Koos de la Rey : Ask Biography

Personal information

Name

Jacobus Herculaas de la Rey

Nickname

Koos
Lion of the West

Allegiance

Orange Free State
South African Republic
Union of South Africa

Rank

General

Battles/wars

Basotho War of 1865, Sekhukhune's War of 1876, First Boer War, Second Boer War

Other work

Member of the Transvaal Parliament, Delegate to National Convention, Senator

Home | Military Person | Koos de la Rey

General Jacobus Herculaas de la Rey (22 October 1847 - 15 September 1914), known as Koos de la Rey, was a Boer general during the Second Boer War and is widely regarded as being one of the strongest military leaders during that conflict.

He is generally regarded as the bravest of the Boer generals during the Second Boer War and as one of the leading figures of Boer independence. As a guerrilla, his tactics proved extremely successful. De la Rey opposed the war until the last, but when he was once accused of cowardice during a Volksraad session by President Paul Kruger, he replied that if the time for war came, he would be fighting long after Paul Kruger had given up and fled for safety. This proved to be the case.