Description
Queen’s South Africa Medal, 3 bars, Relief of Mafeking, Rhodesia, Transvaal, Private Geoffrey William Rennell de Smidt, Southern Rhodesia Volunteers, Old Dutch Family in South Africa
Officially impressed: “274 Tpr: G.W.R. De Smidt. S: Rhod: Vols:”
Edge bruising and general wear through having been worn by him.
Entitlement confirmed on the medal roll, which notes it was issued to Bulawayo on 6th March 1903, with 3 clasps.
Additionally earned the KSA with both bars for further war service in the Bechuanaland Volunteer Rifles as Corporal.
Mr Geoffrey William Rennell de Smidt, 17th May 1871 – 4th January 1937
Born to an old Dutch “Boer” Family that first came to the Cape of Good Hope, or Kaap die Goeie Hoop as it was known when his family arrived in the country in the late 1700s, before Britain first took over by 1806.
Son of Adam Gabriel de Smidt (Stellenbosch, 1836-1910) and Johanna Elizabeth de Smidt.
How did the family come to the Cape?
His Great Grandfather was Abraham de Smidt, born Middleburg, Holland 1755, died Cape Town, 1809, a former Ship’s Officer and mate on the Dutch East India Company V.O.C. Ship Middelburg, named after his home town of Middelburg, Walcheren, Holland, the home base of the VOC.
He had been a Kaapse Burger-Luitenant during 1790, or Cape Citizen Lieutenant.
He was the Master of the Masonic Lodge “De Goede Hoop” from 1807-08 and Chairman V.D. Desolate Bodelkamer (Estate Room) in 1803.
Geoffrey W.R. De Smidt was born on 17th May 1871 in South Africa.
When he turned 18 he first became a Probational Clerk with the Division of George, Cape of Good Hope, as recorded in the 1890 Colonial Office List, with a salary of 220L.
He had worked as a Clerk with the Civil Service at the age of 21 when he married his first wife Lily Holmes at Humansdorp on 18th April 1893.
1896 Colonial List shows him as a Clerk of Port Elizabeth.
1897 Colonial List shows him as a Clerk of Humansdorp.
BOER WAR ARMY SERVICE
During the Boer War, he saw early service with F Troop of the Southern Rhodesian Volunteers, who were mobilised under Colonel Plumer in the campaign to Relieve the town of Mafeking, to rescue Baden Powell who had taken the Bechuanaland Rifles there before the outbreak of the war.
He later saw service in the Bechuanaland Rifles for the remainder of the war, and earned his KSA medal as a Corporal in the regiment.
After the Boer War, circa 1910, he started a new career as a Teacher or “Onderwyser” in Afrikaans, possibly becoming a Schoolmaster later.
He later remarried to Martha Johanna Catharina de Smidt
