TOPIC:

Served: Hoopstad. Awarded the DTD (Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst).

City Coins 57 - November 2007

DTD (Komdt. D. F. H. Flemming)

Daniel Frederik Hermanus Flemming was born in Kroonstad on 1 Jan. 1865.

At the outbreak of the Boer War he joined up as a Burger in the Wolmaransstad Commando, but was elected Veldkomet in that Commando after the first skirmishes at Mafeking. It is not known when Flemming was appointed Kommandant of the Hoopstad Commando.

He saw further service at Roodelaagte (the Boer name for the action at Graspan/Enslin, 25 Nov. 1899) and then at Twee Riviere (Modder River) and Magersfontein. He was also present at the attack on Lichtenburg (6 March 1901).
Later in the war his Commando was not involved in major operations and was continuously on the move in the western OFS.

Flemming was a delegate to the Peace negotiations at Vereeniging.

It is minuted that his Hoopstad burghers had said to him: “We have sacrificed wives and children, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, money and blood, and if we must now surrender our independence too, we give up everything, and rather than do that we will fight to the finish”.

He reported that his district had sufficient cattle and game left for the Boers to survive, but the feedback from other leaders made him aware of the critical situation in the rest of the country. This led to Flemming being one of 54 (out of 60) delegates who voted for peace.

After the war he bought a farm near Wolmaransstad and became Commandant of the local Commando in 1912.

In October 1914 he rebelled against the Botha Government’s decision to invade German SWA and accompanied Gen Kemp on his epic westwards march. After having to surrender to the Union forces in February 1915, he was tried with the other rebel-leaders and sentenced to 3 years in jail and a £300 fine. Supporters paid the fine and he was released after a short imprisonment.

In the 1920’s Flemming was active in church and community service as well as politics, representing the National Party as MPC for Klerksdorp from 1920 to 1923.

He died on his farm, Leeubosch, on 9 Nov. 1934.

Note: Flemming also received an ABO medal as listed in Kaplan Auctions B30, Oct. 2005.

Good morning,
Thank you for writing such a great article. Daniel Frederik Hermanus Flemming is my great great grandfather. I know my mothers twin brother, my uncle had this medal and gave it to a museum. Do you perhaps know where it’s displayed? Do you know if the ABO medal as listed in Kaplan Auctions B30, Oct. 2005. is correct and if this was sold and to whom? I do know his name are on the medal too.
Thank you in advance,
Erika

Hi Erika
My info is about 2 years old,but Mr Flemming (Grandson), have one of the medals and a private collector the other. They were in touch and swapped information.

Chris

Chris,
Thank you for getting back to me. Do you know which Mr. Flemming (grandson)?
My uncle mentioned the medal he had was only one and not two and it had my great great grandfathers name engraved on it and the medals in this picture is not how he remembered what it looked like.
I’m very much into my family tree and ancestors and would like to get more information.
Do you perhaps have any information you can share?
Thank you so much for all your help.
Erika

Erika,
Wat die medaljes betref, ek het een. Die ander een wat aan my neef Danie Flemming behoort het, is tans in besit van 'n man in Somerset Wes.
Die een waarna verwys word wat by Kaplan was, is myne. Dit was by my gesteel en ek het dit die dag voor die veiling gaan terug haal.
Ek is self op soek na meer inligting. Ek het heelwat by Japie Greyling (die jong seun-held) se kleindogter gekry. Weet jy van die verband tussen hom en Oupa?
Ek is in Pretoria, waar is jy? Daar is net te veel inligting om op hierdie Forum te deel. Ek het byvoorbeeld in Biggar in Skotland gaan kyk na die kasteel wat aan die Flem(m)ings behoort het.
Groete,
Flemming Meyer
[email protected]