Joachim Christoffel Fourie


Joachim Christoffel Fourie was an Anglo-Boer War Combat General and Assistant Commander-in-Chief for the South African Republic. He should not be confused with his colleagues, the Second Boer War generals Christiaan Ernst Fourie and Petrus "Piet" Johannes Fourie, and his son and namesake Joachim Christoffel Fourie, military commander of the Carolina Commando in the South West Africa campaign in the First World War.

Early life

Fourie was born as one of the eight children of Christiaan Ernst Fourie and Catharina Hendriena Lucasina Espach. The Fourie family are the descendants of Huguenot immigrants to South Africa. Joachim Fourie grew up in Lydenburg, married Aletta Elizabeth de Clercq and had four sons and one daughter by her. He fought as a field cornet for Lydenburg in the First Boer War and various Native wars afterwards. Fourie represented the district of Lydenburg in the Volksraad of the South African Republic in 1893–1894.

Second Boer War (1899–1902)

At the outbreak of the Second Boer War in October 1899 Fourie joined the Boer forces at the Natal front as a private citizen. He distinguished himself and although he then lacked a military rank was elected in March 1900 Assistant General. In May 1900 Louis Botha promoted him to assistant commander-in-chief for the South African Republic. Fourie replaced Schalk Burger and led the Commandos from the districts of Carolina, Lydenburg, Heidelberg, Standerton and Soutpansberg but could not stem the northward advance of British general Redvers Buller and his troops. Fourie fought several battles, including at Modderspruit, Spion Kop, and Witrand - Dalmanutha. On 7 November 1900 he was killed in action at Witkloof Farm, Carolina, in the Battle of Leliefontein near his house and was buried there the next day at Welgevonden Farm.

Literature

  • A.E., Onze Krijgs-officieren. Album van portretten met levens-schetsen der Transvaalse Generaals en Kommandanten, Volksstem, Pretoria 1904, Pretoria, Volksstem, 1904. In Dutch with a preface by Louis Botha. PDF on Wikimedia Commons.
  • Breytenbach, J. H., Die Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog in Suid-Afrika, 1899–1902, Die Staatsdrukker Pretoria, 1969–1996. Six volumes in Afrikaans.
  • * Pages 64, 81, 83–84, 89, 102, 115, 123, 131, 135–136, 141–142, 144, 154–156, 159, 165, 176, 182, 184, 188, 198, 243, 269, 295, 302, 320, and 331.
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