Australians in the Boer War
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Hint: This site is intended as a search aid - not a definitive source. It is essentially an index to documents that seem to relate to this person plus a very brief precis of relevant elements. Sources often conflict and I also flag things with a ? when I am unsure. So if the information below is important to you, then please check the original sources to see what else they contain (and in case I have inadvertantly introduced transcription and/or precising errors). There can be additional information that was not included in the database for both space and copyright reasons.


 

Surname PIDDINGTON
Given Name(s) or Initial(s) George Busby
Regimental Number 512
RankTrooper
Unit Name New South Wales Citizens' Bushmen
StateNSW
Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown)

Murray: 'D'Sqn.
B5204: selector born 1870 Sydney NSW, Queen's South Africa Medal (SA01).
URL1: War Memorial Bathurst NSW Corporal.
URL2: Further evidence in support of the claims of men of the Bushmen's Contingent was given [to the Pay Royal Commission 29.6.1905] by Lieut. Lane MULLINS, Mrs. Annie GRACE, Frederick John MURRAY, Benjamin John THOMSON, GT TURNER, FW Stewart MARTIN, Joseph GRACE, Henry George SHEPHERD, WS MEARES, GB PIDDINGTON.
URL3: Honoring the Brave. ALL SAINTS' COLLEGE 'OLD BOYS.' ERECTION OF A TABLET. A very impressive ceremony took place at All Saints' College on Saturday last [13.12.1902]. A magnificent tablet has been placed in position in the College by the 'Old Boys' as a mark of esteem of those who took part in the recent war in South Africa, and were formerly associated with the college. There was a large attendance, not only of representative people of Bathurst, but also a number of the 'Old Boys,' many of whom had journeyed long distances in order to witness and take part in the ceremony of unveiling. This ceremony was performed by his Lordship, Bishop CAMIDGE. The memorial, which is a bronze mural tablet, has a frame, 5ft. square, and is of cast bronze, the mixture of metal being the same as that used for the standard coinage. The design is Italian Renaissance. The main portion consists of three panels in brass, bearing the names, the central panel being occupied by the name of Harold KITE, a private of the mounted infantry, who lost his life in South Africa. This panel also contains particulars of engagements, the name being surrounded by a laurel wreath, and in the background is a cross inlaid in copper. The side panels bear the names of twenty six officers, non-com. officers, and men, who went to the war, all being old boys of the college. The whole is framed round by handsome moulded and polished bronze columns, and moulded dentilled cornice and freize, the latter bearing an inscription cut in the bronze and oxidised. Surmounting the whole is the college coat-of-arms and motto interwoven, with full size reproduction in bronze of the arms of the Mounted Brigade - a rifle and sword - with the words, 'South Africa, 1899-1902,' in raised brass letters. At the foot of the tablet and surrounded by chaste ornament is a panel bearing an inscription as to its creation and date of unveiling. Altogether the monument is one of the finest pieces of art metal work yet made in Australia, and conveys the purpose of its creation in an artistic spirit, in which the military and patriotic element is largely in evidence. The full inscription on the tablet is as follows - Deo To AVC Re South Africa, 1899-1902. Vim Promovemus. To record the services to the British Empire in the Boer War of the following boys of All Saints' College. Major CGS LYDIARD. Captains HW DANGAR, H MCINTOSH, CSL INNES, Lieutenants H ST J SWEETLAND, SH ANTILL, HW RAWSON, ECL INNES. Corporals Clive C WESTON, Edgar TOURLE, HH PASCOE. Lance-Corporal HW CORTIS. Troopers GB PIDDINGTON, PP MIDDLEMUS, JE STREET, Rupert PALMER, AE DARE. Privates AC AVERN, A COX, WA STEEL, A JAMES, WV KELK, AJ ANTILL, HH SHELLEY, Norman KITE, J CAMPBELL. In the centre is the following - In Memoriam. Harold KITE, A Private of the NSW Mounted Infantry, Present at Osfontein, Driefontein, and Abraham's Kraal. Died at Bloemfontein, May 24th, 1900. Aged 30 years, This tablet was erected by the Old Boys' Union, and unveiled by the Rt. Rev. Charles Edward CAMIDGE DD, Bishop of Bathurst, December 13th, 1902. The work was executed by the well known firm of Messrs. Castle and Sons Newtown, and the hon architect was Mr. S Shedden ADAM (of Nixon and Adam, architects, Sydney), also one of the 'old boys' of the college.
Source References
Murray: Official Records of the Australian Contingents etc. page(s) 84
B5204: National Archives of Australia series B5204
Syd. Herald : Sydney Morning Herald newspaper date(s) 30.6.1905
Bathurst FPMJ: Bathurst Free Press & Mining Journal date(s) 15.12.1902
External Link URL1www.warmemorialsnsw.asn.au/P_to_R.cfm?MemNo=263
External Link URL2nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14693710
External Link URL3nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64339508


Please email me if you can contribute any other relevant information about this person (eg any other military service, where in Australia they came from or when/where they died). Also, if you find an external link broken.


Apology: For some time now it has been difficult to keep up with the newly available sources (especially the Trove newspaper site) plus the flow of contributions and queries. So I have been forced to prioritise maintenance and data entry over replying to correspondence. Nevertheless, your contributions are being added to the database and acknowledged on the contributions page and, although my replies are many months behind, I will attempt to get to them more often.
 
Colin Roe
Canberra

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