Gert Ernst Johannes Coetzee (1880 - 1952)

Born 2 Mar 1880 in Witfontein, Wolmaransstad, Transvaal, South Africa

Ancestors

Husband of Hendrina Margaretha (Lubbe) Coetzee — married 19 Aug 1902 in Lichtenburg, Transvaal, South Africa

Descendants

Died 22 May 1952 at age 72 in Ottosdal, South Africa

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Biography

Gert is in 1880 gebore. Hy is in 1952 oorlede. // Gert was born in 1880. He passed away in 1952.

Uit sy lewe / From his life

Gerrie is op 2 Maart 1880 op die plaas Witpoort in die distrik Wolmaransstad gebore. Sy ouers was Nelie en Stienie Coetzee. In 1895 is Nelie Coetzee op ouderdom 38 jaar oorlede en laat sy vrou, Stienie, met agt kinders na. Aan die einde van 1896, is weer Drienie Lubbe die vrou van Gertjie Lubbe oorlede, wat hom toe met twee seuns en twee dogters in die huis agterlaat. Dit het daartoe gelei dat die twee oorblywendes, Gert en Stienie, in 1898 met mekaar getrou het. Die plaashuis op Lakensvlei het toe 12 kinders gehuisves.

Die Anglo-Boereoorlog het in Oktober 1899 begin en sou tot 31 Mei 1902 duur. Gerrie, saam met sy stiefpa, Gertjie Lubbe, en seuns is opgekommandeer om te gaan veg. Gertjie se seuns, Carel, Gert en Fanie Lubbe, sy skoonseun, Willem Steyn en sy twee stiefseuns Hansie en Gerrie Coetzee, sewetal, het na die oorlog toe vertrek. Hulle bevelvoerder was kommandant H.C.M. Vermaas van die kommando in Lichtenburg. Met die Vrede van Vereeniging aan die einde van die Oorlog, moes al die burgers hulle wapens neerlê. Die sewe van Lakensvlei het huiswaarts gegaan, nadat hulle almal die Oorlog oorleef het.

Na die Oorlog het daar drie huwelike uit die volwasse Coetzee- en Lubbe-kinders van Lakensvlei gekom: Anna Coetzee met Gert Lubbe, Johannes Coetzee met Susara Lubbe en Gerrie Coetzee met Drienie Lubbe.

Met die Rebellie van 1914, was 7 van Lakensvlei se familie saam met Generaal Jan Kemp deel daarvan. Die broers aan die Coetzee-kant was Hansie, Gerrie, Nelie, Pieter, Roelf en Diederik. Aan die Lubbe-kant was dit Carel, Boet en Fanie en dan nog die swaer Willem Steyn.

Van die groep saam met Generaal Jan Kemp is 4 gevang met die slag van Rooidam by Upington en hulle is na die kampongs op Kimberley per trein gestuur, o.a. Gerrie. Die kampongs is kwartiere wat voorheen deur swart delwers gebruik is. Dit was 'n Interneringskamp. Daar het hy kerfwerk uit seepsteen en ander graverings gemaak.

Vrouens was wel toegelaat om die mans in die Interneringskamp te besoek, maar in die teenwoordigheid van die wagte. Soms het hulle 'n koek vir die mans gebak, met 'n briefie en persoonlike boodskap binne-in 'n skoon medisynebotteltjie wat vooraf in die koekdeeg gesit is. Hulle het per trein na Kimberley gereis.

Gerrie en Drienie Coetzee van Lakensvlei het 'n baba tydens die Rebellie verwag maar Gerrie, die pa, was toe in die Interneringskamp in Kimberley. Dit was die koms van hulle sewende kind, 'n babaseuntjie, gebore op 10 Februarie 1915. Die oudste kind in die gesin was Hennie, so 9 jaar oud en sy moes haar ma Drienie help om die baba vas te hou, sodat haar ma kon pak om per trein na Kimberley, met die baba te vertrek. Drienie het met die baba van 10 – 14 dae oud, met 'n reissak op die trein na haar man Gerrie in Kimberley vertrek om die baba vir hom te wys. Die baba is na haar pa Gert Johannes Alwyn Lubbe vernoem, maar hulle het besluit om Alwyn te vervang met Mara, omdat die Rebellie so 'n bitter tyd vir hulle was.

'n Medalje is aan Gerrie en aan alle oudstryders van die Anglo Boere-Oorlog deur die Nasionale Party-regering,wat in 1948 aan bewind gekom het, uitgereik.

Gerrie was ʼn paar keer burgemeester van Ottosdal. Toe die Goewerneur-Generaal, dr. E.G. Jansen, Ottosdal besoek het, het sy kleindogter, Annatjie, saam met hom en sy vrou gery en het sy ‘n ruiker aan mev. Jansen oorhandig. Dit was ‘n groot dag vir klein Annatjie, toe 5 jaar oud. Gerrie het 'n kantoor as Burgemeester in Ottosdal gehad en was ook voorsitter van ander verenigings. Hy was fier en regop met ʼn rooi snor, algemeen bekend as Rooi Gert (daar was baie Gerte).

Hy het baie goed skiet en was lief om te jag tot in sy laat sestigerjare. Hy is in 1952 op die jagveld oorlede.

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Gerrie was born on 2 March 1880 on the farm Witpoort in the district of Wolmaransstad. His parents were Nelie and Stienie Coetzee. In 1895, Nelie Coetzee died at the age of 38, leaving behind his wife, Stienie, with eight children. At the end of 1896, Drienie Lubbe, the wife of Gertjie Lubbe, also died, leaving him with two sons and two daughters. This led to the two who remained, Gert and Stienie, marrying each other in 1898. The farmhouse on Lakensvlei then housed 12 children.

The Anglo-Boer War began in October 1899 and would last until 31 May 1902. Gerrie, together with his stepfather, Gertjie Lubbe, and his sons were ordered to go and fight. Gertjie's sons, Carel, Gert and Fanie Lubbe, his son-in-law, Willem Steyn and his two stepsons Hansie and Gerrie Coetzee, seven in number, left for the war. Their commander was Commandant H.C.M. Vermaas of the commando in Lichtenburg. With the Peace of Vereeniging at the end of the War, all burghers had to lay down their arms. The seven from Lakensvlei went home, having all survived the War.

After the War there were three marriages from the adult Coetzee and Lubbe children from Lakensvlei: Anna Coetzee with Gert Lubbe, Johannes Coetzee with Susara Lubbe and Gerrie Coetzee with Drienie Lubbe.

With the Rebellion of 1914, 7 of Lakensvlei's family were part of it with General Jan Kemp. The brothers on the Coetzee side were Hansie, Gerrie, Nelie, Pieter, Roelf and Diederik. On the Lubbe side, it was Carel, Boet and Fanie and also the brother-in-law Willem Steyn.

Of the group with General Jan Kemp, 4 were captured at the battle of Rooidam at Upington and they were sent to the kampongs at Kimberley by train. Gerrie was amongst them. The kampongs were quarters formerly used by black miners. It was an Internment Camp. There he made soapstone carvings and other engravings.

Wives were allowed to visit the men in the Internment Camp, but in the presence of the guards. Sometimes they baked a cake for the men, with a note and personal message inside a clean medicine bottle that had been placed in the cake batter beforehand. They traveled to Kimberley by train.

Gerrie and Drienie Coetzee from Lakensvlei were expecting a baby during the Rebellion but Gerrie, the father, was then in the Internment Camp in Kimberley. It was the arrival of their seventh child, a baby boy, born on 10 February 1915. The oldest child in the family was Hennie, about 9 years old and she had to help her mother Drienie hold the baby, so that her mother could pack to leave by train for Kimberley, with the baby. Drienie left with the baby, aged 10 – 14 days, with a travel bag on the train to her husband Gerrie in Kimberley to show the baby to him. The baby was named after her father Gert Johannes Alwyn Lubbe, but they decided to replace Alwyn with Mara because the Rebellion was such a bitter time for them.

A medal was issued to Gerrie and all veterans of the Anglo-Boer War by the National Party government, which came to power in 1948.

Gerrie was mayor of Ottosdal several times. When the Governor-General, dr. E. G. Jansen, visited Ottosdal, and his granddaughter, Annatjie, drove with him and his wife and she presented a flower bouquet to Mrs. Jansen. It was a big day for little Annatjie, then 5 years old. Gerrie had an office as Mayor in Ottosdal and was also chairman of other societies. He was proud and upright with a red mustache, commonly known as Rooi Gert (there were many Gerts).

He was a very good shooter and loved to hunt until his late sixties. He died in 1952 on the hunting field.

Sources

• Familysearch: Entry for Gert Ernst Johannes Coetzee: Birth and death of Gert
• From FamilySearch: Wedding Document
• From family history document VOORGESLAG: LAKENSVLEI EN ONS MENSE (ANCESTORS: LAKENSVLEI AND OUR PEOPLE) compiled by Hina Hamman and received by email from her on 19 August 2020.