Hermann Gustav Thiel already showed his sympathy with the cause of the Transvaal Republic during the Jameson Raid in December 1895 and was involved as a technician in the building of Fort Klapperkop for the defence of Pretoria. For these actions the young German was granted citizenship with full voting rights of the Transvaal Republic on 21 January 1898.
He joined the State Artillery of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek and was only 21 years old when the Anglo Boer War started on 11 October 1899.
Hermann Gustav Thiel in the uniform of the State Artillery.
Some of the information about our grandfather’s active participation in the Anglo Boer War came from his four surviving children. After he left for Tanganyika in 1923, he only visited South Africa briefly in 1937 and 1947. In East Africa he only had occasional contact with his daughter, Cornelia Thiel in Tanga and his son Ernst Peter Thiel in Uganda. The major part of our knowledge on the experiences of Hermann Gustav Thiel came from his youngest son Ernest Peter Thiel who had an exceptional memory of events and dates as told to him by his father which we recorded during two visits to us in Stellenbosch in 1985 and 1989.
Fortunately, we also have two documents which Hermann Thiel preserved describing his participation in the war.
One written record of Hermann Thiel’s active participation in the ABO is a letter he wrote in 1938 from Tanganyika to the Regent Institute in London, more than 30 years after the war ended, giving a brief description of his duties and activities before he was captured and sent to Bermuda.
The second written record of his time of action is in the first part of the first of the four diaries he kept until his eventual return from incarceration in Bermuda as a Prisoner of War. This was the only part of the diaries he wrote in English before he switched to Dutch (Afrikaans) for the benefit of his Dutch wife Cornelia.
The texts of both these records are presented below.
Excerpt from Hermann Thiel’s letter written in 1938 to the Regent Institute in London.
During the Boer War I was in charge of the search light section in Natal at Ladysmith and Colenso and later, in eastern and northern Transvaal, repairing guns (Long Toms, Krupp, French75, Pom-Poms, etc.) During this time I had the unique experience of meeting my wife (who was a nursing sister and in charge of a British Hospital taken over from the Boers) under a parliamentary white flag.
The last Long Tom (Boer siege Gun) was blown up by me in Northern Transvaal during action. I was highly amused at the assertion in some English and South African papers, last year, about Long Tom had been captured.
When captured in the Northern Transvaal in 1901, being ill with blackwater, I was amused to find my two guards to be my two school palls from Cape Town.
A few interesting anecdotes emerge from the letter to the Regent Institute written more than 30 years after the Anglo-Boer War ended. He mentions that he met his wife Cornelia under a white flag while she was a nursing sister in charge of a British Hospital. According to his son, Ernest Peter Thiel, this in fact happened in Lydenburg while he was involved with the siege of Lydenburg with the Boer forces. Cornelia had their firstborn daughter, Martha Philomina Johanna, with her who passed away at the tender age of only 14 months and was buried in Lydenburg while her father was already a Prisoner of War.
It can also be concluded that their second daughter Cornelia Pauline Philomina must have been conceived during their meeting outside Lydenburg as she was born 9 months later in Pretoria on 7 October 1901, a month after her father arrived in Bermuda as a Prisoner of War.
It is ironic that two of Hermann Thiel’s classmates from the school they attended together in Wynberg, Cape Town a mere seven years before the war broke out were amongst his captors.
This is the only available photo of Martha on her mother’s lap.
The English text from the first of Hermann Thiel’s four diaries.
Hermann Gustav Thiel
Engineer & Electrician
Staats Artillerie
Zuid Afrikaansche Rep. 898
Since 1
Aged 23 years
Residence Pretoria
Burger of State ZAR since 1896
Former address
Box 399 Pretoria
Present Commando
Luit. Du Toit
Long Tom
8/5/01
Notes of war since Pietersburg
Left Pietersburg with Joe Schult and Julius Siemssen on Good Friday 5th April for Pienaars Nek after spending week in Pietersburg and making fruitless attempts to reach Nylstroom before the enemy.
Sat 6th
Arrived at Long Tom’s outspan (Luit. Du Toit). After introduction joined Long Toms staff close to Pienaars nek. From here cut across country with Long Tom and sections of Waterberg Commando (Comdt. Vilje.) and Zoutpansberg Commando (Cmdt. Neetling) in direction of Chunees Poort. Close to Ysterberg hear reports of engagement with enemy and our men. Cut off still more towards Chunees Poort to get round the enemy with our trek. Long Tom awful hindrance as roads frightfully bad. Gun sinks in up to the barrel and almost impossible to extricate from mud. Keep on this trek several days with almost superhuman efforts but by dint of hard work very little sleep and very little food managed to keep before the enemy and spoil their chance of cutting us off.
About a week later we reached positions close to village Hanertsburg on the government road from Pietersburg and put up Long Tom on a commanding position. Hand maxim given in my charge with 7 men to take position on left wing with the Waterbergers. Made splendid position there close to small dwelling of Mrs Zeederberg.
Enemy expected every moment. Remained in position three days. Awfully cold rations very poor. Just manage to live. Report arrives enemy back again on the way to Pietersburg. Shift down with maxim and men into Waterberg Lager in the Kloof as almost impossible to live in position with rain sleet and wind and poor rations. About middle of April trial commences of Burger Du Preez (Blauwbosch) committed for High Treason. Trial continues two days before Krijgsraad and ends in Du Preez being sentenced to death. Shot the next morning after sentence was passed at 8am by burger column at short distance from the lager died calmly taking things very cool. The shooting was poorly done as I noticed when helping Dr Neethling to lay him out in his grave most bullets passing below the heart. The shooting of this traitor made great impression amongst the burgers as it is one of our greatest curses in this war having so many traitors. One can hardly trust your bosom friend.
During our stay in lager we had several nap and whist parties to destroy our empty time.
21st April
Waterberg Commando receives orders to proceed to Houtboschdorp about 1 hour horseback from our right flank to take position there so as not to leave Pietersburg Houtboschdorp Hanertsburg road open to enemy. We joining with maxim to Long Tom on new position commanding both roads.
25th April
Luit. Du Toit. young Reits (son of state sec) and myself asked over to Hanertsburg by Justice of Peace Mr Obelt to spend the day. Drove over about 9 o’clock and spent morning in an enjoyable game of whist. After hearty dinner, which we thoroughly enjoyed spent afternoon in singing and piano playing. Miss Schleischer, stepdaughter of Obelt, contributing much to the pleasures of the music.
26th April
J Schult, J Siemssen and myself walked over to Hanertsburg and had a rare old spree there. It was not exactly whisky and soda but never mind we got fairly on all the same.
27th April
Schult Siemssen and myself, rode over with cart and four mules to Houtboschdorp arrived there towards evening visited old acquaintance Otto Richter but met with rather a cool reception and after thanking him rather coolly for his hospitality!!! we rode over to Waterberg Lager and outspanned by tent of Landrost Heysteck of Nijlstroom. After supper about 8 of us young fellows took a stroll up to Shop of Von Reiche where we spent a jolly evening playing havoc with the brandy made from Kaffir corn a vile firy drink which after finishing about a bottle a piece, seemed to play hellish havoc with our poor stomachs. I never hope to have an anniversary of that night again as long as I live.
28th Sunday We spent in lager wishing we had not drank quite so much the previous day. Towards the evening, left again by cart for our camp by Long Tom, arrived there around 6.30pm feeling rather tired.
29th Monday
Broke up camp to take up new position further back as the Waterberg Commando has followed their own inclination and left Houtboschdorp for buffel a few hours to the right or north of it thus leaving our right flank open to the enemy. Our gun is now poorly defended. Only about 40 men of the artillerie section under Luit Du Toit and a few stray burgers about 15 of Zoutpansberg Commando under Comdt. Neethling, on whom we can rely very little. While trek of our camp continues, I walk over to Zeederberg for some books and oil I had Boiled out thee for the maxim, had dinner there left Zeederbergs at 3pm and followed trek. Caught by rain on the road and have to undress to pass several rivers. Visited Obelts in Haenertsburg and remained there till sunset and left again for new camp. Had pretty stiff walk till 8.30pm and arrived there shortly after trek. Got Long Tom fixed in position with (shearlegs?) and tackle and retired to rest after receiving orders from Luit. Du Toit to place my maxim in position on a kopje 2000 yards in front of Long Tom, in direct line of the enemy the first things next morning.
April 30th
About daybreak I left with three of my section J Siemssen, J Schult and Tom Coetzee, to make position for maxim, as ordered. Were working like slaves as the report came that English were close to Houtboschdorp and at about 10 o’clock we heard a sharp engagement with small arms and a few gun reports.
Continued with fort, but before we finished or had time to bring our Maxim down into position the enemy broke upon us from direction of Houtboschdorp. There was quite a large force, and as it seemed all cavalry and from their movements it looked as if the enemy still expected to find Long Tom in his old position and they tried to surround it. Dashing along their horses at a great rate but what was their surprise when a few minutes later old Long Tom let fly from his new position. The second bomb sent the enemy flying helter skelter over the mountain again. Soon however I noticed that there was something very wrong with the Long Tom’s firing and I mentioned the fact to my men. I could not understand the firing at all as the firing was very ineffective. About a quarter of an hour later and when about 13 shells had been fired I noticed the oxen being brought up to the gun and gave the order to my men to retire, which we did without firing a single shot from our splendid position.
As we left our position Commdt Neethling rushed up on horseback with one burger more being the whole burger force to protect us. They rode on in front as we being on foot could not follow so quickly. When I reached Long Tom I noticed the cause of the bad firing, for the gun carriage had quite sunk into the ground from the shock as the earth was too soft to stand the shock.
On my arrival Luit Du Toit ordered me to fire the gun with dynamite as it was impossible to extricate it. After having fitted a powerful charge behind a Shrapnel in the breach I commenced from the barrel and rammed in all the dynamite I could lay my hands on then fuse and cap rammed tight with rods, the charge was complete as far as the barrel went. For the carriage a heavy charge just above the axle under the “batterij (Tappe” would not leave much of that whole. Whilst laying these charges the enemy was coming pretty close and Luit Du Toit kept on warning me that I am waiting too long. The bombs about 35 I first thought of firing together with the gunpowder also about 40 bags of Long Toms but on consideration I left them as owing to the short fuses we would have to use I was afraid none of our men would get out of those explosions alive. Wachtmeester Maher was very handy in helping me and did his best to blow up the gunpowder. As his fuse would not light soon enough he pluckily kept on striking match after match whilst my short fuses were burning all and only when he had reached his last match did his fuse alight. We had not reached a great distance about two hundred yards, when the explosions took place. First the gun carriage went, knocking a large piece out in the direction of the enemy, blowing the barrel clean out of the tappets bending the axel so that the wheels were standing at right angles. And the whole carriage was split from end to end.
The first explosion was pretty light, but the second (the barrel) and third (gunpowder) were something tremendous and it is a miracle that we all did get out alive. Sergeant Major Gradwell and myself being closest to the gun had a narrow shave. A large piece of the barrel striking between us but fortunately none were hit. And now began one of the most exciting retreats, only paralleled by our retreat over the Duiwels Kneukels, Spitskop and Sabi from Lydenburg. We were about 30 strong that had remained by the gun the others had gone on ahead with our two waggons and loose bullocks from Long Tom.
The maxim was pluckily brought out by Lancer (a telegraphist, who is a kripple but still willing to serve his country) on a cart, with 6 bullocks and a small nigger boy.
Well, we that remained behind dashed down a kloof after the explosion and hardly did we reach some thick bush for cover when the enemy already reached the position of the now defunct Long Tom. I think they must have felt awfully cut up, seeing the gun blown up before their very noses. It was very sad for us to blow up our own gun but better blown up than fall in the hands of the enemy undamaged. When the enemy reached the position and saw us few cutting through the bush they commenced firing on us and sent a force of cavalry to cut off our retreat. We did not wait to reply but continued our retreat in the direction of our waggons. At the bottom of the kloof, we were suddenly confronted by a deep but narrow river without a drift to cross.
As the enemy was close behind we had nothing else to do but pitch our rifles and bandoliers across and plunge into the water. We looked awful frights on coming out sopping wet not a dry stitch on but not a minute to waste as the enemy kept pretty close. Soon after this we reached our wagons but we had to get off and drive the enemy back three times before we could get the waggons through. The last stand we made about three o’clock in a nek just where the road descends the mountain. We let our waggons go on and about 20 of us remained in position. We were hardly ready when the enemy turned up at 600 yards but believe me we gave it hot. There was no idea of them getting through and we only wished that they would try it. There would not have been much of them left. We stuck there until 5pm. When we scooted one by one, the enemy noticing this, all got up and commenced firing volleys on us but strange to say not one of our men was hit in the whole fight and even now shooting volleys on us at 6 and 800 yards. After our first close quarters when we had reached our waggons our ambulance (Dr Neethling) drew aside and were captured by the English. One of my men, Fourie, was missed during the skirmishes but I thought he had gone on with the waggons but I believe when the waggons were fired upon he must have cleared off and very likely to the ambulance. Anyhow he was missed and is missing today still. Not much loss a poor specimen of a soldier ought never to have come on commando, but stopped at home by his mother. “Don’t you know”.
Continued our flight all night down a steep incline crossing several rivers in a large valley and rising again very steep and awfully high. Continuation of our plan to keep by road as far as Agata under the mountain and then to cut off to the left and try and work our way round to Louis Trichardt to join our other commandoes.
Crossed several large rivers specially the Groot Letaba through which we nearly all had to swim. Had great difficulty to bring the waggons through as there are three separate streams and all swift-running. Here I met a very old acquaintance Max Jung. A man I last saw in Kimberley in ‘85. He was very glad to see me and was very hearty introducing me to his better half who stood us all a royal treat on guavas. Wasn’t that a treat. We were eating guavas for several hours. Here we also had another treat namely something for the inner man a bit stronger than water in the evening. Max Jung invited Luit. Du Toit, Reitz and myself to tea and we enjoyed ourselves very much. The next day we departed with our trek. Mrs Jung making me a present of a hundred guavas and a piece of Lever soap. Before we left we heard that we were totally surrounded by the enemy so we took a small road not used for years and as Max told us, quite impossible to use as it is a complete marsh or bog.
Captured three weeks after this down with black water.
37 others in same plight.
6 artillerists already died before our capture
This is the only text from Hermann Gustav Thiel’s war diaries describing his active participation in the war. It is also the only part of his diaries written in English. The section describing his part in the destruction of the last of the Long Tom guns of the Boer forces will be discussed in a separate Web Entry.