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Auction: 22003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 228

(x) A rare Defence of Ookiep pair awarded to Private J. Kannemeyer, Namaqualand Town Guard

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (279 Pte. J. Kannemeyer. Namqlnd: T.G.); Cape Copper Company Medal for the Defence of Ookiep, bronze issue (J. Kannemeyer.), first with some edge wear, the second lacking retaining rod, nearly very fine (2)

With the exception of approximately 40 men of the Warwickshire Regiment (Militia) and 10 men from the Cape Garrison Artillery, the garrison which defended O'okiep was almost entirely composed of men of the Namaqualand Town Guard.

Following the surrender of the Town of Concordia a few kilometres to the north of O'okiep on 4 April 1902, Boer Commandos under Jan Christiaan Smuts turned their attention to the rich southern copper fields whereby they hoped to force the British to send troops from Cape Town to O'okiep - which would then leave Cape Town vulnerable to attack.

The garrison of O'okiep consisted of approximately 900 men under Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. D. Shelton, D.S.O., and included large numbers of local miners, many of whom were experienced in the tin and coal mines of Cornwall and South Wales. The civilian defenders were mostly employees of the Cape Copper Company, three quarters of whom were local natives. Early in the siege, these men held out against determined attacks by the Commandos using a chain of blockhouses and defensive positions.

On 1 May 1902, the Commandos attacked using the commandeered Namaqua United Copper Company locomotive 'Pioneer' - which was used to propel a mobile bomb in the form of a wagon-load of dynamite into the besieged Town. The attack failed when the train derailed, snagged upon a barbed wire fence which wrapped around the points, spilling the dynamite upon the ground which burnt out harmlessly. Devoid of capped shells intended to give the town a 'tremendous fright', as opposed to killing large numbers of women and children who sheltered behind the defences, the failure of the operation was a blessing at a time when deliberations at Vereeniging potentially heralded the end of the conflict.

When it transpired that the native members of the O'okiep Garrison were precluded from receiving Medals, the Cape Copper Company decided to strike a Medal of their own and present it to all defenders of the town, regardless of race. Two versions of the Medal were struck, the bulk in bronze awarded to the rank and file of the military and civilian defenders of the town.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£3,000

Starting price
£900