Marthinus Nikolaas Ras facts for kids
Marthinus Nikolaas Ras (born 18 January 1843, died 21 February 1900) was a brave South African farmer and soldier. He was also a talented gun-maker. Many people call him the "father of South African Artillery" because of his important work with cannons.
Marthinus Ras: A Soldier's Story
Marthinus Ras was a soldier during the First Boer War. He fought with the Potchefstroom commando, a group of soldiers, led by General Piet Cronjé. During the war, he saw the Boers trying to attack a British fort in Potchefstroom. He noticed that the Boer forces did not have enough cannons. Cannons were very important for attacking strong British forts and blockhouses.
The Boers needed cannons to fight against the six British army forts in the Transvaal region. In December 1880, Marthinus Ras asked for permission to go home. He wanted to build a cannon for the Boer forces. He was allowed to return to his farm, Bokfontein, which was near Brits.
Building Powerful Cannons
Marthinus Ras built two special cannons. They were later known as the Ras cannons. The first cannon was named "Martienie." It was about 3 inches wide and 4½ feet long. The second cannon was named "Ras." It was about 2 inches wide and 5½ feet long.
The "Martienie" cannon was very effective. It was used to attack a British fort near Rustenburg. This cannon fired 93 shots at the fort. Because of its powerful attacks, the British fort eventually surrendered.
His Final Days
On 21 February 1900, during the Second Boer War, Marthinus Ras was traveling back to his farm. His farm was at Bokfontein, south of Brits. Sadly, he was ambushed and killed at a place called Kayaseput. He was attacked by an impi, which was an African war party. This group belonged to the Kgatla tribe, led by Chief Linchwe. The Kgatla tribe was fighting on the side of the British during the war.
