VAN DEVENTER – SIR JACOB LOUIS (JAAP)
| Born: 1874/07/18 Rank : GENERAL Regiment: BOER FORCES GPS: S25°44.3237 E28°09.1592 |
Reason for death: HEART ATTACK Place of death: SILKAATS NEK NEAR HARTEBEESTPOORT DAM Date of death: 1922/08/27 Memorial: PRETORIA – REBECCA STREET CEMETERY |
Note:
SIR JAAP, AS HE PREFERRED TO BE KNOWN AS A RESULT OF HIS IMPISH SENSE OF HUMOUR, PLAYED A PROMINENT ROLE DURING THE ANGLO-BOER WAR 1899-1902. HE JOINED THE ZAR STAATSARTILLERIE IN 1896. HE WAS PRESEMT AT THE FIRST ACTION OF THE WAR AT KRAAIPAN, AND THEN SERVED UNDER GENERAL DE LA REY AT MODDER RIVER, BUT ALSO UNDER GENERALS PIET CRONJE AND BEYERS. HE WAS SECOND IN COMMAND TO GENERAL SMUTS IN THE RAIDS INTO THE CAPE PROVINCE. IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR HE HELD THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL IN THE BRITISH IMPERIAL ARMY, BEING KNIGHTED IN 1917.
SIR JAAP WAS BADLY WOUNDED IN AN ACTION IN THE CAPE, WHICH LEFT HIM WITH A SPEECH DEFECT. DENEYS REITZ IN HIS BOOK “COMMANDO” DESCRIBES AS FOLLOWS ;- “AS I RODE TOWARDS VAN RIJNSDORP, I HEARD DISTANT RIFLE FIRE AND HURRIED TOWARDS IT. AS I APPROACHED, THE FIRING GREW HEAVIER, AND THEN DIED DOWN ALTOGETHER. THEN I CAME UPON COMMANDANT VAN DEVENTER HUDDLED ON THE GROUND BEFORE HIS HORSE, BADLY WOUNDED AND IN GREAT PAIN. BLOOD WAS POURING FROM A BULLET WOUND IN HIS THROAT, AND HIS TONGUE WAS SO LACERATED THAT HE COULD NOT SPEAK’. DENEYS CONSTANTLY REFERRED TO HIM AS JACOBUS VAN DEVENTER.
THE ENTRANCE TO THE REBECCA STREET CEMETERY IS AT S25°44.363 E28°09.223
