Petrus Johannes Calitz 
General Notes
Job: South African Mounted Police Force Number 5560(M)
Police Good Service Medal: His Medal Is Recorded In Police Force Order 39 Of 1933.
1933Transkei Division
Retirement: Discharged For Medical Reasons
1937 Matatiele, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Story: The South African Police was established in 1913 as a national police force. It had a secondary military role, which came to the fore in World War I and again in World War II.</p> <p>[edit]1923-1963</p> <p>The SAP was eligible for the British King's Police Medal, which was awarded annually throughout the British Empire. This was discontinued in 1933, because South Africa had become independent as a member of the new British Commonwealth, and it was replaced in 1937 by a special South African issue of the medal. From 1923, the SAP also had its own long service medal, which doubled as a medal for gallantry. The medals available to the SAP between 1923 and 1963 were thus:</p> <p>Decoration</p> <p>Queen's Police Medal (South Africa) (1937-61)</p> <p>Campaign medal</p> <p>Africa Service Medal (1943)</p> <p>Long service medal</p> <p>Police Good Service Medal (1923-63)</p> <p>Until 1952, they were incorporated into the British honours system. Thereafter they formed part of the new South African honours system.</p>
POLICE RECORD</strong></span></p> <p>J M Calitz who was born on 13 June 1891 and who attested in the South African Police on 12 June 1915.</p> <p>He received his Police Good Service Medal for 18 years service on 25 September 1933, recorded as Transkei Division. He was a Constable and his service number was 5560(M). The (M) stands for Mounted.</p> <p>His medal is recorded in police Force Order 39 of 1933.</p>
Story: History Of Zastron
Posted by saflyfisherman
<tbody><tr><td valign="top"><p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Zastron used to be the home of many Bushmen who lived in the surrounding sandstone caves. Their legacy lives on in their rock paintings on the surrounding farms. Even after the Bushmen left, the fertile land belonged to no-one and was inhabited by countles antelope, including Springbok, Gnus, Blesbok and Hartebees.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Jan Hendrik de Winnaar, a farmer from Aliwal North, set up camp in the Smithfield area and hunted north-east accross the Trans Gariep, stumbling upon the Zastron area. He moved his family and home to the foot of Aasvoëlberg (vulture mountain) in 1838 and was joined by his brother, Reynier Petrus.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In 1840 the renowned Kwena chief, Moshweshwe, paid them a visit. He and the De Winnaars got along well and Moshweshwe decided to "grant" the brothers the land in exchange for a favour. </font></p></td> <td valign="top"><img src="http://www.zastron.co.za/images/ZastronMap.gif" alt="" width="346" height="356"></td> </tr> </tbody> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">M</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">oshweshwe loved yellow peaches and requested that they plant many yellow peach trees on their fertile land, giving him an annual tribute in the form of fresh, dried, preserved and brandied fruit.</font> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The De Winnaars shared his love for yellow peaches and happily obliged with his request, planting trees wherever they went, always making sure that they carried a handful of pips in their pockets when taking a walk or a drive with their wagon. For a while the de Winaars' land was known as the "Yellow Peach Republic".</font></p> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The Caledon river valley found itself in political ferment and the De Winnaars was forced to leave. After their return, feuds between rivel Sotho tribes, Bushmen, white frontiermen, renegades, bandits and settlers ruled the day. In 1855 the cattlerustling, raids and killings drove the De Winnaars from the area once again. Sir George Grey finally came to Smithfield and held a meeting at which a treaty was drawn up to control the area.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The Orange Free State declared war against the Sotho people in 1858 and invaded the Caledon River valley from both the north and the south. Upon reaching Moshweshwe's stronghold in Thaba Bosiu, they soon realised that they were fighting a losing battle and, to their dismay, were forced to retreat.<br> </font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">After three years of chaos the British stepped in and the land was declared a British protectorate, complete with a new frontier line.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In 1869 Jan Hendrik and Reynier got part of their land back in a general agreement, although it was only "a measly 3 530 ha" of the original grant. Jan named it "Verliesfontein" (Fountain of loss) and farmed the land with prosperous yields until his death on 3 June 1874 at age 77.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The need for a town in the area became urgent, since the nearest school, business and church was situated at Rouxville, over 30km away. Verliesfontein was the chosen site for a town and Zastron became a reality in 1876, named in honour of President Brand's wife, Johanna Sibella Zastrauw, who was born in Poland.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Reynier was renowned for his highly embroidered stories and he was always backed by his ever faithful side-kick, a Bushman known as "Vosmerrie". When Reynier's stories became far-fetched and the listeners were starting to doubt its truth, Vosmerrie would make himself heard by simply adding "Dis reg, baas." (that's true, master). It is said that when Pres. Brand visited Zastron, Reynier was to join them for dinner and delight everyone with his tales around the camp fire.<br> </font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">On 3 Dec 1883, aged 102 (although his true birth date is disputed), Reynier fell ill and passed away peacefully after three days in bed.</font></p> <p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In 16 March 1882 Zastron became a municipality and became the warm town on the Lesotho border we know today.</font></p>
Details of Petrus' family with Petronella Nicolina Maartens
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