GRAVETT – GERHARDUS HENDRIK (GERT)

Note:
THE GPS POINT INDICATES THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE GRAVE. THE ENTRANCE TO THE PRIMROSE CEMETERY IS AT S26°11.755 E28°08.788. DENEYS REITZ, IN HIS BOOK COMMANDO SAYS THE FOLLOWING ABOUT THE DEATH OF GENERAL GRAVETT – ” ON THE THIRD DAY OF OUR JOURNEY WE HAD A MOURNFUL ENCOUNTER. WE CAME ON COMMANDANT GRAVETT DYING OF WOUNDS IN THE BUSH. HE HAD BEEN HIT BY A SHELL TEN DAYS BEFORE AND HIS MEN HAD BROUGHT HIM HERE TO PREVENT HIS FALLING INTO THE HANDS OF THE BRITISH. HE KNEW HIS END WAS APPROACHING, BUT HE BORE HIS SUFFERINGS WITHOUT COMPLAINT, AND SPOKE OF HIS COMING DEATH WITH RESIGNATION. HE CALLED US TO HIM A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE END TO TELL US OF HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH MY FATHER IN FORMER DAYS, AND A LITTLE WHILE LATER HE LAPSED INTO UNCONSCIOUSNESS FROM WHICH HE NEVER RECOVERED. WE HELPED TO BURY HIM UNDER A TREE AND RODE SADDENED ON OUR WAY.” GENERAL GRAVETT WAS LATER RE-BURIED IN THE PRIMROSE CEMETERY.