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Execution of Boer prisoner

A Boer prisoner about to be executed by a firing squad in South Africa, 21 January 1902. He is thought to be one of four prisoners captured by members of New Zealand's Seventh Contingent. Found wearing British-issue khaki uniform, he was tried by court martial and then separately charged with murder.

He stands in the centre of the picture with his hands tied in front of him. In the foreground, a British officer gestures to several soldiers to move away from the firing squad's line of fire. They are standing to the left and do not appear in this image.

This image Appears In 1 Article:

  • General Piet Joubert and Boer soldiers, 1899
    South African 'Boer' War

Keywords

south african war
seventh contingent
boer war
Credit

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: 1/4-60136-F
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image

How to cite this page

'Execution of Boer prisoner', URL: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/execution-boer-prisoner, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 18-May-2016

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Community contributions

1 comment has been posted about Execution of Boer prisoner

What do you know?

Bertus Steyn

Posted: 30 Dec 2011

The prisoner in the picture was a 21 year old young man by the name of Cornelis Janse Steyn, Date of Birth 25 Aug 1880. He was an older brother of my grandfather. He was captured on the 20th of January 1902 and shot the following day. A picture of his final resting place can be found here http://www.eggsa.org/library/main.php?g2_itemId=478524
. His family erected a small monument at that rocky site where he was shot. If you are interested I could see if I can find some pictures of the monument and provide more background.