Melt Jacobus Van Reenen
Private, Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Volunteer Rifles – Bechuanaland Campaign 1896
Private, Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Volunteer Rifles – Anglo Boer War
- Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal to Pte. M. Van Reenan, D.E.O.V.R.
- Queens South Africa Medal with clasp Cape Colony to 1481 Pte. M. Van Reenen, D. of E. Own V.R.
- Kings South Africa Medal with clasps South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 1481 Pte. M. Van Reenan, D.E.O.V.R.C.
Melt Van Reenen was born into a Cape Dutch family in Diep River in the Western Cape in about 1876 the son of Michael Cornelius Van Reenen and his wife Maria Elizabeth. Living as they did so close to Cape Town there was every chance that, despite being of solid Afrikaner stock, the family would over the course of time become Anglicised. This would appear to have been the case as events will show. Growing up in the Cape Van Reenen would have had the opportunity to join any one of a number of Militia establishments opting, on 19 April 1893 when he was 17 years old, for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Volunteer Rifles, a Regiment founded on 28 November 1855, as the Cape Rifle Corps.
Some four years after enlisting the monotony of weekly drill sessions and other training was to be a thing of the past and he was to be in action for the first time in what became known as the Langeberg or Bechuanaland campaign. This to quell an uprising which spanned the 24 December 1896 to the 30 July 1897 and which stemmed from an edict to slaughter native livestock to prevent the spread of virulent cattle disease in April 1896. The D.E.O.V.R. were active from February to August 1897.
The revolt rapidly gathered alarming momentum and the local troops under Lt Colonel Dalgety were hard pressed to contain the uprising. A large force was required to subdue the fighting and troops and volunteers were mobilized for the Bechuanaland Field Force. Actions were fought at Gamasep Kloof, Riet Kloof and finally at Langeberg on the 30 Jul - 1 Aug 1897 before peace was restored.
The cattle disease referred to, a serious epidemic of rinderpest, broke out in Bechuanaland affecting many herds. The government took drastic measures and issued regulations to combat the outbreak that included the slaughtering of infected herds. The Bataplin tribe from the former Crown Colony land objected to the regulations and refused to implement them. Also a minor Bataplin chief named Galishiwe fired on a Cape Police party that came to arrest him at Pokwani in connection with the murder of a German trader living nearby.
The police then sent 600 men to arrest Galishiwe but as they arrived the Chief’s men dispersed and he escaped in the confusion. These “rebels” then killed another European trader and looted his store. Once again the police party sent to deal with the matter failed to apprehend Galishiwe; this led to a troop of Cape Mounted Riflemen under Captain Woon riding in support of the police, but by now the Batlaro natives had also risen in revolt. Woon decided that the rebels were too strong and so he withdrew. Finally in mid-February 1897 the Cape Government decided to form the Bechuanaland Field Force, including the D.E.O.V.R., and despatch it to deal with the rebellion.
Meanwhile the rebels, about 2,500 in number and armed with good rifles and plenty of ammunition, had fortified very strong defensive positions in the Langeberg mountain range that runs in between Kuruman and the German South West Africa border. Large herds of cattle had been driven into these hills. The uprising was eventually put down and those who had assisted in this process were awarded the Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal although this was only issued just prior to the Boer War – Van Reenen being one of the 200 odd D.E.O.V.R. men to receive it. He soldiered on taking his discharge on 1 February 1899.
Unbeknown to him and many others war clouds were looming once more but this time on a far larger scale – Britain was going to war against the Boer Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. War was declared on 11 October 1899 and the corps was embodied with Van Reenen re-enlisting on 20 October 1899 for service with no. 1481 and the rank of Private. According to General Forestier Walker's Distribution State of the 26th, 498 men of the Duke’s were in Cape Town and 98 were at Fraserburg guarding the railway. Later on the corps, recruited up to 1000 strong, was on the line between Cape Town and De Aar. Afterwards it got an opportunity of moving to the front, where it did excellent work.
Early in 1900 a detachment of the Duke of Edinburgh's Volunteers were taken by sea to Walvis Bay in consequence of its having been reported that a force of Boers were working through the sparsely inhabited parts of German South-West Africa to attack the British port. The projected attack did not come off and it is not known if Van Reenen was part of this party. All through the campaign much unostentatious but responsible work of this kind was cheerfully undertaken by the Cape Colony Volunteer battalions. When Sir Charles Warren was appointed Military Governor of the Cape Colony, north of the Orange River, on 26th April 1900, that district was in a most disturbed state, the rebel Dutch aided by some Boers having the ascendancy. Sir Charles Warren had consequently to undertake numerous operations in order to regain control over this very wide district. This was absolutely necessary if the safety of the Kimberley line was to be maintained.
In his despatch of 29th June 1900 Sir Charles stated that on 21st May he occupied Douglas, and that his next objectives were Campbell and Griquatown. He began to concentrate at Faber's Put on 27th May, but his advance was delayed by his having to wait for a convoy, which came in on the night of the 29th. His force then consisted of four and a half companies Duke of Edinburgh's Volunteers, the 23rd and 24th companies Imperial Yeomanry, a small detachment of Paget's Horse, four guns 'E' battery Royal Canadian Artillery, and a small body of Warren's Scouts. Before dawn on the 30th the camp was attacked by the enemy from three sides. Creeping up through bush, they occupied some gardens and other positions in the darkness, from which they stampeded the horses by fire at close range, and also poured a very heavy fire into the camp. Fortunately the troops were astir when this fire broke out. It was after reveille, but daylight did not come till after six o'clock. The advanced pickets held their ground well; indeed, the whole of the troops behaved splendidly.
Two companies of the Volunteers moved out on the eastern side and drove back the enemy; another company in reserve acted, in the words of Sir Charles Warren, "with all the steadiness of seasoned troops". After about an hour of fighting the attack was repulsed, the enemy having lost heavily; indeed, their loss was so severe that the rebellion suddenly collapsed. The losses of the Duke of Edinburgh's Volunteers were Colonel Spence, Sergeant Orchard, and Private Cheverly killed, and four men wounded.
In 1901, and until the close of the war, the regiment was chiefly employed in the west of Cape Colony, about Griquatown and Daniel's Kuil; and although very frequently engaged and suffering some losses, they seem always to have done well, often in difficult circumstances, as when they had to take convoys or to guard posts very far from the railway and the main force of the army. While in Griqualand, throughout part of 1901 and 1902, the corps had to observe great watchfulness, and be ever ready for surprises. The enemy did not leave the posts—such as Griquatown and Daniel's Kuil—unmolested, and casualties were frequent. A portion of the regiment was in the Port Nolloth-O’okiep district in 1902 when the enemy developed considerable activity in that neighbourhood. One detachment of twenty, which held a kopje near Arrenons, made an excellent defence when attacked on 15th April by a strong force.
The war over on 31 May 1902 Van Reenen took his discharge from the regiment and returned to civilian pursuits being awarded the Queens and Kings Medals for his efforts. He appears to have remained in the Cape Colony and wed a Magdalena Maria De Vries at some point. The Baptismal Register for Cape Town has an entry on 8 September 1909 wherein Michael Cornelius - Van Reenen’s first born son – was baptised taking his grandfather’s names in the Cape Dutch tradition.
Further baptismal entries recorded that, on 12 September 1917, twins Stanley Leslie and Eric Cecil, were born to the couple on 24 July 1917 whilst living in Goodwood, Cape Town. These were by no means the only children the couple had.
Sadly on 5 October 1934 Van Reenen passed away at his residence in Fisher Street, Goodwood at the age of 58 years and 10 months. He had been an Engine Driver by occupation suggesting that he had worked most of his life for the South African Railways. He was survived by his wife and many children, Maria Elizabeth Van Reenen, Magdalena Maria Van Reenen, Michael Cornelius Van Reenen, Lilian Ruth Van Reenen, Melt Jacobus Van Reenen, Stanley Leslie Van Reenen and his twin Eric Cecil Van Reenen.
Fortunately he was spared the knowledge of his son, Michael Cornelius’ death, Killed in Action, as a Gunner with the South African Artillery on 23 November 1941.
![VanReenengroup_2016-12-18.jpg]()
![VanReenenrims_2016-12-18.jpg]()
Private, Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Volunteer Rifles – Bechuanaland Campaign 1896
Private, Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Volunteer Rifles – Anglo Boer War
- Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal to Pte. M. Van Reenan, D.E.O.V.R.
- Queens South Africa Medal with clasp Cape Colony to 1481 Pte. M. Van Reenen, D. of E. Own V.R.
- Kings South Africa Medal with clasps South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 1481 Pte. M. Van Reenan, D.E.O.V.R.C.
Melt Van Reenen was born into a Cape Dutch family in Diep River in the Western Cape in about 1876 the son of Michael Cornelius Van Reenen and his wife Maria Elizabeth. Living as they did so close to Cape Town there was every chance that, despite being of solid Afrikaner stock, the family would over the course of time become Anglicised. This would appear to have been the case as events will show. Growing up in the Cape Van Reenen would have had the opportunity to join any one of a number of Militia establishments opting, on 19 April 1893 when he was 17 years old, for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Volunteer Rifles, a Regiment founded on 28 November 1855, as the Cape Rifle Corps.
Some four years after enlisting the monotony of weekly drill sessions and other training was to be a thing of the past and he was to be in action for the first time in what became known as the Langeberg or Bechuanaland campaign. This to quell an uprising which spanned the 24 December 1896 to the 30 July 1897 and which stemmed from an edict to slaughter native livestock to prevent the spread of virulent cattle disease in April 1896. The D.E.O.V.R. were active from February to August 1897.
The revolt rapidly gathered alarming momentum and the local troops under Lt Colonel Dalgety were hard pressed to contain the uprising. A large force was required to subdue the fighting and troops and volunteers were mobilized for the Bechuanaland Field Force. Actions were fought at Gamasep Kloof, Riet Kloof and finally at Langeberg on the 30 Jul - 1 Aug 1897 before peace was restored.
The cattle disease referred to, a serious epidemic of rinderpest, broke out in Bechuanaland affecting many herds. The government took drastic measures and issued regulations to combat the outbreak that included the slaughtering of infected herds. The Bataplin tribe from the former Crown Colony land objected to the regulations and refused to implement them. Also a minor Bataplin chief named Galishiwe fired on a Cape Police party that came to arrest him at Pokwani in connection with the murder of a German trader living nearby.
The police then sent 600 men to arrest Galishiwe but as they arrived the Chief’s men dispersed and he escaped in the confusion. These “rebels” then killed another European trader and looted his store. Once again the police party sent to deal with the matter failed to apprehend Galishiwe; this led to a troop of Cape Mounted Riflemen under Captain Woon riding in support of the police, but by now the Batlaro natives had also risen in revolt. Woon decided that the rebels were too strong and so he withdrew. Finally in mid-February 1897 the Cape Government decided to form the Bechuanaland Field Force, including the D.E.O.V.R., and despatch it to deal with the rebellion.
Meanwhile the rebels, about 2,500 in number and armed with good rifles and plenty of ammunition, had fortified very strong defensive positions in the Langeberg mountain range that runs in between Kuruman and the German South West Africa border. Large herds of cattle had been driven into these hills. The uprising was eventually put down and those who had assisted in this process were awarded the Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal although this was only issued just prior to the Boer War – Van Reenen being one of the 200 odd D.E.O.V.R. men to receive it. He soldiered on taking his discharge on 1 February 1899.
Unbeknown to him and many others war clouds were looming once more but this time on a far larger scale – Britain was going to war against the Boer Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. War was declared on 11 October 1899 and the corps was embodied with Van Reenen re-enlisting on 20 October 1899 for service with no. 1481 and the rank of Private. According to General Forestier Walker's Distribution State of the 26th, 498 men of the Duke’s were in Cape Town and 98 were at Fraserburg guarding the railway. Later on the corps, recruited up to 1000 strong, was on the line between Cape Town and De Aar. Afterwards it got an opportunity of moving to the front, where it did excellent work.
Early in 1900 a detachment of the Duke of Edinburgh's Volunteers were taken by sea to Walvis Bay in consequence of its having been reported that a force of Boers were working through the sparsely inhabited parts of German South-West Africa to attack the British port. The projected attack did not come off and it is not known if Van Reenen was part of this party. All through the campaign much unostentatious but responsible work of this kind was cheerfully undertaken by the Cape Colony Volunteer battalions. When Sir Charles Warren was appointed Military Governor of the Cape Colony, north of the Orange River, on 26th April 1900, that district was in a most disturbed state, the rebel Dutch aided by some Boers having the ascendancy. Sir Charles Warren had consequently to undertake numerous operations in order to regain control over this very wide district. This was absolutely necessary if the safety of the Kimberley line was to be maintained.
In his despatch of 29th June 1900 Sir Charles stated that on 21st May he occupied Douglas, and that his next objectives were Campbell and Griquatown. He began to concentrate at Faber's Put on 27th May, but his advance was delayed by his having to wait for a convoy, which came in on the night of the 29th. His force then consisted of four and a half companies Duke of Edinburgh's Volunteers, the 23rd and 24th companies Imperial Yeomanry, a small detachment of Paget's Horse, four guns 'E' battery Royal Canadian Artillery, and a small body of Warren's Scouts. Before dawn on the 30th the camp was attacked by the enemy from three sides. Creeping up through bush, they occupied some gardens and other positions in the darkness, from which they stampeded the horses by fire at close range, and also poured a very heavy fire into the camp. Fortunately the troops were astir when this fire broke out. It was after reveille, but daylight did not come till after six o'clock. The advanced pickets held their ground well; indeed, the whole of the troops behaved splendidly.
Two companies of the Volunteers moved out on the eastern side and drove back the enemy; another company in reserve acted, in the words of Sir Charles Warren, "with all the steadiness of seasoned troops". After about an hour of fighting the attack was repulsed, the enemy having lost heavily; indeed, their loss was so severe that the rebellion suddenly collapsed. The losses of the Duke of Edinburgh's Volunteers were Colonel Spence, Sergeant Orchard, and Private Cheverly killed, and four men wounded.
In 1901, and until the close of the war, the regiment was chiefly employed in the west of Cape Colony, about Griquatown and Daniel's Kuil; and although very frequently engaged and suffering some losses, they seem always to have done well, often in difficult circumstances, as when they had to take convoys or to guard posts very far from the railway and the main force of the army. While in Griqualand, throughout part of 1901 and 1902, the corps had to observe great watchfulness, and be ever ready for surprises. The enemy did not leave the posts—such as Griquatown and Daniel's Kuil—unmolested, and casualties were frequent. A portion of the regiment was in the Port Nolloth-O’okiep district in 1902 when the enemy developed considerable activity in that neighbourhood. One detachment of twenty, which held a kopje near Arrenons, made an excellent defence when attacked on 15th April by a strong force.
The war over on 31 May 1902 Van Reenen took his discharge from the regiment and returned to civilian pursuits being awarded the Queens and Kings Medals for his efforts. He appears to have remained in the Cape Colony and wed a Magdalena Maria De Vries at some point. The Baptismal Register for Cape Town has an entry on 8 September 1909 wherein Michael Cornelius - Van Reenen’s first born son – was baptised taking his grandfather’s names in the Cape Dutch tradition.
Further baptismal entries recorded that, on 12 September 1917, twins Stanley Leslie and Eric Cecil, were born to the couple on 24 July 1917 whilst living in Goodwood, Cape Town. These were by no means the only children the couple had.
Sadly on 5 October 1934 Van Reenen passed away at his residence in Fisher Street, Goodwood at the age of 58 years and 10 months. He had been an Engine Driver by occupation suggesting that he had worked most of his life for the South African Railways. He was survived by his wife and many children, Maria Elizabeth Van Reenen, Magdalena Maria Van Reenen, Michael Cornelius Van Reenen, Lilian Ruth Van Reenen, Melt Jacobus Van Reenen, Stanley Leslie Van Reenen and his twin Eric Cecil Van Reenen.
Fortunately he was spared the knowledge of his son, Michael Cornelius’ death, Killed in Action, as a Gunner with the South African Artillery on 23 November 1941.
