ANGUS JENKINS – STRATHCONA’S HORSE

Note: The construction of the memorial was organised by David Scholtz. This is his story:-
TROOPER ANGUS JENKINS WAS A MEMBER OF LORD STRATHCONA’S HORSE, A CANADIAN UNIT COMPOSED OF MEN FROM THE NORTH WESTERN PROVINCES OF CANADA FORMED BY THE, WEALTHY, CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE UK, LORD STRATHCONA.  STRATHCONA’S HORSE JOINED THE 3RD MOUNTED BRIGADE UNDER BRIGADIER GENERAL, THE EARL OF DUNDONALD, IN JUNE 1900. IN HIS BOOK ‘THORNEYCROFT’S ‘UNBUTTONED’ THE STORY OF THORNEYCROFT’S MOUNTED INFANTRY IN THE BOER WAR 1899-1902, THE AUTHOR, ROBIN W.F.DROOGLEEVER GIVES AN ACCOUNT OF THE ACTION IN WHICH ANGUS JENKINS WAS KILLED.  ON 1ST JULY, IT BEING CANADA DAY,  DUNDONALD SELECTED STRATHCONA’S HORSE TO DO THE SCOUTING AND RECONNAISANCE WORK.  THE COLUMN HAD STOPPED FOR A REST WHEN TWO SCOUTS CAME IN, WARNING THAT THE EMEMY WERE ON THE RIGHT FLANK. A DETACHMENT OF STRATHCONA’S WERE SENT OFF, AND THEY CROSSED A SPRUIT AT SMITH’S STORE, ONE AND A HALF MILES NORTH OF WATERVAL. THIS SPRUIT MUST HAVE BEEN THE WATERVAL RIVER, AS SMITH’S STORE WAS LOCATED AT A DRIFT OVER THE RIVER. THE RUINS OF THE STORE CAN BE IDENTIFIED. THE DETACHMENT CAME INTO THE CONTACT WITH THE EMENY A MILE FURTHER ON, AND HAVING SPLIT INTO TWO, THEY APPROACHED A FARMHOUSE WHICH WAS FLYING A WHITE FLAG.  THE BOERS WERE HIDING IN A FRUIT ORCHARD NEARBY, AND TROOPER JENKINS WAS KILLED IN THE VOLLEY FIRED FROM THE ORCHARD WHEN THE DETACHMENT CHARGED THE BOERS.  JENKINS WAS BURIED IN THE FRUIT ORCHARD, IN A FUNERAL ATTENDED BY LORD DUNDONALD AND COLONEL STEELE.  ALMOST CERTAINLY, THE ORCHARD WAS LOCATED ON THE FARM WITNEK WHERE THE REMAINS OF THE OLD FARMHOUSE AND THE FRUIT ORCHARD WERE STILL VISIBLE IN 2019.
THE STORY NOW BECOMES INTERESTING AS LOCAL LEGEND INDICATES THAT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY REMOVED THE BODY AND BURIED IT IN THE FAMILY GRAVEYARD ON THE FARM PAARDEFONTEIN, WHICH AT THAT TIME ADJOINED WITNEK.  THE FAMILY GRAVES IN THE GRAVEYARD LIE IN AN EAST/WEST DIRECTION, BUT THE UNMARKED GRAVE LIES IN A NORTH/SOUTH DIRECTION AS THE COMMUNITY WANTED THE BRITISH SOLDIER TO BE BURIED FACING ENGLAND. A MEMORIAL HAS BEEN PLACED OVER THIS GRAVE STATING THAT IT IS BELIEVED TO BE THAT OF ANGUS JENKINS.
THERE IS A CONTENTION THAT THE BODY OF ANGUS JENKINS WAS RE-INTERRED IN THE BRITISH GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE IN STANDERTON.  THE NATIONAL MONUMENTS COUNCIL – VICTIMS OF CONFLICT RECORDS DO NOT INDICATE THIS, AND JENKINS’S NAME DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE CENTRAL MEMORIAL IN STANDERTON.
THERE IS A GRAVE MARKER TO JENKINS IN THE STANDERTON CEMETERY, BUT THE STONE USED APPEARS TO BE SOUTH AFRICAN GRANITE AND IS UNLIKE THE PINK GRANITE STONE USED ON CANADIAN GRAVES DOTTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THERE IS A GRANITE TABLET, HONOURING JENKINS, WHICH WAS PLACED AT THE FOOT OF THE CENTRAL MEMORIAL, AND DATED FEBRUARY 2000.
JOSEPH SMITH WHO DIED IN 1909 ESTABLISHED SMITH’S STORE NORTH OF VAL STATION AS WELL AS THE VAL HOTEL IN THE VILLAGE OF VAL.  JOSEPH IS BURIED IN A SMALL CEMETERY LOCATED NEAR THE VAL POLICE STATION.