OOSTHUIZEN – SAREL FRANCOIS

Note:
THE GRAVE HAD BEEN VANDALISED AND THE GRAVESTONE WAS LYING ON THE GROUND AT THE TIME THE PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN
LOUIS BOTHA ONCE SAID TO WINSTON CHURCHILL THAT HE WAS THE ONE WHO CAPTURED WINSTON AFTER THE TRAIN DERAILMENT AT FRERE. BOTHA WAS THE COMMANDING OFFICER, BUT EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT SAREL OOSTHUIZEN WAS THE OFFICER INVOLVED IN THE ACTUAL CAPTURE OF CHURCHILL.
AN ARTICLE BY JOHN SHAW IN THE MILITARY HISTORY JOURNAL VOLUME 11 NO 3/4 – OCTOBER 1999 OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MILITARY HISTORY SOCIETY DESCRIBES THE BATTLE IN WHICH GENERAL OOSTHUIZEN WAS WOUNDED, UNDER THE TITLE “DWARSVLEI, A HIGHVELD FARM, FORGOTTEN BATTLEFIELD OF THE ANGLO-BOER WAR”
THE BATTLE TOOK PLACE ON 11TH JULY 1900, AND INVOLVED FORCES UNDER THE COMMAND OF MAJOR-GENERAL SMITH-DORRIEN.  THE BOERS, MAINLY FROM THE KRUGERSDORP COMMANDO UNDER THE COMMAND OF SAREL OOSTHUIZEN ATTACKED THE BRITISH ACROSS THREE FARMS – LEEUHOEK, DOORNBOSCHFONTEIN AND ONRUS – WHERE DEADLY BOER FIRE ACCOUNTED FOR FOURTEEN OF THE SEVENTEEN GUNNERS, WITH THE GUNS BEING SILENCED. THE BOERS ATTEMPTED TO CAPTURE THE GUNS, BUT WERE DRIVEN OFF WITH CONSIDERABLE LOSSES INCLUDING GENERAL OOSTHUIZEN WHO WAS WOUNDED IN THE THIGH.  THE BRITISH GUNS WERE RECOVERED AND BOTH SIDES WITHDREW.  TWO VC’S WERE WON IN THE ACTION, BEING CAPTAIN W.E.GORDON AND CAPTAIN D.R.YOUNGER, WHO WAS KILLED.
GENERAL OOSTHUIZEN RETIRED TO HIS FARM, DWARSVLEI, WHERE HE DIED ON 14TH AUGUST 1900.
CAPTAIN YOUNGER AND GENERAL OOSTHUIZEN ARE BURIED FAIRLY CLOSE TOGETHER IN THE BURGERSHOOP CEMETERY.