Heidelberg historical figures: The wrongful execution of Salmon van As
Salmon van As remembered.
After the Anglo-Boer War, there were many stories of what had transpired and wrongful deaths. One of the latter was Field Cornet Salmon van As.
He was a member of the Heidelberg Commando during the Anglo-Boer War. Solomon (Salmon) Gerhardus van As was born on May 2, 1878, in Ladysmith, to Hendrik Sebastian van As and Maria Elizabeth Maritz.
In August 1901, the Heidelberg Commando received reports that a prominent British officer carrying a white flag had approached Boer commando members to offer them cigarettes and then persuaded them to surrender to the British regime. In the reports, it came out that the officer was Captain Ronald Miers.
The leadership of the commando decided to send one of their own to try to capture the officer and Van As was chosen.
A meeting was arranged at Riviersdraai, south of Heidelberg.
On September 25, 1901, Van As and Louis Slabbert went to the meeting spot – a ruined mission station at the Suikerbosrand River. They saw Miers approach with a white flag.
Van As ordered him to stop, but Miers disobeyed.
Reports showed that Miers drew his revolver and tried to shoot Van As, but Van As got a shot off and killed the officer.
When the peace treaty was signed to end the war on May 31, 1902, General Louis Botha told Van As that the murder case was still under investigation.
Van As wanted to flee, but Botha reassured him that everything would be fine and that he would not be harmed.
On June 8, 1902, Van As and Slabbert were summoned to Heidelberg by the British authorities. When they arrived, they were immediately arrested.
Between June 17 and 19, they stood trial for the murder of Miers by a British court martial.
Van As handled his own defence at the trial, but both men were found guilty.
Van As was sentenced to death and Slabbert to imprisonment with hard labour.
Van As was executed by firing squad behind the Heidelberg Gaol (Jail) on June 23, 1902.
A few years later, his family received an apology from the British government for the wrongful court case and execution.
The British government offered the family compensation, but they refused to accept anything from them.
Van As was initially buried about 600m from where he was executed, but was later re-buried in the Heidelberg Kloof Cemetery.
Source: Geni.com, Heidelberg Heritage Association, angloboerwar.com
