Oosthuisen ‘Red Sarel’

General “Red” Sarel Francois Oosthuizen was born on 22^nd march 1868 on the farm Sterkfontein near Pretoria. The First Anglo Boer War saw him as a simple burgher at the Siege of Pretoria and he fought with the Waterval en Doornkop Commandos during the Jameson Raid and was with the force that captured Jameson.

During the second Boer War he was a Field Cornet with the Krugersdorp Commando fighting at Dundee where he was wounded three times. He was part of the contingent that went south to Estcourt and the battle of Willow Grange after which he returned to Colenso being promoted to Commandant. He took part in the battles of Colenso, Spioenkop and the Breakthrough and at the latter took over from Commandant Potgieter when the latter was severely wounded at the battle of Pieters. Two days later he was promoted to General.

During the Train Disaster episode he and his half-brother captured Winston Churchill.

He died from wounds received at Weltervreden after refusing treatment from the British who wanted him to surrender after treatment which he refused to do.