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Served: Heilbron.

From the next City Coins auction, November 2020

ABO (Burger J.W.T. Wessels)

Johannes Wessels was 17 when he joined the Heilbron Commando in November 1899 and he saw early action, inter alia, at Colesberg, Rensburg Siding, Lindley and Sannas Post (“Waterwerke”). He was subsequently wounded at Groenkop (“arm afgeskiet”: fractured arm) but did not apply for the Wound Riband. He recovered from his wound, only to be taken prisoner together with 7 other Burghers at Bezuidenhoutsdrift (roughly midway between Vrede and Reitz in the Free State) on 5 March 1902.
He was sent to India on 2 May 1902 as PoW No 31329 and held out on signing the Oath of Allegiance till October 1902 and could only then return home.