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BOER WAR

Enrolled at Cape Town: 26 November 1899
Commanding Officer: Colonel J. C. Hoad, Victoria (27 Nov. 1899 -- 7 April 1900)
2 IC: Major G. A. Eddy, Victoria (Killed in Action, 12 February 1900, Rensburg)
1 Company Mounted Rifles, Victoria
1 Company Infantry, Victoria
1 Company Infantry, South Australia
1 Company Infantry, Western Australia
1 Company Infantry, Tasmania
1 Company Infantry, NSW
Strength of Regiment: 716, and 3 Maxim guns
 
This was the first time a Regiment was formed for active service
comprising troops representing most of the Colonies of Australia.
 
Colonel Hoad
Colonel John Hoad,
CO 1st Australian Regt.
 
Victoria Mounted Rifles entraining at Capetown.
Victorian Mounted Rifles entraining for the front at Cape Town under Table
Mountain. This unit formed the core of the pre-Federation 1st Australian
Regiment which included nearly all the Australian Colonial forces then in
South Africa.
 

 Victorians killed in action

At Jasfontein, 9 February 1900

William J. Lambie, Senior Military Correspondent
Melbourne Age, attached to the Regiment
 

At Rensburg, 10 February 1900

No. 2 Sgt. N Grant
No. 74 Pte A. H. Willson
 
Sergeant Neil Grant died from bullet wounds in the chest.
Trooper A.H. Willson, quick to go to his aid, was killed
instantly as he bent over the wounded man.
Grant was shot by a young boy using a sporting rifle, the
weight of the Mauser being too much for him. The second
shot came from the boy's father who shot Willson in the
head. Within full view of the parent a Dragoon then shot
the son dead. The immediate reaction of grief and dismay
of the father caused him to bound from cover to his feet
completely oblivious to his danger. In a matter of seconds
he fell riddled with bullets from every Lee Metford levelled
at him.
SOURCE: Wallace R.L.: The Australians at the Boer War: AWM
& AGPS: Canberra: 1976: p.111.
 

At Rensburg, 12 February 1900

Major G. A. Eddy
No 4 Cpl. A. Ross
No. 55 Pte C. E. Williams
No. 89 Pte T. Stock
 
Major G. A. Eddy Major Eddy, while retiring
with his men at Rensburg, brought them forward again to
cover the retreat of the 2nd Bn. Wiltshire Regiment and
was killed. He was born at Castlemaine, Victoria, in 1860.
Photo kindly provided by Rob Drooglever.
 
  READ a full account of this battle by a Boer prisoner.
 
 Victorians -- Died of Wounds
 
Wounded at Bastard's Nek, 10 February 1900
 
No. 88 Pte F. Suttie (Taken prisoner: d. 12 February 1900, Boer Hospital, Rensburg)
 
Wounded at Rensburg, 12 February 1900
 
Lieut. J. C. Roberts (d. 13 February 1900, Rensburg)
 
 Victorians -- Other Deaths
 
No. 43 Pte A. E. Coulson (Enteric fever, De Aar, 26 February 1900)
Capt. R. W. Salmon (Enteric fever, 16 March 1900, Naauwpoort)
Medical Staff W. F. Hopkins (Enteric fever, 27 March 1900, Naauwpoort)
 
(Enteric fever = typhoid)
 
Victorians -- Wounded in Action
 
No. 33 Pte. W. J. Burrows (Taken prisoner: Rensburg, 10 February 1900)
No. 70 Pte Gifford (Taken prisoner: Rensburg 10 February 1900)
Capt. T. N. McInerney (Taken prisoner: Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
Lieut. A. J. N. Tremearne (Taken prisoner then released, Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 98 Sgt. R. J. Byers (Taken prisoner, Rensburg, 12 February, 1900)
No. 57 Cpl. D. H. McCauley (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 37 Pte F. Michel (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 35 Pte W. Gamble (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 43 Pte M. W. Hagon (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 51 Pte J. T. Elmes (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 49 Pte L. M. Inglis (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 56 Pte F. W. Wallace (Rensburg (12 February 1900)
No. 61 Pte W. G. Williamson (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 64 Pte A. Lawdorn (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 78 Pte J. McCance (Taken prisoner, Rensburg, 12 Februry 1900)
No. 80 Pte F. M. Meagher (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 85 Pte T. J. Maxwell (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 87 Pte W. Standford (Taken prisoner, Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 90 Pte H. Bush (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 97 Pte H. J. Colley (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 100 Pte R. Roberts (Taken prisoner, Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 108 Pte P. Falla (Rooipan, 22 January 1900)
No. 112 Pte S. W. Edwards* (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 114 Pte S. G. Hamilton (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
No. 117 Pte E. Peters (Rensburg, 12 February 1900)
________
 
* Sam Edwards returned to South Africa and eventually,
after a failed gold/diamond mining venture joined the
Police Force in Cape Town. A professional attachment
which ultimately led to his membership of the Provosts
Corps following a stint on Gallipoli with the Sixth Batt-
alion, AIF. Information supplied by his proud grandson
Alan Savage.
_________
 
Victorians -- Other Casualties
 
No. 69 L/Cpl E. Mawley (Taken prisoner, Rensburg, 12 February 1900)




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VICTORIAN BOER WAR MEMORIALS <-- CLICK
 
 
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