Johannes Hermanus Michiel Kock

Johannes Hermanus Michiel Kock was born in Graaff-Reinet in 1835. Already at the age of 10 he accompanied his father at the Battle of Zwartkopjes and at age 13 at the Battle of Boomplaats.

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.

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.[1]

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