On Commando

On Commando

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Warmelo
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Title: On Commando
Author: Dietlof Van Warmelo
Release Date: February 24, 2005 [eBook #15160]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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COMMANDO***
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ON COMMANDO
by
DIETLOF VAN WARMELO
With a Portrait
Methuen & Co. 36 Essex Street W.C. London Colonial Library
1902

[Illustration: DIETLOF VAN WARMELO]

PREFACE
This book was written in 1901, while its author was a prisoner at

Ahmednagar. It was written in Dutch, and has been put into English by
a young lady from what was the Orange Free State.
The author is a friend and relation of mine, son of a clergyman in the
Transvaal, and of old Afrikander stock on both sides. His book is the
more valuable because of the absence of all literary pretensions, and it
may be taken as truly representative of the Afrikander spirit, which has
been so much misconceived in England.
FREDERIK VAN EEDEN
WALDEN, N. HOLLAND, _July_, 1902

CONTENTS


CHAPTER
FOREWORD
I. AT THE BOUNDARY--ENTRANCE INTO
NATAL--DUNDEE--LADYSMITH
II. SIEGE OF LADYSMITH--BATTLE OF THE
ROOIRANDJES--BLOWING UP OF THE CANNON
III. THE EIGHT-DAY BATTLE OF THE TUGELA--TALK OF
INTERVENTION--RELIEF OF LADYSMITH
IV. DEWETSDRIFT--RETURN TO, AND FLIGHT FROM,
PRETORIA
V. TREK FROM MIDDELBURG TO RUSTENBURG--BATTLE OF
SELIKATSNEK
VI. GUERILLA LIFE ON THE MAGALIES
MOUNTAINS--NARROW ESCAPE OF PRESIDENT STEYN AND
GENERAL DE WET
VII. WITH PRESIDENT STEYN TO PRESIDENT KRUGER

VIII. WITH PRESIDENT STEYN IN THE BOSCHVELD--LOST
IX. PRACTICAL HINTS--ADVENTURE ON THE SABIE--NORTH
OF LYDENBURG
X. FROM ROOSSENEKAL TO PIETERSBURG--WITH GENERAL
BEYERS TO THE MAGALIES MOUNTAINS
XI. BATTLE OF NOOITGEDACHT
XII. PAARDEKRAAL DAY--BATTLE IN THE MOAT--ATTACK
ON KAALFONTEIN STATION
XIII. COMMANDO SUFFERINGS
XIV. BATTLE OF BOESMANSKOP--FLIGHT OF WOMEN
XV. BATTLE OF CHRISSIESMEER--REUNION WITH GENERAL
BEYERS
XVI. CAMPED NEAR TAFELKOP
CONCLUSION: BATTLE OF STOMPIES--IN THE HANDS OF THE
ENEMY

MY LIFE ON COMMANDO
FOREWORD
Could I have known that the war would last so long, I might from the
beginning have taken notes. They would have brought back memories
in a way pleasant to me now, and perhaps also to those who have asked
me to write down my adventures.
Often it occurred to me to keep a diary, but I was obliged to give up the
idea because my clothes were sometimes so thoroughly drenched that
the letters in my pocket were not readable. Later on, when clothes were
scarce and pockets past mending, I often made the unpleasant discovery
that caused the fool, on his journey from the land of Kokanje, to cry to
the King: 'We have ridden at such a breakneck pace, see, everything

has slipped through this little hole!' Now I am obliged to write down
my adventures without any notes, so dates, numbers, and names of
places will occasionally be missing. It stands to reason that I--being an
exile in a strange country, in the fort of ... in ..., cut off from the world
outside and without any official reports--should simply limit myself to
my own personal experience. And, lastly, I must apologize to my
readers for so often speaking of myself and my friends; but that is
inevitable in this tale.
I shall pass rapidly over the first part of my life on commando. If my
memory plays me false--which is not very probable, as I still have a
lively recollection of the events--I shall be grateful for correction.
_July_, 1901.

I
AT THE BOUNDARY--ENTRANCE INTO
NATAL--DUNDEE--LADYSMITH
When that part of the Pretoria town commando to which my brother
Frits and I belonged left for the Natal boundary on September 30, 1899,
we were all very enthusiastic, as could be seen from the nice new suits,
the new shining guns, and the sleek horses. Many ladies had come to
the station to see us off, and we were proud of having the opportunity
to fight for our country. Our departure seemed then to us a great
occasion, we were inexperienced in war. We had not yet learnt that one
could pass unscathed through many a fierce battle. We knew nothing of
'retreating' and we knew all about the enemy with whom we were to
come in contact. We imagined that several sharp engagements would
take place--that these would be decisive battles in which many of our
men would be killed, and therefore the parting with relatives and
friends was sad indeed.
Our Field-Cornet, Melt Marais, had told us that we had nothing