TOPIC:

The battle at Holkrans is well described in a separate thread on this site initiated by Bret Hendey in 2011. Depending on the source consulted, the battle at Holkrans is either ignored or referred to from anything between insignificant skirmish to cold-blooded massacre.
Holkrans (sometimes misspelled Holkranz or Holkrants/z) is a farm (Jeppe 210) located in scenic landscape at the foot of a mountain ridge south west of Paulpietersburg in the Vryheid district. During the early hours of May 6 in 1902, a strong impi (estimated at 300 men) of abaQulusi Zulus lead by Chief Sikhobobho attacked a section of the Vryheid Commando under Veldcornet J.A. (“Jan Mes”) Potgieter, killing 56 of the 73 Boers present. Because of the timing of the attack (peace negotiations were underway and a tacit armistice was in place), its shocking voracity and the fact that it was carried out by Zulus armed by the British in what supposed to be a “white men’s war” infuriated the Boers beyond measure. General Botha called it the foulest deed of the war. The matter was at the time highly contentious a.o. due to the assertion that the British (and notably A.J. Shepstone, British Magistrate in the Vryheid District) instigated the attack. More than a century later the battle at Holkrans continues to stir vivid emotions as can be illustrated by the fact that the recent findings of an extensive study into the affair remain under wraps because of “the controversial nature of the event.” Considering that the British and Boers are presently fair game for unfiltered criticism, it is not difficult to draw some conclusions of what the unpublished report may have contained.


The reason for digging into this contentious matter is a note scribbled in pencil that came with a collection of interesting Boer War documents from the estate of a well-known South African. The note lists the names of all 56 men killed during the attack as well as those of the three boys who were taken prisoner. What makes this note special is that it appears to have been written in the field, possibly even on site. The writer seems to have known the men personally as on occasion refers to them by their shortened Christian name. The note paper was folded to fit into a wallet and was first used for a calculation as is illustrated by the fact that the names are written around it. Also, the sequence in which the names appear differs from any published list or monument inscription. The note therefore may be (one of) the first listing(s) of the dead at Holkrans.



Below is a tally of the names as they appear on the note, with names from the Program for the Reburial Ceremony in 1905 behind it in between parenthesis. The full Christian names and age at the time of death are gleaned from the Bloemfontein Museum Database. All men were members of the Vryheid Commando unless otherwise specified.
The Bloemfontein Museum website lists only 7 (of 8) men by the name Potgieter.

1 Johan van Reenen, (J.G. van Reenen, Korporaal) Johan Georg, 23
2 Dirk van Reenen (D.G. van Reenen) Dirk Gysbert, 19
3 J. Engels (J.C. Engels) Johan Sarel, 20
4 J. Kriel (J.A. Kriel) Jacobus Albertus, 42
5 D. Kriel (Th.J. Kriel) Theodorus Johannes Gerhardus, 16 of “Afgesny” Vryheid
6 J. Kriel (A.J.Kriel, Korporaal) Adam Johannes, 40, of “Kamboeladraai”, Ward 1 Vryheid
7 St. Rensburg (S.J.van Rensburg) Stephanus Johannes, age unknown
8 J. Rensburg (J.N. van Rensburg) Jacobus Nicolaas, 17
9 P. Maritz (P.M. Maritz) Paul Michael, 54, Vryheid Dorp
10 S. Maritz (S.J. Maritz) Stephanus Johannes, 17
11 D. Coetzee (D.P.J. Coetzee) Dirk, 47
12 F. Coetzee (J.F.T. Coetzee) Johannes Frederik (Tredoux), 18
13 M. Coetzee (M.A.S. Coetzee) Matthys Andries Stephanus, age unknown, Vryheid Dorp
14 R. Els (R.C. Els) Christian name unknown, age unknown. Geni website: Renier Christiaan (Dick)
15 G. Els (G.H. Els) George Henry, 20
16 G. Vos (G.J. Vos) Christian name unknown, 45 (Pretoria resident, Vryheid Commando)
17 F. Pieterse (F.C. Pieterse) Frits, 26 of “Groothoek,” Utrecht District, Vryheid Commando (same man is mentioned as 28 year of age and member of Utrecht Commando)
18 N. Pieterse (N.Th. Pieterse) Nicolaas Theodorus, 53
19 N. Kok (N.M. Kok) Nicolaas Marthinus, 33
20 H. Martins (H.J. Martens) listed on Museum website as Maartens, Hendrik Jacobus, 34
21 J. Martins (J.F. Martens) listed on Museum website as Maartens, Jan Thomas, 19
22 C. Potgieter Snr. (presumably C.N. Potgieter) Cornelis Marthinus, 49 of “Afgesny” Ward 1 Vryheid
23 D. Potgieter (Th. Potgieter) Theodorus, 22 of “Afgesny” Vryheid
24 G. Potgieter (G.J. Potgieter) Gert Jacobus, 18
25 C. Potgieter (presumably C.F. Potgieter) Coenraad Frederik, 34
26 J. Potgieter …. (presumably J.A. Potgieter, Veldcornet) Johannes Abraham, 32 Veldcornet
27 Jan Potgieter … (presumably J.) Jan G.,22
28 L. Potgieter (L.J. Potgieter, Korporaal) Lodewijk J. Witbank, Vryheid
29 O. Mooyen (O.W. Mooyen) Otto Wilem Moojen, 27 Dutch Volunteer from Nijmegen
30 J. Streefkerk (J. Streefkerk, Korporaal) Jan H., 40 According to this website a volunteer from Holland, no rank listed.
31 J.Bimond (J.B. Biemond) Jacobus Bartholomeus, 26 Dutch Volunteer from Maassluis
32 Goldman (F. Goldman) Louis Frederik (Frits), age unknown. According to this website a volunteer from Holland
33 C. Basaans (C.J. Bessaans) Cornelis Johannes Joseph Besaans, age unknown, Volunteer from Holland or Belgium. Also listed as Bissaans.
34 Haans Bouwer (J.Th. Bouwer) Hans, 18 of f “Klipspruit” Bloedrivier. Also listed as J.T. Bouwer, 21 and Johannes Floris, 17 both with same Klipspruit address.
35 Corn..Bouwer (C.T. Bouwer) Cornelius Tobias, 20
36 W. Jones (W.R. Jones) William Richard, 22
37 W. Bland (J.W. Bland) John William, 33 from farm “Waterval” Vryheid
38 Izak de Jager (I.de Jager) Izaak, 35, of “Scheepersnek” Vryheid
39 Haan (Hans) Loos (J.A. Laas) Johannes Casparus, 35 of “Witbank”Vryheid
40 S. Francis (M.T. Francis) Matheus Thomas, 19
41 P. Erasmus (P.R. Erasmus Snr) Petrus Rasmus, 54 of “Vaalbank” Vryheid
42 P. Erasmus (P.R. Erasmus Jnr) Petrus Rasmus 22, of “Vaalbank” Vryheid
43 J. Behr (J.C.Behr) Jan Petrus 18 or 20, Vryheid Dorp
44 C. Behr (C de V Behr) Cornelius Jansen de Villiers Behr, 17, Vryheid Dorp
45 Jan Labuschaggne (Jan Harm Labuschagne) Jan Harm, 27 near “Witbank” Umfolozi
46 S. van Wijk (S.J.v an Wyk) Fanie, 33
47 P. Colijn (P.C. Colyn) Pieter Josia, 16
48 F. Rabie (F.J. Rabé) Frederik Jacobus Rabie, 47
49 J. Rabie (J.S. Rabé) Jan Sebastiaan Rabie, 22
50 P. Rabie (Ph.F. Rabie) Philippus (Fourie) Rabie, 18
51 H. Swart (H. Swart) Hendrik (Johannes Christoffel) Swarts,35
52 H .du Preez (H. du Preez) Hercules Johannes, 48 from n’Gotje, Ward 2 Vryheid
53 A. Vermeulen (A.J. Vermeulen) Abraham Johannes from Mpefane, Vryheid. This site lists him erroneously as Arend Van der Meulen a volunteer from Holland. Arend in fact died at Elandslaagte in October 1899.
54 J. de Beer (S.J.de Beer) Jacobus Johannes, 15
55 C. Lombard (C.J. van R. Lombard) Cornelus Johannes van Rooyen Lombard, 20, of Bloemhof, Vryheid
56 Koos Potgieter (presumably J.F Potgieter) Jacobus? Not found.

The note also mentions C. Pieterse, L Maritz and Jan Diederiks. These were the boys who were taken prisoner by the Zulus and later released.

In a different hand, it states on the note: Names of the Burgers murdered at Holkrans on May 6, 1902

The calculation that preceded the list of names may or may not relate to the number of men on commando or quantity of cattle that had been raided by the Boers prior to the attack.

Everhard, yet another fascinating document - thanks for sharing it.
(The calculation written sideways across the middle has an error - can anyone else spot it?)

I would like to get some clarification. I based the location of the battle in my previous post on the 1902 disposition of Daniel Coetzee (post QSAMIKE #42195, thread Battle of Holkrans) in which Daniel states “we stayed at Holkrantz 210”. (note spelling) on the Programma van Herbegraving in 1905 it is also stated “Holkrantz.” On the Jeppe map there is a Holkrantz 123 which is closer to Vryheid than Holkrans 210. Can any forum member tell me on which of the two farms the battle actually took place?



Also, anecdotally, some of the men killed in the battle came from farms (Kambuladraai, Afgesny) in the direct vicinity.

Hi EFV,

I don't have a definitive answer for you but all the literature refers to Holkrans being North of Vryheid.

That would make 210 the most likely candidate; the other being in a more westerly direction.

The following picture is courtesy of "We Wander the Battlefields" by Midge Carter & Trish Woodman taken in the 1970's:



I could'nt find the GPS co-ordinates of this monument; I suspect it may no longer be there (unfortunately).

I contacted a retired battlefield guide who replied as follows:
"I have not been to the actual site of the battle/massacre but have driven past the turn-off many times. If you take the R33 from Vryheid towards Paulpietersburg, you will pass the turn-off to Kambula on the left. The Holkrans turn-off is a little further on, on the right. I suggest that you look up "Holkrans Country Estate, Vryheid" on Google Maps - I found it easily enough (GPS -27.58805, 30.76563). There is a phone number - (034) 980-1537. I feel sure that a call to them could solve your problem."
Rob

In 1942 dominee E.C. Anderssen published “die Verlede Herleeft” (Reliving the past) about his experiences during the Boer War. This rare and very interesting softcover booklet has to my knowledge never been translated into English. Many of Anderssen’s experiences relate to the Vrijheid district and prominent among these is his chilling and very graphic account of the events at Holkrans that occurred just a few weeks before the end of the war. Anderssen writes:

Organized Raids on farms in the Vrijheid district in which Zulu impi’s participated (including Impi’s which came over from Zululand proper) occurred with regularity. On one such occasion the Zulus took a large quantity of cattle (50.000 animals) from Piet de Jager and farms around him, including 2.000 cows from Gert van Rensburg and his three brothers. During those raids the Zulus killed a number of Boers a.o. T. van Gasterop (A Dutchman), Piet Potgieter and J. Kemp. They also killed one Hendrik Coetzee, a big man with a large beard. The Zulus tortured Coetzee by tearing off his facial hair before killing him and stuffing him in an aardvark hole. These murders greatly vexed the Commandant General (Louis Botha) who gave Veld Cornet Jan (Mes) Potgieter who was in charge of the burgers of Wijk 1, Vrijheid, orders to take revenge on Skobobe (the Zulu Chief held responsible for these murders) by burning Skobobe’s kraals and taking his cattle.

The subsequent murders at Holkrans can be regarded as a tit-for-tat revenge for the raid on Skobobe.

Anderssen describes the event as follows:

Awaiting the outcome of the peace negotiations, Boer commandos were spread over the (Vrijheid) district in groups of 50, 60 or 70 men. An armistice was effectively in place and Jan (Mes) Potgieter and his 68 men found themselves at Holkrans guarding cattle, including herds they had taken from Skobobe. Potgieter’s men bivouacked under a ridge; some of the men slept under the wagons. Suddenly strange noises erupted from the mountains behind them. These noises scared some of the burgers who subsequently suggested to Potgieter they should move away. Potgieter, known for his fearlessness, wasn’t perturbed however, and told the men to remain calm. Potgieter did nevertheless decide to set up a forward warning post. The night when tragedy struck, a watchman (a teacher who later became member of the Volksraad for Potchefstroom) heard a rifle shot which he mistook for a horse kicking a metal bucket. Not much later he heard the sound again and only then decided to wake the sleeping burgers. Too late: Before the burgers could get up, they were already surrounded by more than a thousand Zulus under command of Skobobe, armed with rifles, assegais, war axes and knobkerries. Those burgers who got up in time ran towards Potgieter, others were speared to death while still lying under their blankets. Potgieter and some men tried to run away over the razor-sharp stones on their bare feet, shooting their way through the mass of attackers; to no avail as they were mercilessly hacked to death with assegais. Potgieter and his men had lacked ammunition during their escape attempt, a situation that was aggravated by the fact that some of men armed with Mauser rifles had in haste taken belts with Lee Metford ammunition and vice versa. When Potgieter and the last of his men had fallen, the Zulus returned to the dead burgers and mutilated the bodies.

Only a few escaped these horrors. Oe Marrelies Potgieter had been speared in the first attack and had remained motionless on the ground with an assegai still protruding from his body. The Zulus held him for dead and he survived. A young man named Jannie Diedericks was saved by a Zulu named Jantjie who had worked for his father, and was taken prisoner. Also taken prisoner were two other young men, Lodewyck Maritz and S. Pieterse. Diedericks later declared that the clamor of gunshots, knobkerrie beatings, the desperate mercy cries and the screams and moaning of the wounded (both black and white) was absolutely soul piercing…


Jan (Mes) Potgieter