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Event EVT-000212

Scheepers's commando rides into Klaarstroom

1 February 1901 · district · Klaarstroom

[SRC-010, Rose Willis Klaarstroom cameo. TERTIARY, TO VERIFY] Gideon Scheepers, Fouche and some 300 men, led in by Lieutenant FANIE SWANEPOEL, raided the post office and the government stores. Deneys Reitz was with them and describes it in Commando. Next day Lt-Col R.K. Parke of the 18th Imperial Yeomanry sent two patrols and five howitzers up the KREDOUW PASS from Prince Albert to drive them out. The village stands on PAR-000097. || [7 Sep 2026, SRC-172 pp.10 and 16] THE BOOK PUTS A CLOCK ON IT, from the Oudtshoorn Courant of 11 February 1901: 'forty of Scheepers' men under the command of Corp. Swanepoel had taken occupation of Klaarstroom at 6.10 pm on 1 February 1901. Two further commandos of 50 and 200 Boers followed them. In all probability they came from Willowmore.' That is 290 men in three waves and one named officer, against the cameo's round 300. THE BOERS CUT THE TELEPHONE WIRES AT THE POST OFFICE FIRST, took the strong-room keys from a postmaster who had already hidden the stamps and papers, found the telegraph transmitter destroyed, and plundered R. Faehse & Co., Mark's and the Government store. At about 7.30 pm 25 Boers under Fouche - the book suggests Comdt. Willem Fouche - ate at the hotel, served very reluctantly by PETRONELLA BERNHARDT, paid for whisky and cigars, and sang 'The Queen is dead, to Cape Town we must go'. AND SCHEEPERS HIMSELF WAS NOT THERE: p.16, again from the Courant, 'At that stage, Comdt. Scheepers was not with his men.' This event's title names him because the commando was his; the man was elsewhere.

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