Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown) | |
Murray: Sydney Colin MACFARLANE Captain, Mentioned in Despatches London Gazette 29.7.1902, Queen's South Africa medal and 4 clasps.
Wallace1: Mentioned in Despatches, Grootvallier.
Newbury1: 2WAMI.
URL1: died in S. Africa, obituary, Capt. JMR killed in Zulu Rebellion 1906.
URL2: Lieut. SC MCFARLANE 6SAIB promoted to Captain vice CORNISH resigned 5.12.1901.
URL4: family death notice, Capt. Sidney Colin MCFARLANE DSO killed in action in Natal 10.6.1906 aged 29.
Source:# 1316 SC MCFARLANE DSO amongst 17 Old Scholars of Hahndorf College SA commemorated on an Honour Roll/Tablet originally located at the College in 1904 but now displayed in the Hahndorf Institute., MCFARLANE was active in marking and tending Aust. war graves in S. Africa for the S. African Graves Fund, is said to have probably been hit by friendly fire in 1906 by pushing too far ahead in the early dawn.
URL5: 1915 In Memoriam.
URL6: South Africa. (Daily Mercury's service - by cable). London Tuesday [12.6.1906]. At daybreak before the battle at Mowe Mountain, the valley was closed at both ends. The rebels became alarmed and broke back in two parties to the mouth of the gorge. Captain MACFARLANE poured into them a heavy volley at close range. The bulk of the rebels fled at the first volley but the more daring opened fire. Suddenly MACFARLANE threw up his hands crying "My God". He had been shot through the heart. The trooper who held him in his arms was also wounded. Colonel BARKER and the police closed one end of the valley but the bottom of the gorge was left open owing to the premature alarm. The natives, who were aided by a fog, streamed up the donga and succeeded in escaping. The Northern Rifles charged the rebels in the flank, Lieut. RUNDLE shooting MEHLOKAZULU. BAMBAATA, though wounded and having his horse shot under him, has joined SIGANANDA. Forty rebels were shot in the trees, whence they were throwing assegais. The total loss was four hundred. MEHLOKAZULU's standing among the natives, was superior to BAMBAATA's, the former being a crack shot who fought in the Zulu war. Captain SC MACFARLANE, who was killed on Saturday by the Zulus, belonged to South Australia. He went to South Africa as a trooper with the first Australian contingent and was wounded. He returned again with the eighth Australian Bushmen as Lieutenant, and after the war settled in South Africa.
URL7: The undermentioned officers, who served in South Africa with various contingents from this State, have been gazetted as entitled to the honorary rank mentioned - To be honorary major, Captain FW HURCOMBE; to be honorary captains, Lieutenants (medical staff) FD JERMYN, GJR WALTER, FM ROWELL, JRB O'SULLIVAN, W DE PASSEY, and EJF LANGLEY DSO; to be honorary lieutenants, LH LOVELY and F LAYCOCK. Officers who on appointment were not serving, and who are not now serving in the military forces of Australia - To be honorary captains, Honorary Lieutenants AE COLLINS DSO, HJ RUSSELL, SC MCFARLANE DSO, EA ROBERTS and HA REID DSO; to be honorary lieutenants, M IVES, FJ DOUGLAS, AW JOHNSON, SA WHITE, WJ PRESS, JT DEMPSEY, HA TOLMER, JH SHEARER, F MUIR, DW BROCK, N CAMPBELL, HL KEKWICK, HJ RUSSELL, FO THORN, GG AYLIFFE, TW GLIEMANN, WCN WAITE, WA NUNNELEY, S BLUE, GH COSSINS, AK HARVEY, NW STIRLING, HE FRANCIS, JD TOLMER, RA HAMILTON, GE CATCHLOVE, CFM JOHNSON, HLSB OGILVY, FC SEIKMANN, AVW WATSON, J DOWNER, G DE REYHER, BT WARD, RCH WALKER, WF SPENCER and LL REID. To be veterinary lieutenant, JL BURNS.
URL8: -The First Commonwealth Contingent.— The following is an extract from a letter received by a gentleman in Adelaide from Tpr. HS MCFARLANE, who went to South Africa with the 1st Commonwealth Contingent under Captain De Passey - ''Camp, near Klerksdorp; waiting for marching orders. Col. DE LISLE has taken charge of us. He told one of our lieutenants that Capt. MCFARLANE (my brother) and Lieut. SHEARER were two of the finest officers he had. We were inspected by Col. DE LISLE on Friday. He seems well pleased with us and proud of his charge. I had a very pleasant surprise this morning. We were resting our horses, when I saw Col. DE LISLE coming down the lines with our corporal, straight for me. He came up, and said, ''Are you MCFARLANE? My name is DE LISLE,'' and shook hands with me warmly. He told me that he had just telegraphed to Capt. MCFARLANE, at Pretoria, to come and join him. He said, ''He is the finest leader I have ever had under me. I would not be without him.'' The other fellows wondered when they saw the colonel shaking hands with me. After our return to camp, Mjr. SHEA sent for me, and said - ''Your brother is a grand fellow, and he will be with us in a few days. "We have just had orders to move off for an eight days'' journey, and expect to have some marching."
URL9: The honours gained by the regiment [5SAIB] for bravery and distinguished conduct are worth recording here. Among the officers Mjr. SHEA and Lieutenant LANGLEY received the DSO, and Capts. WATT and MCFARLANE were commended by the Commander-in-Chief for good service. Sergt-Major LD GREWAR received a commission in the Imperial Yeomanry as a recognition of good work, and two of the men, viz. Tprs. KERMODE and WHITTINGTON, were promoted to the rank of King's Corporal for bravery at Groote Vlei where Cpl. KERMODE also gained the DCM.
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