TOPIC:

Hello everyone

Is anyone able to help me find out more about PJ Pypers (details that I have below)?

I have searched this forum and elsewhere, without much luck.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Alan

First Name:
Pj
Surname:
Pypers
Nationality:
British
Fate:
Severely Wounded
Incident Date:
14/04/1902
Rank:
Civilian Scout
Duty Location:
Sutherland Dist
Service:
British Army
Regiment:
intelligence department
Collection:
The Boer War Casualty Roll 1899-1902

In a book 'Briewe Uit Die Tankwa', one chapter titled 'Anglo-Boereoorlog - Die Karoo se Bloedrivier', Dawid Slinger recalls how the Boers were chased by the British Scouts 'Piet Pijper' and 'Jans Goose'. This Piet Pijper shot one of my Grand-father's sisters in the leg. She later died of the wound. My Grand-father shot Piet Pijper in the shoulder. This happened on the farm Klipbanksrivier. The shooting of Pijpers happened on 14 April 1902.

Thanks very much Fanie. This is invaluable. I see the farm on an old map used at the time, South-west of Sutherland. If you want to share your grandfather's name and his sister's name, that would be great.

Hi Alan
Grandfather: Christiaan Frederik Gabriël Heyns. Born 04-09-1880 Klipbanksrivier, Died 12-01-1974 Ceres, Buried Ceres
His Sister: Carolina Aletta Heyns, Born 06-09-1882 Klipbanksrivier, Died 26-10-1916 Klipbanksrivier, Buried Klipbanksrivier

In the book, grandfather is referred to as Chrisjan (Christiaan) and his sister as Kalie (Carolina)

Carolina must have suffered a lot from the gunshot wound, with no or little medical attention because on her headstone is written, after the date of death:- "NA EEN SMARTELLIJK LIJDEN VAN 14 J 6 M EN 12 DAGEN" That means she was shot on 14-04-1902

Thanks very much for this information Fanie. I almost feel the need to apologise for the suffering of Carolina, so I will. It is almost certain that Piet Pijper was my great-great grandfather. He would later recuperate from his wound at Maatjiesfontein, where my great-grandmother was born. it is interesting because he was of Dutch descent, but there was a split in the Peyper family (the spelling of the surname is different depending on the document), and he ended up on the British side (probably fighting his cousins in the Northern Cape, who were from the Graaf-Reinet region). He later Anglicized his name to Peter Pyper.

The deflecters were called "Hands-uppers"
Read about them on this page: samilitaryhistory.org/vol031vs.html

No need to apologize, it was not our war. So glad we could sort out this part of our genealogy history.
Feel almost like we are 'family'