Lieutenant-Colonel Staas Hubertus van Diggelen (1859 – 1930)

Lieutenant-Colonel Staas Hubertus van Diggelen (4 August 1859 – 30 July 1930) was a Dutch-born soldier, civic leader, and military organizer in Johannesburg, remembered for founding and commanding the Johannesburg Vrijwilliger Corps. A man of discipline, patriotism, and initiative, he also commissioned the rare Johannesburg Vrijwilliger Corps Medal—one of the most unusual campaign medals of South African history.

Picture from Pictorial History of Johannesburg – Supplied by Rory R Reynolds

Early Life and Family

Staas Hubertus van Diggelen was born on 4 August 1859 in Axel, Netherlands, the eldest son of Hendrik Cornelis van Diggelen and Henrietta Cornelia Bosch.

He grew up in a large family and had several siblings:

Leonardus Edwardus van Diggelen (served in the JVC as Major)
Hendrik Cornelis van Diggelen
Nelly Helena Johanna Maria van Diggelen
Willem Anton Jacob van Diggelen (served in the JVC as Captain Adjutant)
Leonard Cornelis van Diggelen

In adulthood, Staas married twice. His first wife was Maria Susanna “Metie” de Beer(picture) of the Orange Free State, with whom he had children. Later he married Hermine Henriette Rosalie, who survived him.

Children

Babsie Bough-Johnson
Petronella Jeannette Bosch Bohr
Hendrik “Tromp” van Diggelen (later well-known in South African sporting and public life – picture)
Hubert van Diggelen
Hermine Henriette van Diggelen

Military Career and the Johannesburg Vrijwilliger Corps

In Johannesburg, van Diggelen became central to efforts to organize a volunteer militia during the 1890s, a time of mounting tensions between the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) and foreign interests.

On 18 September 1894, the first meeting to establish the Johannesburg Vrijwilliger Corps took place in van Diggelen’s office.
He was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel and appointed as the unit’s commanding officer by President Paul Kruger.
The corps was largely financed by van Diggelen himself, reflecting his commitment to order, duty, and preparedness.

The corps participated in:

The defense against the Jameson Raid and Johannesburg uprising (29 December 1895 – 2 January 1896).
The Swaziland Expedition (1898) following the murder of Induna Mbaba at Zomboti.

The Matabele Rebellion Offer

In April 1896, during the Matabele (Ndebele) Rebellion in present-day Zimbabwe, van Diggelen offered the services of his corps to the British South Africa Company in Salisbury. His offer, though earnest, was politely declined—an episode that underlines both his willingness to deploy his men beyond the Transvaal and the political sensitivities of the time.

The Johannesburg Vrijwilliger Corps Medal

In 1899, van Diggelen privately instituted and financed the Johannesburg Vrijwilliger Corps Medal.

The medal bore the coat of arms of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, though it was not a state award but a personal honor from their commanding officer.
Clasps were awarded for the corps’ two main engagements:
- “Jameson Inval en Revolutie te Johannesburg 1895–1896”
- “Swazieland Expeditie 1898”
Fewer than a dozen examples are known to survive, making it one of the rarest medals in South African history.

Later Life and Death

Van Diggelen remained a respected figure in Johannesburg’s civic and military circles. He passed away on 30 July 1930 in Johannesburg, South Africa, aged 70, leaving behind his widow, Hermine Henriette Rosalie, and his children.

Legacy

Lt. Col. Staas Hubertus van Diggelen stands out as a man of vision and initiative. In an era of uncertainty, he personally shouldered the cost and responsibility of organizing, equipping, and honoring a volunteer force for Johannesburg. His medal, his leadership, and his descendants ensure that his name remains tied to the story of Johannesburg’s formative years.