Boer Commander. Born in the Kalahari Desert during the Thirstland Trek, Bouwer grew up in Angola and was educated in Portuguese at Mossamedes. Here he acquired a wide knowledge of African languages. On moving to Pretoria, he became interpreter to the Law Courts. He fought in the campaign against Malaboch, and then joined the Transvaal post office as a telegraphist. During the Jameson Raid he carried important messages as a dispatch rider.

With the Ermelo commando he took part in the Boer invasion of Natal during the South African War, attaining the rank of Veg-Generaal (Fighting General). Under General Smuts General Bouwer fought in the invasion of the Cape, and helped negotiate the Peace of Vereeniging.

He became a prospector, and was among the discoverers of the Rooiberg tin mines in the northern Transvaal. In 1907 he was appointed an inspector in the Transvaal Police. After the establishment of the Union Defence Force in 1912, he served as Staff Officer in Graaf-Reinet until he retired because of ill-health in 1916. In his later years he was a member of the Board of Film Censors. He died in Cape Town.

 Submitted 25Dec99