Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown) | |
Murray: Regtl. Sergeant Major Warrant Officer 30.4.1901 Mentioned in Despatches London Gazette 29.7.1902.
Fogg: Regtl. Sergeant Major Warrant Officer PRICE, GG captured & released 5.12.1901, captured at Onverwacht 4.1.1902.
Sproule: Brisbane, photo.
B5172: next of kin in Brisbane Qld.
URL2: Several dreary weeks of trekking on the Amersfont road followed before the column reached Onverwacht, where a big fight was made with 900 Boers. The casualties in PLUMER's column in this engagement were nineteen killed, and thirty-seven wounded. Major VALENTINE, commanding the corps, was among the slain, and Captain JOHNSON of the Scottish Imperial Yeomanry, while several Queenslanders also fell, including Sergeants BERRY and POWER (the latter being mentioned in despatches for coolness and daring in action) and SHANNON, privates CHARDON, SALT, MACFARLANE and LILLEY, while Captain CARTER and Lieutenant HIGGINSON were severely wounded. It was in this engagement that Major TOLL displayed that special bravery that caused his name to be mentioned in the London "Gazette" for bravery and coolness in leadership. Company-Sergeant KNYVETT and Reg.-Sergeant Major PRICE being also mentioned for coolness. Major TOLL was himself too modest to tell our representative much of his own doings, but the other officers speak in the highest terms of his leadership. "Don't forget," said one of them, "to say that we all call TOLL 'The Fighting Major.'" ... A smoke concert was tendered to members of the Contingent, as a welcome home to Queensland on Thursday [8.5.1902]. There was a particularly large attendance, and, moreover, the function was graced by the presence of His Excellency
the Governor, a fact which, seeing his Excellency's profession, was regarded as
happily appropriate. There was also a representative attendance, including the Premier, who had a particular interest in the men, in having gone to South Africa on the occasion of his visit last year in the same vessel. Interspersed with a number of interesting speeches was a musical programme of some merit, and a present of a gold watch was made to Sergeant-major PRICE from the whole of the contingent.
URL3: SERGEANTS' WELCOME HOME. There was a time of unalloyed pleasure at the Sergeants' Institute, Treasury Chambers, on Saturday evening last [3.5.1902], when the members assembled in strong force to extend a welcome-home to their fellow non- commissioned officers of the Fifth Queensland Imperial Bushmen. Quartermaster Sergeant EDE occupied the Chair in the unavoidable absence of the Garrison Sergeant-major CHALMERS, and the visitors of the Fifth Contingent present included Lieutenant LOYNES, Sergeant-major PRICE (warrant officer), Sergeant-major BYRNES, Quartermaster-sergeant GOODE, Sergeant majors WILLIAMS, KNYVETT, BOWMAN and Sergeants NAYLOR, COLLINS, LEETCH, CB and AB CORBETT, LACEY, AYSCOUGH, FERGUSON, MARSH, HINTON and ARMSTRONG. ... Lieutenant LOYNES was also asked for a speech. He said that as an old NCO of Queensland, it gave him extreme pleasure to be there, particularly as it gave opportunity to say a few words about Sergeant-majors PRICE and KNYVETT. On 4th January, at Onverwacht, Sergeant Major PRICE had risked his own life to return to within about 100 yards of the enemy and bring him (Lieutenant LOYNES) a horse, at a time when he was practically done for, and so enabled him to escape with his life. No better man than PRICE had been in South Africa, and during the time of his service there, he believed that he had been with every advance guard ever sent out from his regiment. He, Lieutenant LOYNES, had been honoured by being placed in command of the Cyclist Corps, after their machines gave out, and they had been coverted into a mounted corps, and KNYVETT had been his company Sergeant-major. KNYVETT had always proved the right man in a tight place, and he was glad to see that both PRICE and KNYVETT had been recognised by General KITCHENER. Lieutenant LOYNES generally eulogised the Cyclist Corps for their work, and he said further that he had heard General KITCHENER say that there were no men in the whole of the British Army upon whom he depended more than upon the NCOs.
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