Joseph Vandevelde, or Jozef Van de Velde (5 January 1855 – 23 May 1882) was a Belgian soldier and explorer in the Congo before the

Congo Free State The Congo Free State, also known as the Independent State of the Congo (), was a large Sovereign state, state and absolute monarchy in Central Africa from 1885 to 1908. It was privately owned by Leopold II of Belgium, King Leopold II, the const ...

was established.

Life

Joseph Vandevelde was born in

Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

, Belgium, on 5 January 1855, son of Adolplie-François-Joseph Vandevelde and Colette-Jacqueline Vanderstraeten. On 21 July 1871 he enlisted as a private soldier in the 2nd Line Regiment. He was made a sergeant on 6 October 1872. He entered the Military School on 1 December 1874, and spent a year in infantry studies and then four years in specialized arms. On 1 January 1877 he was made sub-lieutenant and provisionally assigned to the artillery.

Colonial career

On 10 May 1881 Vandevelde was seconded to the Military Cartographic Institute, and joined the service of the Comité d'Etudes du Haut-Congo for three years in support of the Congo expedition of

Henry Morton Stanley Sir Henry Morton Stanley (born John Rowlands; 28 January 1841 – 10 May 1904) was a Welsh-American explorer, journalist, soldier, colonial administrator, author, and politician famous for his exploration of Central Africa and search for missi ...

. He was responsible for setting up a shipyard in

Léopoldville Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-growing megacities, with an estimated population of 17 million ...

for launching boats on the Congo above the cataracts. He spent a year at the marine engineering establishments, taking a practical course in mechanics and shipbuilding. He also made a study of the Congo in the places where it was navigable. Vandevelde left for the Congo on 18 January 1882 accompanied by skilled maritime carpenters, following his brother Liévin Vandevelde, who had left for the Congo on 9 December 1881. He reached

Banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...

on 5 March 1882. With his travelling companions, Edmond Hanssens,

Théodore Nilis Théodore Victor Edouard Adolphe Arthur Nilis (27 June 1851 – 23 April 1905) was a Belgian soldier and colonial official. Early years (1851–1881) Théodore Victor Edouard Adolphe Arthur Nilis was born in Brilow, Westphalia, Kingdom of Prussi ...

and Nicolas Grang, he went up the river to Vivi. In March 1883 there were rumors of a revolt, and Nilis, Vandevelde and Louis-Gustave Amelot went to come to the aid of

Émile Parfonry Emile-Désiré Parfonry (20 July 1857 – 24 March 1883) was a Belgian soldier who served in the Congo before the Congo Free State was established. Early years Emile-Désiré Parfonry was born in Hotton, Luxembourg Province, Belgium on 20 July 1 ...

, who was head of the

Isangila Isangila, formerly called Isanghila or Isanguila is the headquarters of a sector of the Seke-Banza territory in Kongo Central province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Location The lower part of the Congo River below Stanley Pool first de ...

station. With the arrival of reinforcements the problem was resolved. They found the reports had been exaggerated, and sailed upstream in the ''Royal'' to

Manyanga Manyanga was a staging post on the route from the coast to Léopoldville during the days of the Congo Free State. It was at the upper end of a navigable reach of the Congo River from Isangila, further downstream to the west. Above Manyanga goods h ...

. Vandevelde then continued on to Léopoldville, where he fell ill with fever. He delayed returning to the coast for treatment since he was needed by Stanley on the upper Congo, but became so ill that he had to be carried in a hammock through difficult country to Vivi. He died on the way, on 23 May 1882, three days from Isangila. His carriers took his body on to Vivi, where it was buried.

Notes

Sources

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vandevelde, Joseph 1855 births 1882 deaths Belgian soldiers International Association of the Congo