Henry’s son, POW, St Helena

While researching the colonial history of the Post Office and Courthouse building (1900) in Rhodes Village, this envelope was discovered on the Postal History and Postmarks website. It bears the postmark of Rhodes, Cape of Good Hope, as well as that of St Helena.

There are five records of “BJ Badenhorst” on the website Anglo Boer War: Boer prisoners of War Three men are recorded as having been interned at St Helena. Which one (if any) was Henry’s son? Who was Henry? In February 1901, who posted and paid £1 to send this registered letter to St Helena? And why?

Prisoner Number	Surname	Forenames	Captured	Date	Country	Camp	Age	Address
184	Badenhorst	Barnardus Johannes	Sheepsridge					P O Kaniperfeld, Dundee
3672	Badenhorst	Barnardus Johannes	Elandslaagte	1899-10-21	St. Helena	Deadwood	22	Johannesburg
18391	Badenhorst	Beatrice Johannes	Koppie Alleen	1901-04-30	India		40	Koppie Alleen
3605	Badenhorst	Benjamin Johannes	Paardeberg	1900-02-27	St. Helena		38	Christiana
663	Badenhorst	Bernardus Johannes	Paardeberg	1900-02-27	[St Helena]*		25	Honing Krantz

* Country identified from record at the Anglo-Boer War Museum, Bloemfontein https://www.wmbr.org.za/

“The battle of Elandslaagte on 21 Oct 99 resulted in the capture of 188 Boer prisoners.  No provision had been made to house prisoners and ships were initially used.  As the number of prisoners grew, for example at Paardeberg, the decision was taken to hold the prisoners away from South Africa.  Why overseas? There was nowhere that was suitable in South Africa. There was the problems of transport, the possibility that prisoners might be freed by their comrades and the burden of feeding the men.  Of the 28,000 Boer men captured as prisoners of war, 25,630 were sent overseas. “
Anglo Boer War: Boer prisoners of War

Did you know?
The Anglo-Boer War is now generally referred to as the South African War. This name recognises that the conflict between Great Britain and the Boer republics—the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (Transvaal Republic) and the Orange Free State—impacted all groups across South Africa, not only those of British/English or Boer/Afrikaans culture and language.

The war was fought from October 1899 to May 1902. The military campaigns of the Boer republics eventually ended with the loss of Boer independence from Great Britain.

The South African War is also known as the Second Boer War or Second Transvaal War of Independence. The previous war was from December 1880 to March 1881. Here the Boers of the Transvaal Republic successfully reversed annexation by Great Britain.