Ontdekking van Kelly-graf een van die hoogtepunte in Skermutselingstoer

Date: 26 October 2007 By: Linda van der Westhuizen

Die onlangse ‘herontdekking’ van die graf van Kommandant Tom Kelly is ‘n belangrike nuwe hoogtepunt vir die geskiedenis van die omgewing en die Zoutpansberg Skermutselingsroete.

Persone van die media en belangstellendes van regoor die land het deel gevorm van die heel eerste Skermutselings toergroep wat die voorreg gehad het om ‘n besoek aan Kmdt. Kelly se graf te bring. Hulle was ook die eerste groep om die opgeknapte graf van Kaptein Hunt in die Medingin-begraafplaas naby Haenertsburg te sien. Die graf is opgeknap deur die Oorlogskommissie onder leiding van Generaal Johan Potgieter. Die Skermutelingstoer het vanaf 20 tot 22 Oktober geduur.

"Tans is Kmdt. Tom Kelly se graf die enigste graf van ‘n Zoutpansberg kommando-offisier van die Anglo-Boere oorlog tydperk wat besoek word deur toeriste wat die Skermutselingsroete volg. Al die ander grafte is òf van Boere-slagoffers, Bushveld Carbineers (BVC) òf die ooggetuies van die moorde gepleeg deur die BVC of deur Kaptein Bulala Taylor," sê toerleier en plaaslike geskiedkundige Charles Leach.

Kmdt. Kelly, wat in daardie stadium ‘n veldkornet was, is deur Luitenant Breaker Morant van die BVC gevange geneem in 1901, kort voordat militêre aktiwiteite by die Spelonken gestaak is.

Lt. Morant se verslag aan sy beheeroffisier, Majoor Lehenan van die Pietersburg Hoofkwartier van die Britse Weermag (en die BVC) is vandag nog beskikbaar. Morant skryf dat hy trots is dat hy die Boere Veldkornet, Tom Kelly, en nege Boere gevange geneem het.

Navorsing by die Nasionale Weermagmuseum in Londen toon die name Maria Johannes Kelly, H. A. Schoeman, J. du Plessis en N. Grobler as deel van die nege wat saam met Kmdt. Kelly gevange geneem is.

Morant beskryf hoedat hy op 22 September (1901) met ten minste 30 troepe te voet vanaf Baniella Kraal in die rigting van Kelly se laer beweeg het. Hulle het om 20:30 vertrek en om 22:20 daar naby aangekom. Morant skryf verder in sy eie woorde en spelling:

"Halting the men I made a personal reconnaissance of the laager with Constanceon  of the Intelligence Department and found out the exact situation of the wagons and surroundings. As there were women in the camp I refrained from shooting. I divided the patrol into three troops of 10 men. Leaving one with Sergt. Hammett at 150 yards from the Boer camp I took another with Lieut. Witton into the riverbed which ran in a steep bank around Kelly´s wagons. There we lay quietly till 4.30 a.m. Monday 23rd inst.

"When we charged the camp with rifles loaded. The camp was taken completely by surprise. I took Kelly´s rifle while he was still in bed and the camp put up their hands sulkily as the Bushveldt Carbineers collected their rifles etc. This occurred on the Thsombo river a short 12 miles from the Portuguese border and 130 miles from Fort Edward. Kelly had but a few days prior to his capture refused to surrender to the Portuguese authorities and threatened to give any English ‘a warm reception’ if they came after him. His rifles with the exception of one Mauser and his saddle gear are all British which his people have captured early in the war. I will give further details upon my arrival at Fort Edward. I hope to be in camp on Tuesday next 1st October."

Na Kelly en die Boere is verwys as ‘n kommando wat baie moeilikheid in die Spelonken distrik gemaak het. Met hul gevangeneming is die distrik beskryf as "vry van die vyand".

Omdat die distrik nou "skoon" was, het Morant versoek dat hy self die prisioniers na Pietersburg vergesel en dat Fort Edward onder die beheer van Lt Handcock gelaat word, waarna hy ‘n paar dae verlof versoek het. "...if possible I would like very much to go to Pretoria for a couple of days to settle up the affairs of my friend, the late Capt. Hunt, as he wished me to."

Morant het ‘n brief van gelukwense vanaf Kolonel Hall ontvang en sy versoek om verlof is toegestaan. 

"...very glad to hear of your success, and should like to have an account of what must have been a good bit of work." 

 "Morant het egter nooit die plesier gehad om daardie gebeure persoonlik aan Kol. Hall te vertel nie. Morant en die ander Australiese offisiere is almal gearresteer na sy terugkeer vanaf Pretoria. Daar was ‘n hofondersoek en hulle is aangekla van moord op Boere-prisoniers en ‘n Duitse sendeling, Eerwaarde C A D Heese," sê Charles Leach. As gevolg van die krygsraad se bevindinge is Luitenante Morant en Handcock met dagbreek op 27 Februarie 1902 deur ‘n vuurpeleton van die Cameron Highlanders tereg gestel. Hulle is in dieselfde graf in die ou Pretoria Begraafplaas begrawe.

Van Kelly vertel Leach: "Kmdt. Tom Kelly is na Ceylon gestuur as ‘n krygsgevangene en het later na die Soutpansberg teruggekeer. Pragtige artkels wat hy in die kamp gemaak het, word vertoon in die Lalapanzi Museum."

Leach sê dat Kelly nie ‘n woord Engels kon praat nie.

Die toergroep het ook hul besoek aan die Long Tom Museum baie geniet, veral na die insiggewende praatjie oor die Long Toms deur Prof Louis Changuion.

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Linda van der Westhuizen

Linda van der Westhuizen has been with Zoutnet since 2001. She has a heart for God, people and their stories. Linda believes that every person is unique and has a special story to tell. It follows logically that human interest stories is her speciality. Linda finds working with people and their leaders in the economic, educational, spiritual and political arena very rewarding. “I have a special interest in what God is doing in our town, province and nation and what He wants us to become,” says Linda.

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