VAN DEVENTER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 140, 2 March 1918, Page 8

VAN DEVENTER

A GREAT BOER GENERAL

- Looking rather loss than, his fifty adventurous years, tall, with broad, rather drooping shoulders, ' sallowcomplexioned like so many of his race, the wearer of a heavy darlrmoustaclio and "imperial," and with wide-open eyes which always appear to bo regarding with mild curiosity soma distant object—that is a pen-picture of Lieu-tenant-Geueral Sir Jacob Louis Van Deventer, the famous Boer leader of cavalry, on whom the King has bestowed a. .Knight Coinmandership of the Bath in recognition of his distinguished services in the East African campaign, Tho most interesting feature in connection wtih this award is that it is the first lime a British title hae been accepted by a typical Boer, and incidentally a. soldier who fought against us on the Republican side in the war of teventeen years ago. And Van Deventer is not only the typical Boer in appearance; he is typical also in that his knowledge of English is very imperfect, though nowadays he c&n manage to carry on a. conversation in the language fairly well. LieutenantrGeneral in the British Army, C.8., and K.C.B.—all n'ithin three years—there have been few more .remantic careers in the lomantic history of South Africa than that of this simple pastoralist who left the peaceful obscurity of a Boer farm when the rebellion broke out in October, 1914, to assume command at Upiiigton. on the borders of German Sonth-AVi'st Africa, when tlie rebel "General" Marita crossed ovpr into the enemy territory with a portion of his force. His prompt action at Upiiigton. saved the town frum being taken by Maritz, and later on,' in the actual campaign in South-AVest Africa, he served with great distinction under General Smuts, whose second in command he. was when, the hitter invaded the Cape Colony during the .Boer War. When. General Smuts decided' to assume responsibility for the East African campaign, Van Deventer was his first ohoicD in selecting his subordinates. No better .selection could possibly have been made. His personality had a strong appeal lor the Boers, who were drawn upon, so largely for that campaign, and his . wonderful knowledge of country, his remarkable scouting abilities, made him an ideal leader For forces which would be called upon to move rapidly, with little or no. transport, through perhaps the most difficult country in which British troops have had to fight in this war. In the earlier part of the campaign his wonderful flying column operated for months, amid unprecedented rain, hundreds of miles from its base under the very greatest transport difficulty. This expedition was subsequently described by General Smuts in a speech at Cape Town as one "without parallel in war."

General Smuts's wisdom in ■ recommending Van. Deventer to take charge of the later stages of the East African campaign has been amply justified by results. Moving always with the greatest rapidity, and handling with an admirable discretion, a force of men of various races, Indians and natives as well »s whites, ho has steadily routed the Germans out of one lurking place after another until now there remains only a, very small fugitive force to he dealt with.

Whether ! Van Deventer's great abilities are to he madfi use of in a wider field I cannot say. There is, however; I imagine, a possibility that before very long he may be seen in England. Where he may fittingly he greeted in the language of the natives of the country which he has so brilliantly helped to conquer for the Empire— "Jambo. Bwana" ("I am jrlnd to see you, sir").—The "Daily Mail."