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A "local" S.A.C. man - Claude Sigmund Haagner. 8 years 1 month ago #45509

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Claude Sigmund Haagner

1st Class Trooper, South African Constabulary, - Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Transvaal and South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 38 Tpr. C.S. Haagner, S.A.C.

Claude Haagner wasn’t your typical South African Constabulary recruit. In an age where the vast majority of the 10 000 men recruited by Baden Powell and his agents for the Boer War were sourced from Great Britain and her Colonies Haagner was “home grown” having being born in the district of Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa on 2 January 1882 the son of Sigmund Haagner and his wife Helena Louisa.

Life in the idyllic and tranquil Eastern Cape was jolted out of its lethargy with the advent of the Boer War which erupted onto the world stage in October 1899. Although the fighting between Boer and Brit was initially far removed from the area this situation wasn’t to last as Boer Commandos slowly started to infiltrate southwards in their quest for the sea and the district wherein Haagner and his kin found themselves was very much in their path.

Fuelled no doubt by a desire to make a difference and contribute to the war effort Haagner enlisted with the South African Constabulary signing the Attestation Paper on 21 December 1900 at Modderfontein in the Transvaal. Modderfontein, the site of the world’s biggest dynamite factory, was to play an important role in Haagner’s life in the years to come and it can be speculated that he had moved there sometime before the commencement of the war.

On enlisting Haagner was describes as being 6 feet 1 inch in height with blue eyes, fair hair and a fair complexion – all betraying his obvious Germanic antecedents. Despite his height he was described as being “slightly built” and it was confirmed that he was a member of the Church of England and a Clerk by occupation. Unmarried and 18 years of age his father, S. Haagner of Clarenceville, Sea Point, Cape Town was provided as his next of kin.

Indicating that he must have been one of the very first batch of recruits, Haagner was assigned no. 38 (his number was later changed to 197) and the rank of 3rd Class Trooper stationed in the Transvaal Division at Zuurfontein. Promotion to 2nd Class Trooper came swiftly on 25 March 1901 followed by his elevation to 1st Class Trooper and a move to the Headquarters Depot on 1 September 1901.

All was going well and it would appear, from the lack of any entry in the Defaulters Book, that he was a model Trooper. Things were not so rosy on the domestic front though and, on 4 February 1902 he penned a letter to the Controller, S.A.C. Zuurfontein as follows:

“Sir

I am begging leave to apply to you for permission to purchase my discharge from the S.A.C. on payment of the sum of £12 as laid down in the conditions of Service. My reasons for wishing to affect my discharge are as follows:

1st – to take up employment at the Dynamite Factory which has been offered to me and

2nd – That by my being permitted to purchase my discharge, consequently accepting the post offered me, I shall be able to reside at Modderfontein and look after my two younger brothers who are at present living there.

I should like to mention that I was prior to joining the S.A.C. employed by the Dynamite Factory Modderfontein, also my father who is now residing in Cape Town.

My father is seriously ill at the present time and owing to his bad state of health and the great number of refugees there he has unable to procure a lucrative appointment and as I shall be improving my position by accepting the employment the Factory offer me, I shall be able to help my parents better than I am at present doing.

I hope Sir this application will meet with your favourable consideration.

Your obedient servant etc.

Claude S. Haagner”

This request was met with a lukewarm reception by the authorities. Although recommended his discharge was put on the back burner “until a suitable man to replace him” was found. The Controller himself stated that,

“I have no objection, this Trooper, who is very young himself, has two brothers at the Factory School. Trooper Haagner has performed his duties very well during past 14 months.”

A replacement having been found Haagner took his discharge by purchase on 28 February 1902 with a Character rating of Very Good and service of 1 year and sixty nine days.

Haagner returned to work at the Dynamite Factory but must have moved on from there at some stage. The circumstances surrounding his death are vague – it could have been occasioned by a mining accident – but he was destined to an early grave. On 21 October 1913 he passed away at the Boksburg Hospital at the age of 31 years and 10 months. He was unmarried and survived by his mother Helena Louisa Haagner of P.O. Box 754 Pretoria and his siblings.

He left a sizeable estate for the times of £630 most of which came from Insurance Policies. He bequeathed equal amounts to his siblings Alwin Karel Haagner (who was to become a world renowned Botanist); Harold Ernest Haagner; Sigmund Victor Haagner (who was to die in 1918 shortly after returning from German East Africa) and his sisters Hermione Violet Weiskopf, Coralie Isabel Haagner and Frieda Haagner (these last two were minors)