Chief Field Cornet H.S. van der Walt 

Hendrik Stephanus van der Walt was a relatively unknown officer during the guerrilla phase of the Anglo-Boer War and the psychological impact of the war on this earnest, and God-fearing man was dissimilar from that experienced by many other burghers. Van der Walt was a farmer from the central region of the Free State. He was in his late forties and had married for a second time after the death of his first wife.

It becomes clear in the diary that Van der Walt relied heavily on the Bible and his relationship with God to help him in times of stress or uncertainty. Like most of the Boers on commando he was subjected to many stressful situations but his strong faith was a source of resistance. His religious predisposition was part of his culture and tradition, which according to Antonovsky helps to give the individual a SOC. A number of examples of the situations that Van der Walt experienced during the war are taken from the diary in order to demonstrate the psychological impact that the guerrilla phase had on him and how he was able to cope with this stress.

After the fall of Bloemfontein, in middle March 1900, Van der Walt also returned home. On the Sunday during their family devotions he read from Jeremiah 48, verse 10:

“vervloek zij die des Heeren werk bedrieglik doen: ja vervloek zij die zijn swaart den bloede onthoudt”.

This, to him, was the sign that he should rejoin his commando. According to his diary, a few days later, he again experienced a strong urge to return home but was able to resist this because he had received a divine message not to succumb to this feeling, but rather to continue fighting. This was enough to keep him on commando until the “bitterend”. Together with his comrades he managed to escape from the Brandwater Basin, where Marthinus Prinsloo so ignominiously had surrendered. For several weeks he and his commando maneuvered in the eastern Free State and when he reached his home, nearly three months later, he was grateful to find that his family was still safe, although they complained to him about the hardships they had experienced. Despite this unhappy news, his first reaction was for them all to go down on their knees and thank God for His love and safekeeping during the time that he had been away from his home. He did not reflect on any feelings of hatred or harsh judgments about those who had victimized his family.

About a month later he recounted the problem of his son’s breakdown while they were on commando. This episode undoubtedly would have caused stress for the father. From his brief description it would seem that the young boy was so overwhelmed by anxiety, that he moved as if in a daze and refused to have anything more to do with the war. He had buried his rifle and was only prepared to ride on his father’s horse. Although it is not quite clear what Van der Walt meant, it appears that a measure of fatherly intolerance had crept in. A fortnight later, however, he reported that his son was again prepared to use a rifle, albeit one captured from an enemy, and to continue as before. Van der Walt’s only comment was that by God’s grace his son had once more completely recovered. But it is clear that this episode must have placed additional stress on Van der Walt as father and as Field Cornet. The important issue here is not the son’s breakdown but the recognition that the father’s calm conduct during a time of crisis relates to his utter dependence on God as his resource of resistance to the stress.

Despite his piousness, Van der Walt was not reluctant to engage in battle, whether this involved fighting against the British themselves or Boers who had changed sides. He collected a group of burghers and joined De Wet on his second invasion into the Cape Colony in February 1901. However, due to the poor condition of their horses he and his burghers were obliged to turn back early. Calculated from other known dates in his diary, they probably re-crossed the strong flowing Orange River towards middle February 1901. On their difficult return trek most of his men were on foot and with empty bandoliers. After they had crossed the railway line near Belmont station they were once more in the Free State but he still refused to allow his burghers to take horses which were not rightfully theirs. Instead he bought horses where he could until all his men were mounted. His firm conviction in the morals of his religion meant that he refused to sanction any plundering which was a widely-accepted practice, even in a difficult situation.

Gradually he and his men were forced to operate increasingly to the west of the Free State. When they linked up with Assistant Chief Commandant C.C.J. Badenhorst, Van der Walt was appointed as a member of a tribunal to try two men for alleged treason. As mentioned in the previous chapter, when the men were sentenced to death, Van der Walt requested permission to assist the condemned men in their spiritual need. This clearly indicates that the stamina or emotional resilience which he derived from his faith was a mainstay in his life, helping him in a very demanding situation. Not only could he comprehend and accept the fact that they had to be punished for their treason, but, above all, he had the compassion and the courage to undertake an extremely sensitive task. Once again, comparable to the situations referred to above, and as defined by Antonovsky, this relates to Van der Walt’s comprehension of the situation and his perception of its implications.

During the guerrilla phase Van der Walt had been faced with the burden of having to lead others and receiving little or no physical support from his government. As a leader he encountered the same dangers and hardships of commando life as thousands of other Boers. He lived daily with the same concerns and uncertainties about his family, whether they were with him or at home.

Notwithstanding it all Van der Walt was able to cope with the stressful elements and, moreover, to stay positive. The information gathered from his diary shows that there can be little doubt that the foundation of his forbearance and tenacity was the exceptional strength he gained from his faith. The guerrilla war certainly had an impact on him, as it did on others, but Van der Walt managed to cope with his stress and to persevere until the very end.

Source: Psychological Impact of Guerrilla Warfare on the Boer Forces, UP