January 6 » Second Boer War: Having already besieged the fortress at Ladysmith, Boer forces attack it, but are driven back by British defenders.
February 6 » The Permanent Court of Arbitration, an international arbitration court at The Hague, is created when the Senate of the Netherlands ratifies an 1899 peace conference decree.
May 17 » The children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, is first published in the United States. The first copy is given to the author's sister.
May 18 » The United Kingdom proclaims a protectorate over Tonga.
June 14 » Hawaii becomes a United States territory.
August 16 » The Battle of Elands River during the Second Boer War ends after a 13-day siege is lifted by the British. The battle had begun when a force of between 2,000 and 3,000 Boers had surrounded a force of 500 Australians, Rhodesians, Canadians and British soldiers at a supply dump at Brakfontein Drift.
Day of death March 16, 1981
The temperature on March 16, 1981 was between 0.1 °C and 8.0 °C and averaged 4.3 °C. There was 3.4 mm of rain during 4.0 hours. There was 2.1 hours of sunshine (18%). The partly or heavily clouded was. The average windspeed was 1 Bft (weak wind) and was prevailing from the northwest. Source: KNMI
In The Netherlands , there was from Monday, December 19, 1977 to Friday, September 11, 1981 the cabinet Van Agt I, with Mr. A.A.M. van Agt (CDA/KVP) as prime minister.
In The Netherlands , there was from Friday, September 11, 1981 to Saturday, May 29, 1982 the cabinet Van Agt II, with Mr. A.A.M. van Agt (CDA) as prime minister.
June 28 » A powerful bomb explodes in Tehran, killing 73 officials of the Islamic Republican Party.
July 27 » While landing at Chihuahua International Airport, Aeromexico Flight 230 overshoots the runway. Thirty-two of the 66 passengers and crew on board the DC-9 are killed.
August 5 » President Ronald Reagan fires 11,359 striking air-traffic controllers who ignored his order for them to return to work.
August 7 » The Washington Star ceases all operations after 128 years of publication.
September 1 » A coup d'état in the Central African Republic overthrows President David Dacko.
September 21 » Belize is granted full independence from the United Kingdom.
When copying data from this family tree, please include a reference to the origin: Gert Esterhuizen, "Family tree Eric Esterhuizen", database, Genealogy Online (https://www.genealogieonline.nl/stamboom-eric-esterhuizen/I15082.php : accessed January 8, 2026), "Roelf Jacobus PRETORIUS (1900-1981)".
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