Col Friederich Wilhelm Sangmeister

Arrived in South Africa in 1876. http://www.safrika.org/Names/NatalerNamenS-S.html

SANGMEISTER, F A W, Major, served in the South African War from 1899 to 1901. He was present in operations in Natal in 1899, including actions at Reitfontein and Lombard's Kop; the Defence of Ladysmith, including sortie of 7 December 1899, and action of 6 January 1900; operations in Natal, March to June 1900, including the action at Laing's Nek. He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 4 December 1903]; received the Queen's Medal with two clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 4 December 1903]: "Major F A W Sangmeister, Border Mounted Rifles. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa, 1899-1900, the reward to bear date 29 November 1900". He was promoted Major 16 November 1904, and was placed as Lieutenant Colonel on the Regimental Supernumerary List, Natal, 6 March 1906. He also served in the Natal Native Rebellion in 1906, for which he received the Medal and Clasp. He was awarded the Volunteer Decoration. - Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) https://www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-awards/25165-major-...

https://www.angloboerwar.com/images/pdf/natalwhoswho1906-s.pdf Page 2.

MARRIAGE - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DTX9-K9B?i=331&cc=...

Farmers fight for Britian - (Source - German Festival Year 1992 pg 11). The Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) offered a solution to cattle farmers who had faced catastrophe in the 1897 Rinderpest outbreak. Sixteen German Settlers supported the cause of the British and fought in Northern Natal, although it was known that relatives and friends living in the Transvaal fought on the Boer side. Many farmers, both German and Norwegian, had joined the Umzimkulu Mounted Rifles, under the command of Captains Henry LUGG, Wilhelm SANGMEISTER (who rose to the rank of lieuteneant colonel) and Bru DE WOLD, in 1884. After the hostilities ended, the German Settlers returned and were able to increase the size of their farms with funds obtained during the war. During the outbreak of World War I, the attitude of the communities to the German pioneers changed. Although the German Settlers had clearly adopted their new fatherland to the extent that they had even fought on the side of the British and a German settler, Mr W SANGMEISTER, sat in the Senate of the South African Parliament, their English neighbours and the Government suddenly mistrusted the German-speaking people. So much so that when a German-speaking farmer burnt grazing in early spring during the war, he was accused of sending smoke signals to the German U-Boats. However this did not deter the German-speaking farmers who remained in the area and continued to make a significant contribution to its development. The continued contribution by their descendants can be seen not only to practical farming, but also in the responsibilities they have taken on throught the committees of various farming organisations. The first major improvement in agriculture occurred when the wattle inductry took off. Wattle trees had first been planted by the Rev J K RÖSSLER in the Paddock area. When prices tumbled during the 1950's, Col O BORCHERS, a descendant of German settlers in the Eastern Cape, and Mr H WICHMANN started sugar cane planting on a large scale in the Murchison and Izotsha areas respectively. Today German descendants play a significant part in the developing tea industry at Paddock. As we approach the end of the 20th Century, we find that, although the ties with Germany have largely been broken and the language seems to be declining, the heritage of the early Germans, their hard work and diligence, remain to stand the area in good stead for years to come. (Information provided by Len RÖSSER of Paddock and Erwin and Liselotte DAMMANN)

• https://books.google.co.za/books?redir_esc=y&id=DjoNAQAAIAAJ&focus=...
• http://scnc.ukzn.ac.za/doc/Periodicals/Fiat_Lux/Fiat_Lux_1980_1990s... Marburg - A Historical Perspective, p3
• http://scnc.ukzn.ac.za/doc/Periodicals/Fiat_Lux/Fiat_lux_1970s/Fiat... Early History of Marburg.
• https://books.google.co.za/books?id=T10TAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&d... Anglo Boer War
• https://books.google.co.za/books?id=MnLLAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA317&lpg=PA317... Anglo Boer War.

Major Frederick William August Sangmeister was born in Liebenau, Hesse-Cassel, in Germany, on 18/6/1852. This state became part of the Prussian Province of Hesse-Nassau in 1868. Sangmeister emigrated first to the United States of America, and then came to Natal in 1876. He married in Natal and settled in Port Shepstone, where he was a Justice of the Peace. In 1912, he became a Senator in the Government of the Union of South Africa. He died on 17/10/1939. https://www.angloboerwar.com/forum/19-ephemera/25310-german-settler...