Passing of SAMHSEC member André Rudman
We record with regret the passing of fellow member André Rudman on 1 May 2023.
SAMHSEC 8 May 2023 meeting
Arnold van Dyk told us about the capture of General Pieter Hendrik Kritzinger on 16 December 1901.
The importance of General Kritzinger's role during the Anglo Boer War should not be underestimated, especially his commanding the Free State Forces in the Southern Free State and Cape Colony. It is surprising that no comprehensive study on Kritzinger had been published thus far.
Pieter Hendrik Kritzinger joined the Rouxville Commando at the outbreak of hostilities and took part in the first Boer invasion of the Cape Colony under General Jan Hendrik Olivier. He was promoted to Commandant in August 1900 and led his Commando of 300 men during the second Boer invasion under General Christiaan de Wet on 16 December 1900. After skirmishing and recruiting Cape rebels in the Colony, he was forced to withdraw to the Free State in early May 1901.
Promoted to General in April 1901, he was appointed as Assistent- Hoofdkommandant by de Wet and again invaded the Cape Colony on 15 May 1901. Almost captured by Lt Col Harry Scobell at Wildefontein on 6 June, he was forced to withdraw to the Free State after a rear-guard engagement with Lt Col G.F. Gorringe at Ruiterskraal on 13 August 1901.
Kritzinger liaised with General Jan Smuts shortly before Smuts invaded the Cape Colony through Kiba Drift on 3 September 1901. He was harassed by British columns in the Southern Free State, but found shelter for his men and pasture for his horses in the Ladybrand district during late October. He was able to procure at least 3 horses per man for his 80 strong Commando and set up two meetings with President Marthinus Steyn to encourage his burghers.
He advanced on what proved to be his last invasion of the Cape Colony on 23 November 1901. The Commando had to evade multiple columns, trekking southeast towards the Caledon River and then westwards, crossing the railway line south of Springfontein. In the Fauresmith district, they met General JBM Hertzog’s Commando and recruited 30 volunteers. The Orange River was forded at Sand Drift, southwest of Philippolis, during the night of 14 December 1901. Soon after the crossing and for the whole of 15 December, British columns, strategically positioned by General John French, were in close pursuit.
At 0600 on 16 December they were surprised during breakfast at Beschuitfontein by the columns of Lt Col Doran and Capt Lord W.A. Cavendish-Bentinck stationed at the farms Boschduivenskop and Hamelfontein. The Commando was driven southeast towards Colesberg, then westwards towards De Aar and finally southeast again towards the Noupoort-De Aar railway line. All the time they were fighting in blazing heat and lost more than 100 horses in covering 70-80 miles.
At 1830 they crossed the railway line just east of Franschman’s Kop, between blockhouses 40 and 41. Kritzinger was in the lead with Field Cornet Fraser and Adjudant Landman cutting the wires. After turning back for the third time to rally stragglers, Kritzinger was hit by a bullet, piercing the flesh of his left arm, traversing through both lungs. Lt Gerrit Boldingh, a volunteer from the Netherlands previously attached to the Free State Artillery, was shot through the stomach. The general was left in the veldt, two miles from the line and close to the farm De Damme.
Kritzinger and Boldingh were evacuated after dark by the armoured train, Coldstreamer and initially cared for by the staff of Major Godfrey Dalrymple White, District Commandant of Hanover Road Station. Both were transferred to 22 General Hospital at Noupoort, where the general made a full recovery within three weeks. Boldingh, however, died of his wounds after three days and was buried at Noupoort. Kritzinger was transferred to Graaff-Reinet to stand trial on four counts of murder, but was acquitted.
After the war, Kritzinger made two visits overseas. He married Anna Dorothea Michau in 1907 and farmed at Fleurville in the Cradock district. He entered public life and became member of the Provincial Council in 1929 and Vice Secretary of the United Party in 1934. He died on 2 October 1935 and was buried at Cradock.
Arnold’s presentation is in SAMHS' Zoom library.
SAMHSEC RPC 29 May 2023
In session 1, Malcolm Kinghorn spoke on the service record of Centurion Spurius Ligustinus, Roman Army, 171 BC as recorded by Titus Livius (Livy, c 59 BC – 17 AD) in his History of Rome:
“I became a soldier in the consulship (of 200 BC).
“In the Army which was sent to take over Macedonia, I served two years in the ranks against King Philip. In the third year, because of my bravery, (I was appointed) Centurion in the Tenth Maniple of the Hastati.
“After Philip’s defeat, when we were brought back to Italy and released, I immediately set out for Spain as a volunteer with the Consul M. Porcius (195 BC). This commander judged me worthy to be assigned as Centurion of the First Century of the Hastati.
“For the third time, I enlisted again as a volunteer in the army which was sent against the Aetolians and King Antiochus (191 BC). By Manicus Acilius I was made Centurion of the First Century of the Principes. When Antiochus had been driven out and the Aeolians subdued, we were brought back to Italy.
“And twice after that, I served in campaigns where the Legions were in commission for a year.
“Then I campaigned twice in Spain (181 & 182 BC).
“I was brought home by Flaccus along with the others that he brought with him from the provinces to take part in the Triumph because of their bravery.
“Four times within a few years I held the rank of Primus Pilus (Centurion of the First Century of the Triarii). Four and thirty times I was rewarded for bravery by my commanders. I have received six civic crowns. I have served twenty two years in the army and am more than fifty years old”.
We know neither why Livy recorded this soldier’s service nor the accuracy of the record.
By 200 BC, the Roman Army typically deployed with cavalry on the flanks and infantry in the centre. The infantry organisation was based on Maniples of about 160 soldiers under command of 2 centurions.
Velites were light infantry deployed in front to harass the enemy by throwing spears to cover the advance of the Legion before withdrawing through the advancing ranks. The heavy infantry deployed with the Hastati in the front line and Principes in the second. The Triarii were the most experienced soldiers and formed the third line to reinforce the Hastati and Principes if necessary and to exploit enemy weaknesses.
In session 2, Malcolm spoke about the role of a “small book about the Pacific War” (author and title unknown) in the case against Admiral Dönitz before the International Military Tribunal (IMT) in Nuremberg.
Admiral Karl Dönitz was the WW2 commander of the German submarine fleet. He succeeded Hitler as the German head of state. After the dissolution of the German government on 23 May 1945, Dönitz was arrested and charged with crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity in that he had violated the 1936 London Naval Protocol by ordering submarine commanders not to rescue the crews of targeted merchant vessels.
The Protocol states “A warship, whether surface vessel or submarine, may not sink or render incapable of navigation a merchant vessel without having first placed passengers, crew and ship’s papers in a place of safety. For this purpose, the ship’s boats are not regarded as a place of safety unless the safety of the passengers and crew is assured, in the existing sea and weather conditions, by the proximity of land, or the presence of another vessel which is in a position to take them on board.”
The IMT used the Protocol to convict Dönitz for issuing War Order 154 in December 1939 which stated “Do not pick up survivors and take them with you. Do not worry about the merchant ship’s boats. Weather conditions and the distance to land play no part. Have a care only for your own ship and think only to attain your next success as soon as possible.”
Dönitz sentenced to ten years in prison.
In an interview for the 50th anniversary of the IMT, Dönitz’s defence counsel, Otto Kranzbuehler, told of finding a small book about the Pacific War in an American library, which prompted him to ask the Court whether Allied submarines were “prohibited from carrying out rescue measures toward passengers and crews of ships sunk without warning”.
After intense legal argument, American Judge Francis Biddle ruled that the question be put to Admiral Nimitz and that his response be entered in the record of Dönitz’ defence.
Nimitz replied that “on general principles, US submarines did not rescue enemy survivors if undue additional hazard to the submarine resulted or if the submarine would thereby be prevented from accomplishing its further mission.”
Nimitz’ response showed that the Allies had acted similarly to the Germans on this matter and the impracticality of the 1936 London Naval Protocol regarding submarine rescue of survivors.
SAMHSEC 12 June 2023 meeting
Dylan Fourie will tell us about Louis Zamperini, an Italian-American Olympian and War Hero.
SAMHSEC Requests the Pleasure of your Company to talk about military history on 26 June 2023.
In session 1, Barbara Ann Kinghorn will tell us about another coronation.
In session 2, Barbara Ann will tell us about the “Souvenir Programme of the Commonwealth and Empire Contingents at the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II June 2nd 1953”.
SAMHSEC