A Field Cornet (Afrikaans: Veldkornet) was a South African term for either a local government official or a military officer.
Initially, the term was used for a civilian official in a local government district (Drostdy) of the Cape Colony, acting as and invested with the authority of a military officer and empowered to act as a magistrate. The Field Cornet was subject to the Landdrost of such a district and acted as his representative. As such, the Field Cornet performed important functions in administrative, judicial and police matters. In addition, in peacetime the Field Cornet was the head of the militia and was responsible for maintaining law and order in his area.
However, the term later came to denote a military rank equivalent to that of a lieutenant in the Boer armies as well as in the South African Army between 1960 and 1968. A Second Lieutenant was referred to as an assistant field cornet.
Famous quotes containing the words field and/or cornet:
“After all the field of battle possesses many advantages over the drawing-room. There at least is no room for pretension or excessive ceremony, no shaking of hands or rubbing of noses, which make one doubt your sincerity, but hearty as well as hard hand-play. It at least exhibits one of the faces of humanity, the former only a mask.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“I never saw youe madam laye aparte
Your cornet black, in colde nor yet in heate,
Sythe first ye knew of my desire so greate,
Which other fances chac’d cleane from my harte.”
—Henry Howard, Earl Of Surrey (1517?–1547)