HERTZOG – JAMES BARRY MUNNIK (J.B.M.)
| Born: 1867/04/03 Rank: GENL. Regiment: SOUTH WESTERN FREE STATE COMMANDO’S GPS: S25°35.189 E29°06.208 |
Reason for death: DIED Place of death: NATURAL CAUSES – PRETORIA Date of death: 1942/11/21 Memorial: FARM WATERVAL – NORTH OF WITBANK |
Note:
GENERAL J.B.M. HERTZOG WAS BORN ON THE FARM SOETENDAL NEAR GROENBERG, WELLINGTON, THE 5TH SON OF A FAMILY OF 7 SONS AND 5 DAUGHTERS TO THE FATHER, ALBERTUS MUNNIK HERTZOG. IN 1881 HE ATTENDED UNIVERSITY IN STELLENBOSCH AND THENCE TO HOLLAND ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM WHERE HE QUALIFIED IN LAW. HE MARRIED WILHELMINA JACOBA (MYNIE) NEETHLING ON THE 9THE OCTOBER 1893. IN 1895 HE WAS APPOINTED AS A JUDGE IN THE ORANGE FREE STATE. AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE ANGLO-BOER WAR HE JOINED THE COMMANDO’S, AND AFTER MAJ. ALBRECHT WAS CAPTURED AT PAARDEBERG, HE WAS APPOINTED AS HEAD OF THE FREE STATE ARTILLERY, AND AGAIN SHORTLY AFTER THIS WAS APPOINTED AS HEAD COMMANDANT OF THE FAURESMITH, PHILLIPOLIS AND JACOBSDAL COMMANDO’S. HE MOSTLY SAW ACTION IN THE FREE STATE AND THE CAPE COLONY. LOCAL FOLKLORE HAS IT THAT HE DEVELOPED THE IDEA OF GUERILLA ACTION BEHIND ENEMY LINES. IN JANUARY 1914 HE FORMED THE NATIONAL PARTY AND SERVED AS THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA FROM 1924 TO 1939.
