Jacobus Hercules de la Rey who was better known as Koos, died on 15 September 1914 and his death cemented the rift between the Boers wanting independence from Great Britain, and President Louis Botha’s government.
De la Rey served as a Boer general during the South African War (1899-1902) and led the attack on a British armoured train at Kraaipan, that resulted in the first shots of the war being fired.
On the evening of 15 September 1914 de la Rey was on his way to meet fellow staunch Afrikaners, when his car failed to stop at a road block and a fatal shot fired at the car struck him in the back.
Soon after de la Rey’s funeral the short lived 1914 Rebellion commenced, eventually being brought to a halt by the Botha – Smuts Government.
