Description
Dekoratie Trouwe Dienst, Anglo Boer War Oorlog Medal, ABO DTD Pair, Kaptein Jurie Jochemus Petrus Wessels, Heilbron Kommando, Captured at Orange River on 1st March 1901.
Both medals the DTD & ABO officially impressed: “KAPT J. J. P. WESSELS”
Good condition on old ribbons.
With copy research including POW register entry and his application forms “Vorm A” and “Vorm B” for the DTD and ABO Medal, which detail his battles fought and under whom he served.
Kaptein (Captain) Jurie Johannes Petrus Wessels, 1861-1951, was a Boer Farmer from the Cape Colony.
He was born there on 16th April 1865 and baptised on 14th May 1865.
The son of Jurie Hendrik Johannes Wessels and Elizabeth Johanna Maria de Villiers.
He took up arms as an Officer with Heilbron Kommando serving from 26th October 1899 until he was finally captured about 1st-5th March 1901.
He notes that he was “Kaptein van Korps” aka Captain of the Corps of the Heilbron and Frankfort Commandos.
Writing that his commanding officer was a Kommandant Steenkamp of the Heilbron Kommando and then Kommandant Ross of the Frankfort Kommando.
Should be Kommandant Lucas Steenkamp, Heilbron Kdo and Alexander Ross of the Frankfort Burghers.
An interesting note from the early part of his service, is that he first joined up with the Heilbron Commando under Lukas Steenkamp.
At this time, amongst the ranks of lowly Burghers was future General Christiaan Rudolph de Wet, when the war broke out he served as a Burgher at first, when then Kommandant fell ill De Wet took over command as Acting Commandant, leading the men at Nicholson’s Nek. Soon after De Wet was appointed as Field General.
When he made his claim for the DTD, Kapt Wessels writes of those who could vouch for him including De Wet and Botha:
“General de Wet, General (Christoffel Cornelis) Froneman, General Botha, Komdt Steenkamp, Komdt Ross”
After that he was shipped off to India where he was held as a Prisoner of War until the end of the war in November 1902.
He writes on his application he was held in India “Indie” at Ahmednagar Camp.
The Ahmednagar POW Camp was in Maharashtra, India, a British Military Base used to house Boer Prisoners during the war.
With the end of the war he returned back home to South Africa.
He soon after married his wife Maria Magdalena de Beer on 29th December 1903.
In later life he moved to Dunnotar, Nigel, where he died at the Nigel Hospital on 5th June 1951.
He enjoyed a long life, and over 2 decades since serving in the Boer War, he was awarded these 2 medals for his services, his applications being approved during February 1924.
