Dutch army officer, journalist, mining commissioner, member of the Transvaal Volksraad, Boer prisoner of war on St. Helena Island

Mr. Verselewel de Witt Hamer came out to South Africa while still a young man after having resigned from the Netherlands Army in which he held the rank of Lieutenant. Landing in Durban in 1885 (he) there engaged in journalism, becoming editor of the Natal Afrikaner. (De Volkstem quoted on 12.2.30, when discussing his 75th birthday celebration which was given great prominence by the Netherlands community, that the newspaper was 'Natal Boeren Vriend').

Soon after the first gold rush to the Transvaal and after spending a few years in he service of the Republic - Collector Transvaal taxes, Johannesburg; Landdrost clerk, Pretoria, and in 1889 Secretary to Christian Joubert, then Head of the Dept, of Mines. in 1896 he was appointed Mining Commissioner of Leydsdorp, N.Tvl, in 1892 promoted to Mining Commissioner in Barberton in succession to the late Mr. J. L. van der Merwe. Five years later he resigned his office to enter political life as the elected member for Barberton in the Second Volksraad.

At the outbreak of war in 1899 Mr de Witt Hamer was largely instrumental in raising the Hollander Corps of which he became commander with the rank of Captain, was present with his Command at the Battle of Elandslaagte where on die dispersal of General Kock's commando by General French, he was taken prisoner and was sent with other officers and a number of rank and file of the Boers, to St. Helena. He became persona grata with the authorities and remained there until peace was signed. In 1923 Her Majesty Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands conferred the Knighthood of the Order of Oranje on Mr. de Witt Hamer.

Extracts regarding life and career of B.G. Verselewel de Witt Hamer. Born Doesburg, Holland, 1855
Extract from the Star, Johannesburg. 18.12.1930, at the time of the death of B.G. Verselewel de Witt Hamer.