Jacob van Deventer

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Lieutenant-General Sir Jacob van Deventer KCB KCMG (1874-1922) was a South African military commander.

He began his military career in the Transvaal republican forces in 1896, and fought in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902).

He returned to military service in World War I, and commanded a Union Defence Forces formation in the German South West Africa Campaign (1914-1915). In the German East Africa Campaign (1916-1918), he commanded a South African Overseas Expeditionary Force mounted brigade, then a division, and finally (1917-1918) all the British imperial forces in the region (though, allegedly, he could hardly speak English). He was knighted twice for his services.

After the war, he was a part-time inspecting officer. In 1922, he commanded a mounted brigade in operations to crush the Rand Revolt on the Witwatersrand. He died later that year.

[edit] Reference

  • Nothling, C.J. (1994). Suid-Afrika in die Eerste Wereldoorlog.