Description
By Mrs (General) de la Rey. When the Anglo-Boer War broke out in 1899, Jacoba Elizabeth de la Rey, wife of the celebrated Boer general Koos de la Rey, could scarcely have imagined the hardships that lay ahead. As British forces advanced across the South African republics, she and her children were forced to abandon their home and begin a long and uncertain journey through a country devastated by war.
Mrs de la Rey recounts her experiences during the conflict, from the departure of her husband and the loss of her son to the eighteen months she spent travelling across the countryside to avoid capture. Constantly on the move, she endured shortages of food and supplies, dangerous encounters with British troops, and the difficulties of caring for her children under increasingly desperate circumstances.
Translated into English by Lucy Hotz and published in 1903, this remarkable firsthand account offers a rare perspective on the war through the experiences of a Boer woman. Written with candour, determination, and an unwavering religious faith, her memoir provides a valuable record of the suffering and resilience of civilians during one of South Africa’s most consequential conflicts.
This edition includes a new historical introduction, an author biography, restored original illustrations, additional historical photographs, and explanatory footnotes.
About the author: Jacoba Elizabeth de la Rey (1856–1923), née Greeff, commonly known as Nonnie de la Rey, was a South African memoirist and the wife of General Jacobus Herculaas (Koos) de la Rey, one of the leading Boer commanders of the Second Anglo-Boer War. Married in 1876, the couple settled near Lichtenburg in the South African Republic, where they raised their family.
During the war of 1899–1902, Mrs de la Rey became known for her determination to avoid capture by British forces. From December 1900 until the conclusion of hostilities in May 1902, she travelled with her children through the countryside, enduring considerable hardship while her husband continued his military campaigns.
Her account of these experiences was published in Dutch in 1903 and translated into English that same year by Lucy Hotz as A Woman’s Wanderings and Trials During the Anglo-Boer War. The memoir remains an important firsthand record of civilian life during the conflict, particularly the experiences of Boer women and children.
