Chris Boonzaier

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I am busy digging a mortar pit in the orchard, I want to photograph my Minenwerfer in my own dugout ;-) In the meantime I have been getting material to give me ideas...

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Got a couple more today....

Hi Sascha, can you send it to my email? Thanks :-)

March 14? Me no understand....

The Gardekorps stamp doesnt stink either ;-)

Have not bought one for 3-4 years... :-) I have my frame full ;-)

This is for me the Ultimate medal group.... A sniper during the Boer war, In Danie Therons recon corps, a number of mentions about his shootings in different books, part of the group of 25 men who "invaded the cape"... then in 1914 siding with Botha to put down the rebellion.. nspite of the fact that some of the rebel leaders were in the group of 25 that invaded the cape with him.... It all shows how complicated SA history is.....

Here is a bunch of single name Anglo Boer war medals... My German friends look and shrug... "but they are all the same!" ;-)

Robert Aylward was a Brit who moved to South Africa and worked until the outbreak of the war, he then joined the "Imperial Light Infantry" formed in Durban (Those who could ride joined the Imperial Light Horse)... and fought at Spionkop, Tugela heights and Pietershoogte.... and was invalided out due to a bullet wound in the left forarm.... Jan Benjamin Cornelius was in the Krugersdorp Kommando, fought in all the same battles as Aylward... and on Pietershoogte he was badly wounded in the right arm... and invalided out.....

Now, this is an interesting "group"

Here is one to a man who would have had to keep a veeeery low profile after the war. He seems to have been a "Joiner"... ie. a man who deserted the Boer side and joined up with the British when they entered the Free state... His medal is to him in the Field Intel Department... These were usually local men who served as guides or scouts.... after the war they were not really liked by their neighbours....

The Boer war is IMHO much more complicated than we usually read about... Although the split was usually Boer/Afrikaaner on one side, and British on the other, in some areas, like the Cape, the Cape Afrikaaners may have had more in comman with the Local British... and saw no reason to join the Boer side.. but enough reason to join the British side...

Here is another distant relative, also from the cape, but a "Cape Rebel"... he never claimed his medal

Some folks living in South Africa in the late 70s - early 80s will remember a television series where South African Comedians and Brit Expat comedians had joke competitions... Called... "Biltong and Potroast" As a footnote... Cyril Greene, Mel Miller, Eddie Eckstien, Dennis Mac lean, etc. So, a few weeks ago, digging through my drawers, I found some war of Anglo Aggresion stuff which i thought I would post, and invite you to post any you have.. Medals to South Africans, and anyone else involved in the war who was living there at the outbreak... Here is a set to a distant relative, W.C. Boonzaier. Boonzaier's usually come from the cape area back then... he served in the Cape Garrison Artillery.... if it was not bad enough he was on the wrong side.. he had to be Artillery!!

Hi, The ribbon does not look right.... but then, no other ones I can think of would match any better ?

Would be interested in seeing a photo of it being worn... is it for all ranks?

Maybe its a nudge nudge, wink wink thing ;-)

I was lucky enough about 7-8 years ago to visit a surplas store in Pretoria that used to be a tailor.... he had a box of original ribbons and stuff and i right away bought small rolls of Vic, star, and other ribbons... them i wanted more and he at the same time phoned a Johannesburg auction house to enquire what ribbon cost. I was actually paying the going rate, but all of a sudden (I assume the auction house said "dont sell! I will come pick it all up!") he would not sell me any more than I had already bought. Stupid, as I was not low balling him at all. But I have enough star, Victory, etc. to meet all my needs.... But I think, any collector needs a few meters of each, packed away for a rainy day.....

IMHO, original ribbon will not get cheaper, unless there is modern stuff that is just as good. I see no problem paying 8-10 GBP for original ribbon, if the only other choice is the nylon stuff. For me "my guys" deserve the best on their medals. Having said that, some medals I balk at doing that, but then again, what do you want, a macdonalds menue... or a medal in the collection you dont have to say "EWWWWW!" when you look at it.

That is nice... I am guessing the war merit cross is the scarcer of the bunch? Or is it one of the others? Best Chris