Johannes Hermanus Michiel Kock

Johannes Hermanus Michiel Kock (Graaf-Reinet, 1835 - Ladysmith 1899) was a Boer general and politician.

General Kock with his personal staff.

Life

Johannes Hermanus Michiel Kock was born in Graaff-Reinet in 1835. His father was Johannes Lambertus Kock and his mother Elsje Magdalena Smit.[1] Already at the age of 10 he accompanied his father at the Battle of Zwartkopjes and at age 13 at the Battle of Boomplaats.

At the age of 20 he married Catharina Christina Schoeman on 15 Jul 1854 at Potchefstroom.[2]

As an adult he was a magistrate in Potchefstroom and representative for that district in the Volksraad (the parliament of the South African Republic). He was also involved in church affairs and was largely responsible for the adoption of policies stating that Protestant ministers be paid from state funds.

Second Boer War

With the outbreak of the war he was placed in charge of the Johannesburg commando and the German Corps. He invaded Natal and was instructed to blow up the railway lines but did not follow instructions exactly. Instead, he occupied a railway station at Elandslaagte which lead to the Battle of Elandslaagte on 21 October 1899. Under his command the Boers lost the battle and Kock was wounded and captured by the British. He died a few days later from his wounds in Ladysmith in the Colony of Natal.[3]

References
  1. "South Africa, Transvaal, Probate Records from the Master of the Supreme Court, 1869-1958," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLQ7-V25D : 3 April 2020), Johannes Hermanus Michiel Kock, 1899; citing Probate, Ladysmith, Kliprivier, Natal, South Africa, Pietermaritzburg Archives (formerly Natal State Archives), South Africa; FHL microfilm 1,367,222.
  2. "South Africa, Netherdutch Reformed Church Registers (Pretoria Archive), 1838-1991," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29M-ZVZW : 18 December 2018), Johannes Hermanus Michiel Kock, 15 Jul 1854; citing Marriage, Potchefstroom, Transvaal, South Africa, Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk Van Afrika (Dutch Reformed Church of Africa), Pretoria; FHL microfilm 1,492,538.
  3. Gomm, Neville (1971). "South African Military History Society - Journal - The German Commando in the South African War of 1899-1902". samilitaryhistory.org. Retrieved 2019-01-25.

Sources
  • Encyclopedia of Southern Africa. Eric Rosenthal. 1967.
  • The Hall Handbook of the Anglo Boer War. Darren Hall. 1999. ISBN 978-0-86980-943-3
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