Description
South Africa, Memorial Plaque, 17765 Private Jasper Petrus Van der Westhuizen, Witwatersrand Rifles, Regiment De La Rey, South African Forces. Killed in Action during the attack on Monte Fili, Italy on 22nd July 1944.
The “Wits de la Rey”, a recent combination of the Witwatersrand Rifles and Regiment de la Rey, saw significant combat in the Italy campaign of 1944, they served with the enigmatic chaplain, Captain “Doempie” M.D.V. Cloete M.C., a well regarded rugby player with a brutal tackle, who found himself doing more of the duties of a typical officer than that of a Chaplain, shortly before Pte Westhuizen’s death when the regiment took Allerona, the Chaplain had an amusing time when he captured 2 German Soldiers who were hiding in a bush, armed with only his officer’s cane and some friendly Afrikaans.
Soldiers who died in WW2 from South Africa, were awarded these Memorial Plaques, like what was awarded during WW1 but these are fitted with a wooden stand on the back so that it can be placed on a shelf.
They are named in the bottom section and inscribed with cause of death this one reads as Killed in Action and is engraved: “177865V MSKP J.P. Van Der Westhuizen WR/DLR”
Jasper Petrus Van der Westhuizen, was born on 27th April 1919 in Kooifontein, Orange Free State, South Africa
The son of Mrs Sarah van der Westhuizen of Elston Avenue, Benoni, Transvaal.
The Regiment de la Rey had been amalgamated with the Witwatersrand Rifles in September 1943 to form the “Wits de La Rey”. They distinguished themselves in fierce fighting throughout the 1944 Italy Campaign as part of the 12th Motorised Brigade, 6th South African Armoured Division.
They first distinguished themselves in the taking of Allerona on 15th June 1944, followed by fighting on Monte Querciabella and Monte Fili, later forcing the River Greve in July 1944.
During the fighting on Monte Fili, Pte van der Westhuizen was killed in action on 22nd July 1944.
Notably the regiment had since February 1943, a peculiar legendary character, Regimental Chaplain by the name of Captain MDV Cloete, nicknamed “Doempie” a Dutch Reformed Church Pastor who would earn a Military Cross and by the time he later served in the South African Police he was the most highly decorated man in the force with the rank of Major General.
During June 1944 when Pte van der Westhuizen was still with the regiment, they took the village of Allerona, when Chaplain Cloete spotted a peculiar bush in the town, he brushed it aside armed only with his Officer’s Cane, and inside were two German Soldiers who were left behind to harass officers of Allied High Command.
One of them was a tired 45 year old soldier and the other a fresh 18 year old Hitler Jugend, The chaplain shouted in Afrikaans: “Come out, guys, the war is over”, they chose to surrender, the 45 year old was glad to end the fighting, whilst the 18 year old was shaking in his boots, expecting a brutal execution on the spot, but the friendly Chaplain had them peacefully taken away as prisoners.
