DE VILLEBOIS-MAREUIL – GEORGES HENRI ANNE MARIE VICTOR
| Born: 1847/03/22 Rank: GENL. Regiment: FRENCH AND DUTCH VOLUNTEER COMMANDO GPS: |
Reason for death: KIA Place of death: BOSHOF O.F.S. Date of death: 1900/04/05 Memorial: BURIED WHERE HE FELL BUT RE-INTERRED AT MAGERSFONTEIN |
Note:
DE VILLEBOIS-MAREUIL WAS BORN IN NANTES, FRANCE. HE BECAME FRANCE’S YOUNGEST COLONEL AFTER ACTION IN NORTH-AFRICA, AND HAD COMMANDED THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION IN ALGERIA. HE OFFERED HIS SERVICES TO THE Z.A.R. ON 12TH SEPTEMBER 1899, AND ARRIVING ON 25TH NOVEMBER 1899, BECAME MILITARY ADVISOR TO GEN. PIET JOUBERT. THE HORSE RIDDEN BY DE VILLEBOISE, AND WOUNDED AT THE TIME DE VILLEBOISE WAS KILLED, WAS TAKEN TO ENGLAND BY MAJOR-GENERAL LORD CHESHAM AND DIED IN FEBRUARY 1911. THE HORSE’S GRAVE AND MONUMENT ARE SITUATED ON THE VILLAGE GREEN OF LATIMER IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. TWO BOOKS BY ROY MACNAB – THE FRENCH COLONEL (1975) AND THEN TRANSLATED INTO AFRIKAANS AS DIE FRANSE KOLONEL(1977) GIVE FULL DETAILS OF THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THIS INTERESTING MAN.
