application for Boer War campaign medals was signed “N.J. Vlok D.C.M.”. Soon he was to become “N.J. Vlok, D.T.D., D.C.M.” with the distinction of having been awarded the highest decoration that could be bestowed on a former Boer officer as well as the 2 nd highest bravery award that could at the time be bestowed upon a British ‘other rank’. Vlok’s funeral in the 1930s appears to have been quite an event. His coffin was draped in both the Union Flag and South African Flag. Two buglers from the Kimberley Regiment played The Last Post. His pallbearers were all members of the SA Police stationed at Beaconsfield. The funeral was attended by the Deputy-Commissioner of Police as well as a large cross-section of the Kimberley community. In the early 1900s Rupert Atmore had been one of the first rangers appointed by Major James Stevenson-Hamilton to help look after the reserve that was eventually to become the Kruger National Park. During the Second World War, Atmore served as a Sergeant at the Central Army Training Depot and later with the Field Security Police. 28 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

Lieutenant Alexander Stuart Reeves previously served in the 13th Mounted Rifles (Northern Transvaal Mounted Rifles). Following his service with the Scouts, Reeves served for two months as a captain with Carnarvon Commando before serving with the 2nd South African Horse in East Africa. He was invalided out in October 1916. Reeves appears to have remained active in the Citizen Force after the war serving with the 13th Mounted Rifles45. He was later promoted to Major and awarded the Volunteer Officers Decoration. In March 1915, Lieutenant Immins Overbeek was transferred to the Provost Marshal’s Staff and promoted to Captain. After release in August 1915, he appears to have taken some leave from the military before re-joining in July 1916 as a lieutenant in the SA Service Corps. He went on to serve in various roles in the East Africa campaign. He was promoted to Captain, mentioned-in-despatches and awarded the Military Cross for Gallantry. From June to November 1918, he commanded the Cape Auxiliary Horse Transport Depot in South Africa before going back to East Africa for the third time. He was finally released from service in December 1918. His commission was finally relinquished in January 1920 by the same order affecting the commission of Major Naudé. Gerhardus Maritz Botha the first RSM of Naudé’s Scouts subsequently joined the South African Service Corps and served in East Africa as a quartermaster. He was promoted to Captain in July 1916, arrived back in Durban in July 1917 and was released from service in November 1918. Botha went on to become Chairman of the Natal Provincial Council. He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire and also received the Coronation Medal 1937. Harold Peter Bourhill appears to have served as an officer in the Royal Engineers (he was an electrical engineer in civilian life) and also did a stint as a lieutenant and Intelligence Officer. William James Cox claimed to be a lieutenant during the Spanish-American War however this has not been confirmed. He was a sergeant in the South African Light Horse during the Anglo-Boer War and qualified for the Queen’s South Africa Medal with six clasps and was mentioned-in-despatches. Cox left Naudé’s Scouts to become a Captain in the Fraserburg Commando. Cox served just over seven months with the 2nd South African Horse in East Africa. His civilian occupation had been ‘Civil Engineer’ and in August 1916 he joined 1 Special Engineer Section, South African Engineer Corps instead. Captain Cox appears to have been involved in a court martial which led to his ‘discharge from HM services’. The offence for which he was court martialled is surprisingly not recorded in his personnel files! Another note in his files mentions that he was ‘discharged from service by a medical board at Cradock on 24 July 1919’ which does not match the court martial date. It could be that he successfully appealed his court martial dismissal and was subsequently boarded on medical grounds. Richard Henry John Curran went on to serve with the 4th SA Infantry (South African Scottish) in Europe and was later commissioned. George Burnall Luck had been a corporal with the Scouts but re-enlisted as a mere private in 5th South African Horse. He later became a corporal again but his luck ran out on 24 August 1916 when he went missing in action. He was later presumed dead. William Herbert Rhoades only served with Naude’s Scouts for just under two months before joining Fraserburg Commando as Quartermaster. He later served as a lieutenant in the Engineer Corps. Trooper AV Sheldon, a bank clerk prior to the war, went on to join the Royal Air Force. He later returned to South Africa and became a bank manager.

Union Defence Force Officers List 1921.

29 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

Scout David Sasieni went on to serve as a corporal in 3rd SA Infantry in Europe. He was unfortunate enough to have been wounded four times while in Europe including gunshot wounds to the groin and neck.

30 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

NONGQAI TRUST | IT 002701/2018(T)

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THANK YOU! | DANKIE!

32 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

33 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

VAN DIE REDAKSIE

• OOGGETUIEVERSLAE VAN TERREURDADE GESOEK Help asseblief: So baie van ons lede en lesers was ooggetuies van terreurdade gedurende die rewolusionêre oorlog. Ons is op soek na ooggetuieverslae van ons oudlede. En statistiek. Soos die ou Anglo Boere-oorlog wat meer as 100 jaar gelede plaasgevind het, steeds interessant bly – so het ons rewolusionêre-oorlog van 16 Des 1961 tot 1994 geduur – selfs na die bekende “2 Februarie 1990”-toespraak van mnr FW de Klerk het die stryd eintlik feller voortgeduur veral tussen die ANC en Inkatha en tussen “Hostel dwellers” en “Residents”. Op die foto is majoor Dolf Odendaal nadat ‘n handgranaat na hom gegooi is.

34 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.

SLOT | END

35 Nongqai Vol 13 No 3A – Maj JJ Naude, DTD.