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AAN DR. PLOEGER: U REKENAARBOODSKP VAN 6 SEPTEMBER 1982 I.V.M. LT. P.J. STRYDOM HET BETREKKING: DIE VOLGENDE GEGEWENS IS OPGESPOOR (VERWYSING CO 264, LEER NR. 3118/03): VOLGENS “N AANSTELLINGSBRIEF, GEDATEER 14 JULIE 1900, VAN T. BRAIN IS SERSANT P. STRYDOM TOT LUITENANT VAN DIE O.V.S. ARTILLERIE BEVORDER. MET DIE UITBREEK VAN DIE ANGLO-BOEREOORLOG IS HY AS RESERVIS OPGEROEP. TYDENS DIE SLAG BY BOTHAVILLE, NOVEMBER 1900, WAS HY EEN VAN DIE 100 ARLILLISTE [sic] WAT GEVANGE GENEEM IS. HE IS EERS NA DIE GROENPUNTSE KRYGSGEVANGENEKAMP EN DAARNA DIE BRANDFORTSE VLUGTELINGKAMP GESTUUR. IN LAASGENOEMDE KAMP WAS HE SEDERT SEPTEMBER 1901 KLERK IN DIE DEPARTEMENT VAN RANTSOENE. HIER HET HY ONDER DIE TOESIG VAN SUPERINTENDENTE JACOBS, DWYER EN GRAY GEWERK. SY PLIGTE WAS O.A. DIE BOEKHOUDING EN DIE UITREIKING VAN RANTSOENE EN BASIESE BENODIGHEDE. NA DIE SLUITING VAN DIE KAMP IS HY AS ‘N TYDELIKE KLERK IN DIE KANTOOR VAN H.T. HAM, DIE BRANDFORTSE AFSLAER, AANGESTEL. DAAR WORD OOK VERMELD DAT HY VIR TWEE JAAR AS KLERK IN DIE KANTOOR VAN DIE BEREDE POLISIE, JOHANNESBURG, GESTASIONEER WAS. OP 24 FEBRUARIE 1903 HET HY DIE EED VAN GETROUHEID AFGELE. HY HET OP 24 APRIL 1903 AANSOEK GEDOEN OM ‘N PERMANENTE BETREKKING IN DIE BRITSE REGERINGSDIENS, MAAR SY AANSOEK HET MISLUK. EK VERTROU DAT HIERDIE INLIGTING VIR U VAN WAARDE SAL WEES. HOOF VAB

Aanwins A 827: Memoirs of Lt. P.J. Strijdom: U rekenaarboodskappe van 26 en 27 Augustus 1982 verwys. [Signed by Graham Dominy, sending Ploeger the photocopy from the Natal Archives]

Cover   Rustenburg 20th Sept 1900

Anybody finding this Book are kindly requested to forward same to my wife, whose address follows on the bottom of this page. Please also state under what circumstances it was found.

[Signed] P. Strydom / Luit O.V.S. Ar

Mrs P.J. Strydom / Trompsburg / Jagersfontein Rooi / O.F.S.

p.1       I Pieter Jacobus Strydom Luitenant O.F.S. Artillery was captured at Bothaville by the British under General C. Knox, on November 6th 1900. I had under my command 5 cannon & 1 Pom-Poms four of these cuns were out of action.

I was send to Cape Town (as Prisoner of War, where I arrived in company of others on the 4th of Dec 1900. From Cape Town I was returned on the 11th of June 1901, and placed in a Refugee Camp at Brandfort for what reason, is unknown to me, as I am no refugee, and never will be one.

p.2       June 25 1901

Was called before the Dist Commandant today, & ask to take the oath of neutrality which, I refused. I was then offered Parole, to remain in the camp, or if I refuse that then I would have to go to gaol, so, I accepted parole.

June 26.           Was sent off to Bloemfontein.

27 arrived in Blft was marched to the [illegible] office did not see before there [illegible] I was [illegible] of War camp before the new [illegible] so here I am a great deal worse off than I was through the whole war, I was offered a bullet with [illegible] can obtain [illegible] which is doubtful

p.3       June 28.

I am here not two days without Blankets anybody who has not been in the Free State, this time of the year, has no idea what it is to sleep without a Blanket of a night.

July 2   An awful windy & dusty day, very cold too, a lot of our fellows from Green Point left for the Refugee Camp. This afternoon a man came to the tent and told me to go & carry the dirty water, which is kept in a Tanck, away, this is done with buckets, I told him that I was an officer and therefore not supposed to do such work, he went away, but returned shortly afterwards, and then told me to take a

p.4       wheel barrow and to pick up the rubbish amongst the Tents in the camp and carry it away, this was more than I could stand, so I told him that I would see him & every body else to H- before I would do it, after which I was left in peace for the time being.

[Following very faint] Nothing of any note . . . since the last [entry]. The treatment here is not paticularly good. The food is alright consisting of about ½ to ¾ . . . meat for men per day . . . and coffee sugar and a little milk. But . . . Kock this we have to bring . . . packing cases for which they . . .

p.5       and not easily obtained . . . being supplied in very small & . . . quantites by the authorities. We are allowed two visitors twice a week on Wednesday & Saturday. We have the same pest of spies amongst us . . . do in all the other camps but as I am (when I . . . a very unforbidding . . ., I am generally left alone by these gentry, my friends are not so fortunate. They are constantly pestered.

Prisoners are arriving daily from the field, a very . . .

p.6       [page very faint] . . all caught a . . . before the . . . and, ask to . . . parole in Bloemfontein . . . if I was the man . . . take the oath . . . if I will take the oath of allegiance, I . . . strong no, he . . . told me that he did not consider very . . . anything, and certainly could not let such man as I . . .

p.7       9/7/01 To-day one of our [artillery] men who is a prisoner of war, was put in Gaol, because he had the cheek to complain against the treatment here in camp principally because they do not give us sufficient . . . food.

Another . . . was brought here today . . . from Ficksburg, his . . . Cronje he tells me that he [was] in chains . . . for several weeks and only because he had done his duty to his country, and after he was captured

p.8       some of his friends told the British that they must be careful [that] he will escape. Pon-table Gallant and much abused Great Britain with her quarter of a million Soldiers, and half as many Kaffirs, if she captures one unfortunate Boer she must put him in [irons] lest he escapes

* Sept 3. Arrived again in the Refugee camp at Brandfort

[p.9] [Next page has what looks like a sketch of hills and written next to it]: These observations are not meant for the public.

[p.10] [The following page is partly scratched out]

Some Memoirs of Liut PJ Strydom

[scratched out]

My first impression of life in Camp was not so bad, after having been in close confinement for so many month; this change was a great relieve, but on closer acquaintance with the administration and general management of the camp, I very soon found that this was

[p.10]   not a picnic, or pleasure party. Here the terrible hardship of the war was felt the most, in these first weeks I often thought what a glorious life the [person] in the field has, compared to this, who can ever describe the hardship and sufferings of these poor burghers and innocent women and children. I have seen Battlefields, and I have seen men die on the battlefield, but what is that compared to seeing women and children dying by . . . everyday, not a day passes but twenty or thirty are being buried, here there is no escape, no retreat where are these men, who often ran away from a few bullets, let them come here and learn a lesson from these women & children how to face death where there is

[p.11]   no escape or retreat, where there is not even a chance to make a fight for life. As this is not a novel, but a simple story of my experience, during my stay in this Camp, I will leave it [to] the imagination of those who may read these lines to picture to themselves what tears were shed, and how many hearts were broken, on this unhistorical little spot.

Before going further I must here state, that I do not blame the British Government in any way, for this, as I find that everything possible are being done by the Government for the welfare of the people in the Camp. The blame lies with those who are put in authority here, and who are as

[p.12-13]         [A sketch of Table Mountain with a ship in the bay and a tree]

[p.13]   Table Mountain / From Green Point track 1900-1901

[p.14]   far as I can judge misleading the Government by wilfully, or otherwise misrepresenting the facts of the case. The Superintendent of the Camp, is a man named Jacobs, to me personally he is very considerate & friendly, but that is all I can say in his favour, I think him as unfit for the position he holds; as a man could possibly be; In the first place he does not seem to take any interest in anything, secondly, he is a man utterly without pity or feeling for anybody, & seems to be too bitter, and prejudiced against the Dutch. Then comes the Assistant Supt, a  man named Chase, of him I can only say that he is one of those over

[p.15]   zealous officers . . . Kind, who makes life a burden & unbearable to anybody who has the misfortune to come in contact with him. Of the lesser officials I can only say that they are even more incompetent for their possision [sic] than their superiors, so much for the management of the camp. A few days after arriving here I was placed in the Issuing Store to assist in the distribution of Rations. This was done as follows: every morning each person in the Camp (including children) receives ½ lb of meat, and once a week everyone received the following weekly Ration consisting of 5 ¼ lbs Flour / 7 oz Salt / 7 do coffee / 14 do Sugar and / 7/12th Tin of milk.

[p.16]   To this was added later on ½ lbs of Rice per week to each person. Not alone did I find this insufficient; but I must state here that the meat if such it could be called was absolutely uneatable, never in all my life have I seen such stuff, it had the appearance, as if the sheep and cattle had died of poverty; not a particle of fat on any but, if a person had collected all the fat that were on the whole lot (over 2000 every morning), he would not have found 2 lbs of fat. I don’t know how to describe it; it was simply a thin slimy substance drown [sic] over the bone. Most of the people who had a little money left, use to throw the meat away every morning and then went and bought some

[p.17]   tinned stuff at the shops; for which they had to pay very fancy prices. I am convinced, and will always stick to the belief, (Though I am not a medical man) that indirectly, this meat was the cause of the terrible high death rate in this camp. The people had no sustaining power, as they had practically to live on Bread alone consequently the least little illness had a fatal ending, a good many of the patients in the Hospital were suffering from scurvy; and as this is almost an unknown disease in this country, it is a possitive [sic] prove [sic], that it could only have been from lack of proper nourishment. The greatest hardship the women has in the camp is in

[p.18]   receiving their Rations . . ., in the morning when they get up, they have to go for their . . . Rations, where they are compelled to stand for several hours, and sometimes, the weaker ones are almost crushed to death as there were no rules or system in the issuing, everybody tries to get in first in order to get back to the Tents to begin, their daily work; they also have to carry most of the water for daily use a distance of about half a mile & more, & as the water carts were not sufficient to supply the whole camp. Then come the issuing of fire wood

[p.19]   where they have to stand for hours in the broiling hot Sun, The wood consists of green mimosa trees of which each head of a Tent receives a small quantity, coal being issued about twice a week, 2 lbs to each person. It is a pitiful sight to see old women of fifty to Seventy years, Young girls tenderly brought up; who has never known the meaning of want or hardship, now carrying wood and coal on their backs, or a big bucket ful [sic] of water; the perspiration pouring down their faces, terribly weakned [sic] through the want of nourishment, and from exposure.

[p.20]   We had inspectors here nearly every week, but what they did, or what they thought about the camp; I could never find out. At last, when things were about as bad as it could be, Mr. Cole Bowen arrived on the scene, what a blessing his coming was – can only be known & appreciated by those who were on the spot, & who had to indure [sic] the hardships of the life in the Camp at that time. About two days after his arrival, changes for the better commenced, Large ovens & Tanks for boiling water were put up, so that the people could get their Bread baked with

[p.21]   less trouble. Corporals were appointed on the lines, and in fact the whole workings of the camp were brought under a better system and rules were laid down in every department; the rushing & crushing to receive Rations Etc, were put a stop to, so that everybody could come at his turn and get what he had to receive at once without waiting and fighting for it, it was wonderful to see what one man, (who understands his business, could do in a short time – many were the secret blessings from thankful hearts called down on Inspector Bowen, (as he is called in this camp),

[p.22]   Shortly after Mr Bowan had been here the Superintendent Mr Jacobs left the reason of his leaving was of course never explained, but it was a fortunate thing for the Camp. A Mr Randell was then appointed he was not bad, but, too young for such a position, he was also inclined as far as I could see, to disapprove of some of the rules laid down by Mr Bowan, but did not stay long enough to alter them, He was mainly instrumental in the moving of the Camp to the beautiful site where it now stands, which is greatly (though the only point) to

[p.23]   his credit. He did not stay long, but was replaced by our present Superintendent Capt. Dwyer. This officer is the right man in the right place – it is hardly necessary to say more about him, a Gentlemanly strait forward man, whos main object seems to make this Camp a model camp and to make everybody happy since his arrival the people receives (besides their ordinary Rations) vegetables Lime Juice Jam also Margerine, in fact almost everything necessary for a good living so at present here remains very little ground for complaint, the children are nearly all attending School

[p.24]   at least those whos perants sees the necessity of having their children educated, some there are who does not avail themselves of this splendid opportunity from some foolish feeling of prejudice or other I don’t know what to call it. We have four English Teacher from England, also four Dutch Teacher all qualified Ladies, so the parents can have no excuse for refusing to let their children attend the School. Everyday we are having some new improvement in the Camp, the work of our worthy [everything?] Superintendent Capt Dwyer. As this was not meant as an account of this Camp but as I really intended to

[p.25]   write down my personal experience here, I will from today start a Diary –

1902

April 17. To day I have been busy distributing onions & cabbages to the people ¾ lb of onions & ½ lb cabage to each person. I have also written a little to my darling wife in Johannesburg. This morning a child of a Mrs Stoltz died in Hospital, from the effects of burning her clothing having caught fire yesterday, while the mother was absent from the Tent.[1]

April 18. I am just up, it is rather early yet, but yesterday morning I over slept myself, Mrs Swanepoel has not coffee yet, (this is the place where I have my meals

[p.26]   In the evening – nothing of any moment happened to-day, I had a game of Tennis with [Bning] & chi du Toit this afternoon, & now before going to bed, I am going to write a letter to my darling.

April 18th Nothing particular to-day, have been Issuing Rations till three oclock. The work in Camp are progressing very fast. The New Store is nearly finished, it is a nice big, iron building with roof painted green. The pipes are also being laid for the water supply of the camp. I am feeling very lonely tonight

[p.27]   my only old friend in the Camp Michael de Klerk has been taken to the Hospital today with enteric – I hope he will recover soon.

April 19. Here I am again, another day has gone; and I have little to record, I have started this in the form of a nerative then I have changed it in the form of a diary and now I am going to alter it in the form of a Journal. I am still waiting anxiously for an answer to my application to go to Jhsburg. My poor old wife is suffering terrible hardship & privation, and I can to nothing to help her. The English will not allow me

[p.28]   to go up to Johannisburg, although I have made several application in which I have informed them that I will maintain myself & family if they will allow me to go to Blftn or Johburg, but they have refused every one so far,[2] the reason for this is (as far as I can understand, to press me, indirectly to take the oath of allegiance, and God knows – I would sooner have died, on the Battle field than to be compelled to do this – not that I hated the British Government too much, but I can never do it while so many of my [former] old comrades are still fighting manfully & bravely against Such terrible odds, how can I turn treator to the memory of the fallen heroes with whom I

[p.29]   have fought and faced danger shoulder to shoulder; man like poor old Scheepie – Billy Thuysen Thom Prinsloo, & a good many others. Dear old comrades, why do I think so much of you all tonight all gone my God, and here I am perhaps the only one who fully understood and appreciated your noble and brave hearts, you at least have fought like men and have given your lives for this most unlucky country. R.I.P.

This afternoon I went to the Hospital to see Mike de Klerk, he is much better, the Doctor say he has enteric, I think he will pull through poor old chap.

[p.30]   April 19. To-day being Sunday has . . . lonely, and long one for me, the people in the camp are rather unsociable, or rather dull and stupid, unless one talk about the war (which is forbidden, you don’t know what to talk about with them, so funny as it may . . . It sometimes feels as if I am living in a desert, How I do long for my dear Mrs & home oncemore. Some times the most unpleasant thought arises – shall I ever have a home again, if the British keep posse[s]ion of the country then I am lost as all my claims & expectations are from the otherside. How happy the lot

[p.31]   of the man in the field are! The harshest part of all to bear in war, is certainly to be a prisoner – or in a position like mine here – where I am nothing less than a prisoner with out even the privilidges of a prisoner of war. Well I suppose I must bear this, I have taken the oath of neutrality thinking that I would then get my liberty – to earn something for my darlings – here I am still, and they are suffering as much as if I was dead for all the help that I can give them.

April 20

Today we Issued Margerine to the people, 14 oz to each person. This is a fourteen days Ration.

[p.32]   Received a letter from my wife, informing me that she had given up the Relief ticket & will have to go to Durban if I do not get out of this soon. The paper states that our Delegates has gone back to confer with the Burghers in the field I know better!

April 24

Four days I have not entered anything, because nothing of any moment happened. Yesterday we had a football Match. Eleven vs Fifteen, I played on the Eleven result – a Goal on each side. To-day a terrible dust storm distributed . . . children, under 5

[p.33]   Rations. I had hoped to get a letter from my darling old wifie, but none came. A lot of talk about peace, in the camp, it is funny to listen to the ideas some of the people have here, no one seems to understand the true situation, well where ignorance is bliss it is folly to be wise, which applies very well here.

April 25.

Were very busy today Issuing the weekly Rations, I had a lot of trouble with the Books; as the people has moved such a lot this week from one Tent to another which makes it very difficult to find their names. Wonder why the

[p.34]   little wife does not write, I was certain of a letter today but none came. All the rumours about peace seem to be at an end, God help my poor darling if I don’t get permission to go to Johannesburg. Tonight there is a meeting on for the promotion of sports in the Camp, I can not attend it, as I feel too sick and lowspirited to be of any good.

April 28. A lot has happened since my last entry. Such rumours about peace, I dont know if I am walking on head or on my feet, as these rumours are not of any interest I will not say any thing abou it. To-day has been a very eventful day

[p.35]   This morning two young ladies of the Camp were brought before the Superintendent for writing anonymous letters which they threw about in the Camp blackguarding the Khakie boers & handsuppers so they call the men in the camp, the result unknown but I belief they got off with a warning. This afternoon our Band instruments arrived. I was also called this morning to the office, where they asked me the following questions – Do I like to go to JohsBurg? Do I know of any reason why I should not go, & if I still have relatives fighting? So at last – after waiting here

[p.36]   for eight months, there is a slight hope that they will allow me to go home. Oh what happiness to see my dear ones after a separation of nearly three years! I am half mad with excitement.

April 30th.

I have entered nothing in you since the day before yesterday, my dear old journal, I really thought & hoped that I would have been on my way to my dear ones by now, but here I am still. Yesterday I was put in charge of the Band, I was given an Eastern Marquee which I pitched in the middle of the Garden

[p.37]   So here I am all by myself this evening I held the first Band practice. We had a FootBall match today married men vis Single, in which we poor married men got a good beating 4 Goals to nill.

May 1st.

Nothing particular has happened childrens Rations in the forenoon, played a game Croquet in the afternoon. Mike de Klerk came out of Hospital this morning.

May 2nd.

Issuing of weekly Rations. Band practice.

May 3.

Finish issuing, feeling down hearted, no news from home.

[p.38]   May 4

Today was the longest day I yet had in this camp. It being Sunday I had nothing to do. Had a letter from my fami[ly] also a cheque for £2. Strong rumours again about peace, but I feel perfectly sure that brave old Chris [de Wet] will never surrender so there will be no peace. Ah, God! how I long sometimes to be at his side once more I’d give my right arm if I could be free from this oath (which I took in a weak moment.) Just for one hour. Well what am I writing. These thoughts should not be uttered but I can trust you my dear old journal

[p.39]   This morning, poor Isaac Kruger died in Hospital from Typhoid fever, after having lost his wife and all his children! poor chap his suffering is over at last, tonight they are all together in a better Land than this.

May 6

Yesterday I started with taking census of the Camp, had a hard work the whole day, also today. Had a letter from the little wife. Today a terrible accident happened, some youngsters were playing with the Artesian Drill when one of the cross bars slipped . . . Killing one little boy of 12 and in[j]uring another.

[p.40]   May 7

To-day we played our first Foot Ball Match against the Army service Corps of Brandfort, our side lost by four Goals. I play half back. Refreshments were served out by the ladies of the Camp.

May 9th

Have been issuing Rations the whole day. We held a committee meeting this afternoon to discuss the general business regarding the Sporting Club in the Camp, and also discussed the possibility of accepting the challenge which we received yesterday from the Troops at the Blockhouses to play a match tomorrow, which after due consideration we declined. De wet has been in Town here so the expectations & excitement

[p.41]   in Camp runs very high. It will be a cruel and awful disappointment,; if they now go and surrender after all the hardship and suffering our people has endured. This evening several families arrived from Ficksburg, and were placed in the Camp Prison Camp,[3] I was informed by some one who saw them that they were for several days in open trucks with hardly anything to eat.

May 10

Finished issuing – feel very sick, Had an offer from the Sup, to get my wife down from Johsburg, which I accepted, offer[e]d to give me a cottage to live in, To-day the pumps

[p.42]   for supplying the Camp with water, [have?] started working. They have also started an Iron building for the Bootmakers department, which was till now carried on in Marquees.

May 14

Today Genl de Wet & Six others of the Republican officers came to the town under a flag of truce when I saw them coming I thought it was for the commandos coming to surrender, & got such a shock that I was dazed for nearly an hour, I could not think nor speak, the thought that all was over and lost, after the years of suffering & hardship was more than I could bear. I know now how it would feel if

[p.43]   such a day should every come, which God forbid.

May 18

I am so anxious that I can hardly sleep or rest, I am expecting my dear ones everyday, as Capt Dwyer promised to write to the Commdt of Johannesburg, to have them send down here. Expectations in Camp are very great for peace this time, This war will have to be faught to the bitter end, and that is by far the best course for us, as [we] are bound to win in the long run, It is imposible for any nation in the world to bear the cost of this war, for both sides

[p.44]   as England is compelled to do, and then carry it on for another two years, or perhaps longer if the British persist in their policy of annexation.

Improvements in the camp are going ahead daily. We have now about twelve cottages finished, build of raw bricks and iron roofs, painted and white washed, each of two rooms with a fire place, these cottages are mostly given to very old people, and their families, which is very kind, as they will have more comfort, and also find it warmer than the Tents.

May 21

An awful windy, dusty and cold day, fortunately we have no Issuing to-day. Last night we took

[p.45]   the census of the camp, we started after 7 oclock, and finished in about one hours time, we had fourteen men on it, each taking two lines. I am appointed Bandmaster of our Band here, by the Superintendent @ 2/- per day. He has also again promised to get my wife & children down, and to give me a cottage to live in.

At last Peace is declared, but what a Peace. We have lost our Country. Death would have been preferable. My wife & children have arrived from Johburg I am appointed Issuer of Ration, in place of Schalk Snyman who got the appointment for me.

[1] Louisa Jacoba Stoltz, ID 96590, died 16 April 1902 aged 6 years, 2 months of ‘burn shock’.

[2] While Strydom may have been correct in his surmise, another reason for the refusal was the pressure from Uitlander refugees at the coast to return. Kitchener restricted the numbers who could return, because of the problems of supply, while Milner would have given preference to the latter.

[3] They may have been placed there to isolate them to prevent the spread of infectious disease, especially the re-introduction of measles. Many camps had such isolation camps by this stage.