DE LA REY, JACOBUS HERCULAS
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Jacobus Herculas De la Rey (October 22, 1847- September 15, 1914) was an Afrikaner general who fought with distinction in the South African War of 1899-1902. His military expertise and strategy were valuable assets to his government, as were his peacemaking efforts.
PHOTO CAPTION: De La Rey Jacobus Herculas. SOURCE: EA Library.
He was born near Winburg, Orange Free State, but grew up in the Western Transvaal. He received little formal education but was exceptionally intelligent. Apart from his military career, he was a farmer. He was a transport-rider before marrying the forceful Jacoba Elizabeth Greeff in 1876, a marriage from which ten children were born. Soon after his marriage he bought his own farm near Lichtenburg, in the Transvaal, which was his home until his death. Despite a limited education De la Rey served as government surveyor of farms and commissioner for Africans in the Western Transvaal. Later, in 1876, he was made field-cornet, and took part in the Anglo-Transvaal War of 1880-81. He then became commandant for Lichtenburg, and was elected to the first Volksraad (parliament) in 1893.
De la Rey put his own individual stamp on the conduct of warfare. A calm and moderate man, but a fiery patriot, he became a combat general and military adviser to General P. A. Cronje shortly before the outbreak of the South African War (or Anglo-Boer War) in 1899. The successful outcome of the battle of Magersfontein can be ascribed to his ingenious application of modern trench warfare. With his keen insight De la Rey criticised many of Cronje’s moves. Cronje, however, rejected De la Rey’s suggestions with disastrous results. Cronje’s surrender at Paardeberg and the total upset of Boer strategy followed.
During the second phase of the war De la Rey became the commander in the Western Transvaal, where he demonstrated that he excelled in the art of mobile warfare. He broke through the British lines at Silkaatsnek, inspired his downhearted men, and transformed them into a formidable fighting force, using some of them to plant and harvest crops for food. He also perfected the tactic of charging the enemy, using speed and surprise to increase the chances of success. His actions harassed British columns and when Boer leaders were summoned to Pretoria for peace talks in April 1902, De la Rey was still well supplied and capable of continuing the war. Personally opposed to surrender, he nevertheless realised that it was the only acceptable precondition for the establishment of peace as the other Afrikaner forces could not continue the war. De la Rey played an important role in persuading Christian De Wet to agree to peace.
After the war De la Rey became a member of the Boer deputation sent to Europe to raise money for widows and orphans. He also went to India to persuade Boer prisoners of war there to take the oath of allegiance to the British authorities in South Africa. He then returned to his devastated farm. He rejected an invitation to serve on the Transvaal legislative council, but was a leader of the first popular Afrikaner political association to be formed after the South African War. He was also a Transvaal delegate to the National Convention which led to the formation of the Union of South Africa. He then became a senator. In 1912 he joined the defence council, tried to heal the break between Louis Botha and James Barry Munnik Hertzog, and quickly suppressed the 1914 strike in Johannesburg.
Although he was involved in the Afrikaner rebellion of 1914, his direct influence is still undetermined. He was killed when police, looking for a group of criminals known as the Foster Gang, fired on his car at a roadblock. Thus ended the life of a military genius and a wise leader of his people.
F. J. NOTHLING
