TOPIC:

Served: Lichtenburg.

Kpl H.G. Stols, Lichtenburg Kommando

Born: 03/06/1863 (Estimated)
Died: 17/05/1956

A man who lived into his nineties but sadly never held his medal. Possibly one of the last ABO’s issued ?

Hendrik Gerhardus Stols was born on 03 June 1863 (D/N shows 1861, Baptism shows 1863). He was born into a farming family and was the son of Gabreil Jacoubus Stols and Martha Magdalena Johana Pretorius of Potchefstroom in the Transvaal.

Little is known of his early life but we can assume that he was bought up on horse back with a rifle in his hand.

Hendrik was by the time he was 24, living in Lichtenburg in the Boer Republic of the Transvaal. It was here that he met and married Anna Susanna Elsie Petronella Pretorius. The couple were married on 25 April 1887, he was 24 years old and his wife a young 17 years old. This marriage produced 5 children, one Son and four Daughters.

We assume that Hendrik and his young wife got on with their lives attending to the life of a farming family and raising their children, however war clouds were brewing over the two Boer Republics. Once war was declared,Hendrik Stols decided to do his bit and joined the Lichtenburg Kommando. He would have suffered much hardship out on the veld fighting for his Country. The Boers defended their land stubbornly and gave the might of the British Empire a torrid time. This was to carry on for 3 hard years.

Once peace was declared in My 1902 it is supposed that Stols returned home to carry on with his farm. However, there is an entry in the Transvaal Archives for the “Claim for Compensation, Burgers, Lictenburg”. in the name of Hendrik Gerhardus Stols, dated 1903. It could be that his farm was destroyed during the Second Phase of the war. This is distinctly possible because his young wife Anna was living with her children at the farm “Rietkolk” in Lichtenburg which belonged to one Jan Cronje. Anna must have been sick and was not was destined to live much longer, she passed away on 2 September 1903 aged just 32 years. She left behind a grieving husband and 5 minor children.

Hendrik must have found life extremely hard what with bringing up 5 children alone. I suppose it comes as no surprise then that he remarried as early as 1904. He was by this time 40 years old and living in Klerksdorp in the Transvaal. His new wife was the 19 year old Anna Johanna Alberta Magdalena Keet from Rooidam in the District of Mafikeng.

I would have thought that from this time on the family carried on with their lives and made the best of it. During 1941, Stols decided to put in a claim for his ABO medal for services during the Boer War. It is unknown why he waited until 1941 to submit his claim but never the less this was duly completed and submitted.

His Vorm “B” shows that he served at Kraaipan, Modder River, Kimberley, Marico and illegible.The form also shows that he served from October 1899-May 1902. His application was completed, signed, and submitted in 1941.

A letter from the Department of Defence Head Quarters dated 27/11/1941 tells us that the medal that Stols applied for was approved and was to be manufactured and should be ready for despatch within six months. Stols was at this time living at 13 Wagner Street, Ophirton, Johannesburg.

By the time that the medal was despatched Stols must have vacated the home in Wagner Street as a letter dated 18 June 1942 tells us that the medal was returned to Defence HQ with the remark “Huis leek” Home empty.

Hendrik Gerhardus Stols passed away on 17 May 1956 at his home, 1 Donnelly Street,Turffontein in Johannesburg. He was buried at the West Park Cemetery.

This is were the story ended for best part of 60 years until his Great Grandson continued with the search for the missing ABO.

Mr J.J.C Stols who was living in Worcester in the Western Cape wrote to the Department of Defence enquiring about the medal for his Great Grandfather H.G Stols and on 06 October 2000 the Department wrote back to Mr J.J.C Stols informing him that the Application form for H.G Stols has been found and that the paperwork to hand shows that the ward of the ABO to Stols had been approved in 1941. The reply goes on to say that once the medal was ready for despatch it was forwarded to the address on file but was returned several months later as undelivered as the home at the address given was empty. The letter goes on to state that 269 unclaimed ABO medals are in the possession of this office and that the name of Korporaal H.G Stols is on the list of unclaimed medals. (I wonder what became of the rest of the medals??)

The Great Grandson was required to submit a certified copy of his ID document and that with an Affidavit stating they he was family off H.G Stols was to be submitted.

On 26 April 2001 Mr J.J.C Stols received a further letter from the Department of Defence stating that the ABO medal originally issued to Kpl H.G Stols of the Lichtenberg Kommando is ready to be handed over to you. It also stated that ”You are asked to supply this Office with a contact number so that the necessary arrangements can be discussed with you for the handing over of the medal”.

He received the Type “B” medal that was issued from October 1937 until February 1942.

Extra Photo

Last Photo's

Lovely story and medal Adrian. I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs Jooste many years ago. A very efficient Tannie.