TOPIC:

J. Fortein

166, Private, Namaqualand Town Guard

- Medal for the Defence of O’ Okiep to J. Fortein (only entitlement)

Despite my best efforts, identifying who “J” (as impressed on the medal) or “L” Fontein (as on the roll) was, has proved fruitless. That he was a Hottentot (or Coloured) is beyond doubt. This is confirmed by the fact that his name was crossed out as a potential recipient of the Queens South Africa medal (only those of European origin qualified), as well as the fact that the surname “Fortein” is used, almost exclusively, by the Coloured population of those and other parts of South Africa.

The fact that he did as much as his White counterparts to earn the medal goes without saying and the decision to exclude persons of colour for the award of the Queens Medal is not debated here; suffice it to say that the employer of most able-bodied men in that barren stretch of the Northern Cape known as Namaqualand, the Cape Copper Company, attempted to redress this imbalance through the creation of the Medal for the Defence of O’ Okiep which was awarded to all who participated and which was done at the company’s expense. Only 547 Bronze versions of these medals were issued and, aside from the scarcity factor that this small number creates, an even smaller number exist to those who were not eligible for the Queens Medal, making this their only entitlement. Fortein was one of these men.


The Cape Copper Mine at O' Okiep

But what was the Defence of O’ Okiep all about? The Anglo Boer War had been raging for more than two years with the dawn of 1902. The initial set battles and skirmishes that characterised the first part of the war, had long given way to the Guerilla phase – where small and highly mobile Boer commandos would intercept and harass British patrols and transport columns, overwhelm them and plunder and take whatever they could in the way of ammunition and supplies. Thereafter, as quick as a flash, and before any troops nearby could come to the relief of their comrades, they would ride off into the distance, regroup and repeat the exercise.

All of this served to both frustrate the British High Command and protract the inevitable conclusion of hostilities. As a counter to this, Lord Roberts embarked upon a two-pronged approach, establishing a network of blockhouses with the idea of hemming the Boers in, thereby making it difficult for them to manoeuvre and avoid capture. The second approach was a far more sinister one – the scorched earth policy – burning the Boers farms and buildings, rounding their wives and children up like sheep and transporting them to a number of concentration camps where they would wait out the war.

Desperate for new recruits to join their depleted ranks as well as supplies with which to continue the struggle, the Boers made a series of incursions into the Cape Colony, one such was in March 1902 when General Smuts, in one of the last of these scattered raids, descended with a small force on the neighbourhood of Port Nolloth on the west coast of the Cape Colony. O’ Okiep is a small mining town some 70 miles inland from Port Nolloth, and towards the end of that month a group of Boers rode out of the Namaqualand veld and demanded the surrender of O’ Okiep. Lt. Colonel Shelton, in command of a small garrison there comprising 206 European miners, 660 Cape Coloureds and 44 men of the 5th Warwickshire Militia, refused to surrender and, by the 4th April 1902, the town, now comprising some 6000 souls, many who had come in from surrounding settlements who had already surrendered to the Boers, was under siege.

The siege was to last 30 days and, despite several attacks being made on the town, it was never taken and was relieved by a force under Colonel Cooper, riding from Port Nolloth. The Namaqualand Town Guard had been formed on 15 October 1901 as an amalgamation of the Concordia, O’ Okiep and Port Nolloth Town Guards and were employed in manning the defences of the aforementioned communities. They were also employed in carrying out guard duties as well as mounted escorts to convoys. A perimeter of blockhouses was also prepared as part of the defence.

Colonel Shelton, in his Orders for the Exterior Line of Defence, gave a good account of what was expected from company employees, men like Fortein. He stated that:

- The enemy contrives to blow up Block houses with dynamite. By night the enemy creep up lay dynamite by the Block houses or throw it on the roof.

- In future Block houses will be frequently visited by day but not all by night. O.C’s Sections will continually instruct their N.C.O’s and men in every detail that would contribute to causing a disaster to the enemy if he attacks.

- Shots must on no account be fired on any man or men moving inside the Lines, unless they are known to be the enemy.

The first casualty was Private Carolus Johannes, like Fortein, a Coloured member of the Namaqualand Town Guard, who was shot in the head, chest and stomach while loading his Martini-Henry rifle. The first Boer attack took place at 14h00 on the 8th April 1902. The second followed the next day but Shelton’s troops managed to hold out, despite a massive explosion when the Boers lobbed some home-made bombs made with dynamite from one of the mines at the fort, into the town.

On the 11th April, Smuts sent Shelton another message (under a flag of truce) suggesting that the women and children be removed to Springbok. Shelton held an order group with his officers who unanimously suggested that he reject the Boer offer to escort the non-combatants from the town. Shelton politely responded accordingly.

Meanwhile, a relief column was formed under the command of Colonel Cooper and they advanced on the town from the direction of Anenous along the railway line. The first town to be abandoned by the Boers was Steinkopf and gradually the tide began to turn against them.

Then, the Siege was interrupted by Smuts’s departure for peace talks. Accompanied by his secretary ‘Tottie’ Krige and Reitz, they set off towards the British troops under a flag of truce. Smuts handed over command to General van Deventer who effectively held up Cooper’s advance.


A parade and festivities were held after the relief

Gradually, the Boers abandoned their positions along Cooper’s route and late on the 3rd May 1902, they withdrew. Cooper’s advance guard entered O’Kiep at 07h30 on the 4th May 1902. The siege was over. Fortein was awarded the Cape Copper Company Medal for being under fire by the enemy.

There was no known medal parade but there has been speculation that the Cape Copper Company Medal was handed out to the men together with their pay packets (envelopes) at some point in time. What became of Fortein after this is unknown.

Rory,

A very enjoyable article and it was great to see a current picture of the mine.

That that local commanders sought to reward all those involved in the defence is very fitting and shows how the authorities could have acted elsewhere.

Thank You Rory...... Again a great piece of research will be adding your research to my J. Brown medal...... Thanks again.........

Mike

Hi Rory, another great article by yourself. You must be close to being able to publish a book on your collection by now:) ?

thank you for taking the time

For those who don't know where in the world O' Okiep and surrounds is, here's the map showing the locality. The Bushmanland Borderers and a few other outfits were local to this area. Home to a large Coloured community, this was often the recruiting ground for such units.



Regards

Rory