[Jan Kemp, Boer War general.] Autograph Letter Signed ('J. Kemp'), in Afrikaans, to the British officer commanding at Olifants Nek, regarding Lord Kitchener's permission to General Botha to obtain medicines.

Author: 
Jan Christoffel Greyling Kemp (10 June 1872 – 31 December 1946) was a South African Boer officer, rebel general, and politician [Second Boer War; South Africa; General Kitchener]
Publication details: 
In the Field [South Africa]; 1 August 1901.
£250.00
SKU: 22155

1p, 4to. Written in pencil on a piece of tissue paper, stamped in one corner with leaf number 675. Aged and wrinkled, with fraying to edges, but text clear and complete. Folded twice. A scarce survival, such thin paper, used for security reasons, not faring well in the passage of time. The signature is Kemp's, the rest of the document being in a secretarial hand. An interesting document – which would seem to indicate that the British were employing a more conciliatory approach following Emily Hobhouse's revelations in her June 1901 report on British concentration camps. An English translation of the document reads: 'In the Field | 1 August 1901 | The Hon the Commanding Officer of His Majesty’s Forces at Olifants Nek | Dear Sir | In connection with the permission [granted] by Lord Kitchener to Commandant General Botha to obtain medicines, I wish to send a representative of the Red Cross to you to obtain the necessary supplies. | I remain | J. Kemp | Vecht Generaal | Krugersdorp, Rustenburg & Pretoria'.