The veldkornet (field cornet) was the most many-sided military, administrative and judicial officer in South Africa in the 19th century. The word `kornet’ is derived from Spanish corneta (Latin corms, horn), which meant a cavalry flag and was later extended to mean the officer who carried this. Denoting a particular rank in the army it came from the Netherlands to South Africa. In 1798 it was applied not to a garrison officer, but to an officer in the civilian commando, formerly called `veldwachtmeester’ (roughly equivalent to `commando sergeant-major’). `Kornet’ and `veldwachtmeester’ were soon telescoped into `veldkornet’. The field-cornet was so essential for the maintenance of internal peace and security that Commissioner General De Mist retained the post and extended and carefully defined its functions. Under British rule it was retained. In the Cape Colony the field-cornet became an assistant of the justice of the peace, in terms of Ordinance No. 22 of 1827, and an assistant to the magistrate in terms of Ord. No. 9 of 1848. In 1846 the functions of the field-cornet were also defined in Natal.
After the Great Trek the post was established in the Boer republics and played an extremely significant part in the organisation of the pioneer community. The De Mist regulations were proclaimed at Ohrigstad in 1845 and amplified from time to time. In the Republics the field-cornet was elected by the burghers. As civil official and military officer, he stood under the landdrost and the commandant of a district. His functions included those of justice of the peace, road supervisor, game conservator, stock inspector, and proclaimer of laws. Ord. 34 of 1907 in the Transvaal and Ord. ao of 1908 in the Orange River Colony defined anew the functions of the field-cornet. The office disappeared as a military rank, but continued as a civilian office, its functions including minor matters of law, births and deaths, stock diseases, game protection, roads, etc. Only in 1916 (Act 16 of that year) were all the field-cornet acts of the 19th and 20th centuries repealed for the whole country. The title of field-cornet disappeared finally as a civil office and was replaced by justice of the peace’. In 1960 the military rank was restored and took the place of lieutenant, to denote an officer of a particular rank in the South African army, but only in the land forces. The former second lieutenant now became assistant field-cornet.
