Sousa (João Francisco de)

This native of Madeira was born on August 19, 1868, and enlisted in the army on January 22, 1884, being commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry on March 15, 1900. He was a practical officer, but a law graduate from the University of Coimbra, having completed his secondary studies at the Funchal high school. He was a senator for the district of Ponta Delgada (Azores), and was part of the column that departed for the south of Angola in 1915. He died as a captain of infantry 17, in the battle of the Mangua waterholes (Cuanhama) on August 19, 1915, while traversing the line of fire, encouraging the soldiers. Regarding the heroic action carried out by Captain Sousa in the mentioned Cuanhama campaign, one should read the remarkable article by Lieutenant Colonel José de Oliveira Duarte published in the 'Diario de Noticias' of Funchal on August 19, 1945, on the thirtieth anniversary of the death of this distinguished Madeiran.