Op die spoor van die generaal. The general, the agterryer and the sweep

[Lem]

  Walking 5 abreast up the dirt street made me feel like being in a cowboy movie.  So while some Africans and Croatians were kicking a ball at each other on TV, I ordered some Scottish mountain water mixed with wheat.  I would need the carbos, and the courage.  It was cold.

:laughing4: 

Hierdie paar sinne agtermekaar is 'n juweel  :deal:

Gooi nog, ek lees aandagtig  :thumleft:

 

[Armpie]

Here between Lindley and Bethlehem lived the family Craven.  In the soccer playing part of the Freestate.  Then about 1920 a Stellenbosch trained schoolmaster, Tivoli van Huysteen arrived.  He built rugby in the school and in the dorp.  By 1924 a 14 year old Standard 6 boy, Danie Craven, played for both the school and dorp teams. The young Craven, a man that would later in his life receive 4 Doctorates, failed Standard 6.  By matric, van Huysteen had a message for the Rugby coach at Stellenbosch, Mr Markotter.  Van Huysteen took the train to Stellenbosch.  Walked into Markotter’s office and said: “ I am sending you a Springbok”.  Message delivered, he returned to Lindley.  By the next year Danie Craven, at the age of 19 would play scrumhalf for the Springboks.  He would play in atime when the Springboks dominated world rugby, defeating the All Blacks in New Zealand.  Later as coach he would be the most successful coach ever.  As a Northern Transvaler that is hard to admit.

 

[Armpie]

So after Witklip we continued north but it was not fun.  At Cravensrus the convoy rested a few hours, and we stopped for breakfast. It was bitingly cold.  Even when stopping.  It was 10 o’clock in the morning, and I thought by myself, “kyk jy het al bright idees gehad, maar hierdie is nie een van hulle nie”.  A Freestate farmer stopped with his bakkie at us.  He got out.  He did not have twee shortpants on.  No.  He had a white longpant on.  I am sure it was his only.  “Ja, dit is goed as ons ‘n koue winter het, dan het ons ‘n mooi somer.” Even the locals recond it to be cold.  And I white longpant is not going to stay clean in this valley.

Die Verkenner maak 'n paar observasies by Cravensrus.  Gepanser teen die koue

 

[Dorsland]

Puik vertelling tot dusvêr Kommandant. Opsaal kêrels, die Ingilse wag om verslaan te word[emoji4]

 

[Armpie]

So we went forth.  Past the old battlefield at Karroospruit.  Someone got a tender because the tweespoorpaadjie of last year was upgraded back to the Vrystaatse provinsiale pad it used to be.

Then we reached the Blesbokfontein, the farm where the two brothers de Wet split up.  Never to greet each other again. The skaapkraal was open so I lead the herd in and climbed up the wall.  We took a few pictures of the old house, still standing as well as each other.

 

[Armpie]

Then we passed throught the settlement of Edenville and over the site of another skirmish, Schurwepoort. Here the road was in a bad condition.  Just as we passed past I saw in the road the tracks of cattle.  And suddenly I felt as if I was past of a great big trek 118 years earlier, about a kilometer down the road we found the herd of about 200 Bonsmaras.  We sneaked past the herd going up to the railway station at Serfontein.  Here at Serfontein die convoy crossed the railway line.  DanieTheron captured a train 5km away making the crossing a bit easier.  The next day Captain Theron became Cmdt Theron.
Schurwepoort




Serfontein crossing

 

[Armpie]

Danie Theron, a talented brave and inspiring  man.  He died to early

 

[Armpie]

So north we went.  The flat area between Koppies and Kroonstad eventually became more bos en koppies.  We left the route and stopped at Vredefort and raided some beer and meat in exchange for money.  Then we went to our night shelter next to the route.  Later that evening we received an agterryer.  A man of stature to cover the rear.  He operated under cover under the codename “Sweep”.

A khaki fled away in dust as we fired a few shots

 

[Armpie]

The next morning we left our hosts at Bellary Guest farm and set of for the border.  On theway we stopped at Reitzburg.  The dorp that never became one.  “Ou Reitzdorp lyk steeds die selle. Na al die dae in staatshotelle.  Hy haal ‘n halfjack uit, en drink ‘n dop op al sy pelle.  Daar nie een hotel of botelstoor, wel ‘n sinkdakhuis maar geen poskantoor, dis goed om weer die ou plaasdorp te sien!”

 

[Armpie]

Is daar enige belang by my uitgebreide ride report of praat ek met myself?

 

[Armpie]

Now here close to the Vaal the Freestaters decided this it it.  No more.  Hierie is ons land.  Hier bly ons!!  So de Wet send his artillerie and the Theron Verkenners South.  To the rest of the convoy he says; “Vanmiddag gaan die Ingilse ons aanval!!!  Ek stuur die kanonne en die verkenners om hulle te stop.  Ek self gaan gou Transvaal toe!” By 2  o’clock everybody was across the Vaal at Schoemansdrift.  There was no attack.  Jakkals, ou jakkals.  As jy my vra.

In 1900 the water was enkeldiep

 

[Clint_G]

Is daar enige belang by my uitgebreide ride report of praat ek met myself?

Gooi mielies. Ons ry saam. [emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[Bokveld]

Ek volg met belangstelling.

 

[BabyBeemer]

Interesting report.

 

[Oubones]

Ek ry te lekker saam.
Dankie vir al jou moiete en mooi manier van storie.
Ek hoop baie van die jonger garde volg ook hier.

 

[Armpie]

OK, so waar was ons nou weer!?  O, Ja.  Die Vaal.  Schoemansdrift.

Now here at Schoemansdrift the convoy kap a short right, with a little paadjie all along the Vaal.  They had intentions of singing a few visvang tunes and catch some geelvis and barber.  Unfortunately we cannot ride there any more,  so from the back we went with the dirt roads to Venterskroon, to stop where the convoy also stopped.  Here we had a breakfast. 

Unfortunately the British attacked from the north and the visvang idees went north with the convoy.  In the haste two canons were also left behind.  Luckily Danie Theron was again at hand, so he saved the canons and the day.  Venterskroon.  The ANC has a farm there.  So if you want to squat somewhere, Venterskroon is your place.

 

[Armpie]

Venterskroon, this little building saw the convoy trekking past

 

[Armpie]

We went east through the beautiful and tranquil Vaal valley and then north this time on the tar road before we took the Enzilspruit dirt road and then up to the Gatsrand at Elandsrand.  Here before the mountain another interesting thing happened.  So again the Freestaters were tired.  So the general ordered them through the mountain.  Maar daar onder die wa lê hulle.  “Kyk sien jy daai maer perd? Hy is klaar.  En sien jy vir my?  Ek is gaar. En sien jy die biltong hang? daar!”  So the general called two of his foreign verkenners.  With some demolition experience.  So 20 minutes later two massive explosions in the hills behind the laer.  “Die Engelse kanonne skiet op ons!!! Span in burgers!!!” So 10 minute later the first wagan was theough the poort, the rest on its heels.  Ou Jakkals.  If you ask me.
Horse in the Vaal valley

Gatsrand today

 

[Armpie]

So through Welverdiendt we went west on the tar till the Muiskraal turn off.  Here as I took from the tar to the gravel, I was briefly separated from my bike.  The knobllies of the frontwheel did not like the sudden change so I took a glide on the red earth.  Nothing serious.

So few went past Du Toitspan (Muiskraal) with its old school.  And north to Syferbult where the paths of de Wet and Theron split.  But at Syferbult 200 more wagons and 600 more men joined de Wet.  No pressure.  Then on to the straight line through the west Transvaal.  Blesbokfontein to Groenfontein at Derby 80km.  But we would not do all in one day.
Kakiebos in the wes transvaal

 

[Dorsland]

Is daar enige belang by my uitgebreide ride report of praat ek met myself?

Ek lees lekker saam. Ek geniet jou skryfstyl baie. Maar Generaal de Wet gaan julle fusileer as julle deurlopend daai Vierkleur en die Oranje Vrystaat vlag so verkeerd om vertoon. Lê die sweep in onder daai manskappe Kommandant!

‘n Baie interessante boek is “Broedertwis” oor Genl. CR de Wet en sy joiner broer Piet.

“Op 26 Julie 1900 het Piet hom op Kroonstad aan 'n Britse offisier oorgegee. Die voortsetting van die oorlog was net op emosie en sentiment -- "the curse of my race"-- gegrond, het hy gesê. Toe Christiaan van sy broer se daad hoor, het hy aan genl. C.C.J. Badenhorst gesê: "Had hem liever doodgeschoten." “