Biographical details on Trooper Laasen/Larsen?

Posts : 2 Join date : 2023-03-02

Greetings,

My G-G-G grandfather, Commandant Friedrich Schermbrucker, survived due to the sacrifice Danish soldier named variously as Laasen or Larsen on 18 May 1879 near the Entombe River.

Does anyone have any biographical details of the poor Trooper?

T.I.A.

Andrew

Last edited by John Young on Thu Mar 02, 2023 6:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

Andrew,

To the best of my knowledge Trooper L. Larsen was your ancestor’s orderly. According to one source he was apparently not quite 14 years of age when he met his fate. Although another source has him as a 19 year old. He had accompanied your forebear up to Northern Zululand from the Cape Colony.

The following illustration and text are taken from a juvenile annual published in 1893.

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Chatterbox 1893.
(John Young Collection)

From 12th July 1879 edition of The Graphic of 1879.
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(John Young Collection)

For a sequence of drawings depicting the incident also see the sketches of H. B. Laurence of the 4th Regt. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

JY

Andrew,

Having searched for the name Larsen on the National Archives of South Africa, using the time span of 1860-1880. The name LARSEN, Lauritz Hans Edward appears with a death notice in 1872 and a will appearing the following year. A previous 1866 notice relates to him being a Dane.

It might require some research at the Cape Town Repository to see if there is a possible link between the two Larsens. Could Trooper Larsen - given his possible age - have possibly been a ward of your ancestor?

JY

Posts : 2 Join date : 2023-03-02

Much appreciated! Thank you for the information, John

Best,
Andrew

kingandybrew
For info. Laasen is not a Danish surname. The only possibility is Larsen or the variant Lassen (as in the Danish V.C. winner Anders Lassen).

Subject: Biographical details on Trpr Laasen / Larsen . Sat Mar 18, 2023 3:40 am

Hi Kingandybrew
I seem to recall a statement from either Moore or Schermbrucker...... in which it was said the Larsen told them to take his horse as he being a decent runner would have more chance on foot than they . Can't remember where I read it , I checked ' The Boiling Cauldron ' it's not mentioned there .
90th You need to study mo

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