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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		SIEKMANN
Given Name(s) or Initial(s)		Francis Charles
Regimental Number		117
Rank		QM Sergeant
Unit Name		4th South Australian Imperial Bushmen
State		SA
Extracts and Comments (from Sources as shown)		Murray: invalided to Australia arrived 12.4.1901, Lieutenant 2ACH. B5207: 2ACH(SA). Newbury1: 4SAIB & 2ACH, Volunteer Decoration 1924. URL2: civil servant aged 28 single. URL3: Leave of absence, without salary, has been granted to Mr. FC Siekmann, clerk to the City Coroner, Mr. WD Carter, clerk in the Public Supply Department and Mr. Harold E ELPHICK, dispenser at the Mount Gambier Hospital, during their absence on service with his Majesty's troops in South Africa. URL4: IN MEMORY OF THE BRAVE. Tablet at Roseworthy College. - There was a strange mingling of joy and sorrow at the Roseworthy Agricultural College on Friday [24.7.1903]. It was sports day, and also the anniversary of the deaths of two comrades, whose bodies are interred in the bullet-swept fields of South Africa. Three years ago this week, in the brief, sharp encounter at Bethlehem, Alexander William NICHOLAS and Frederick Joseph TOTHILL, brave young members of the 4th Imperial Bushmen's Contingent, laid down their lives as "soldiers of the King," and the enthusiasm associated with the annual sports yesterday was arrested while Col. ROWELL CB unveiled a tablet to their memory. This had been erected in the dining room, where the students spend their happiest hours, and the snow white marble, with its impressive inscription, will always awaken proud thoughts in the minds of the merry lads as they file into the building to the familiar music of the dinner gong. In 1900, at the annual meeting of the Old Collegians' Association, a motion was carried suggesting to the Minister of Agriculture that a memorial tablet should be fixed at the college, but the Government did not entertain a request to defray the cost of it. Feeling the duty to be imperative the committee of the association - Messrs. CF HEYNE, HE LAFFER, WJ DAWKINS, LH MUECKE (treasurer), HA PARSONS LLB, HB ROBSON, J Wallace SANDFORD FCS and TE YELLAND (secretary) - decided to solicit subscriptions from old scholars and sympathetic friends for the purpose of honouring the fallen, and they met with a ready response. The tablet, which is neatly designed and conspicuously displayed, bears the following inscription - "In grateful and loving memory of our brave and loyal comrades, who volunteered for service in South Africa, where they died for their sovereign and country, Alexander William NICHOLAS, Frederick Joseph TOTHILL. 'Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.' South African campaign 1899-1902. Erected by old students." The ceremony was fixed for Friday, and the dining room was crowded with interested spectators, among whom were numerous collegians and ladies. The building had been tastefully decorated with red and gold streamers and bright foliage, and the framed photographs of soldier students were shrouded in flags, the whole making up an effective display. It had been arranged that the Minister of Agriculture should perform the unveiling ceremony, but Mr. BUTLER was unable to make the trip, and certainly an appropriate substitute was found in Col. ROWELL, under whom the deceased troopers served. The principal of the college (Professor TOWAR) said a number of the members of the college had had the courage to leave their homes and those dear to them to fight for their Queen and country on the fields of South Africa. Two brave young fellows had laid down their lives for the empire, and their friends had erected a tablet to their memory. Mr. YELLAND, the secretary of the Old Collegians' Association, had rendered splendid service in behalf of the movement, and their thanks and congratulations were due to him for its successful consummation. Mr. TE YELLAND traced the history of the movement, and remarked that the committee of the Old Collegians' Association felt that they had only done a duty in carrying out the work. Col. ROWELL CB, in lifting the flag, said: "I unveil this tablet in memory of two brave soldiers, who fought for their King and country." Continuing, the speaker said the unveiling of the tablet constituted a proud and memorable day in the history of the college, They in Australia lived in peaceful conditions, and the noise and tumult of war were largely a matter of sentiment with them. In the older countries of the world military organization and activity were ever associated with its progress, and the glamour of campaigning was less coloured. The college had sent a number of young men to the front, and it was a fact which would always stand out in its history. Three years had passed since the students whose names were inscribed on the tablet met their death. He had a vivid recollection of the day. They started out early on a bright, beautiful morning, and orders were immediately given for the columns to trot. They had gone four or five-miles when suddenly firing began, and they were soon in the thick of what proved to be one of the sharpest encounters which took place in South Africa. His regiment that day suffered more than it did on any previous or future occasion. There were 10 casualties. Four men were killed and six were wounded. Gen. DE WET, "that great leader of men," in his book referred to the engagement as one of the hottest in which the Boers participated. It was a sad day for the bushmen and their two comrades were among those who fell. They were two splendid fellows, brave and popular. Lieut. FC SIEKMAN said he and the troopers whose memory they were honouring were comrades in arms and personal friends. His duty took him to the rear on the day of that memorable engagement, but he was afterwards informed that it embraced deeds of heroism. He believed that of the 14 men who constituted the forward ranks eight were either killed or injured. The day following the fight he had a conversation with a Scottish officer, who remarked that it was the hottest encounter he had ever been in, and the one exception was that during the Soudan war, when 700 white and coloured troops were killed in 20 minutes. The following special order was issued concerning the engagement in which, their companions were killed - "Both Gens. BROADWOOD and RIDLEY have decided that the excellent work done to-day by the corps should be made known to the men. The capture of 19 prisoners and seven wagons, and the subsequent orderly retirement under heavy fire, is considered by both generals to be most praiseworthy. Both generals are very grieved to hear of our casualties - 34 non-commissioned officers and men." They had every reason to be proud of their fallen comrades. Professor PERKINS said he was personally acquainted with the deceased for three years and he found them to be honest and manly and students who always commanded the respect and esteem of their comrades. He congratulated the students on the thoughtfulness which had prompted them to honour the memory of the brave soldiers who went with 12 or 13 others to the front inspired with genuine patriotism and in response to a generous impulse. Mr. JD RENNER and Tpr. RICHARDSON also spoke. Refreshments having been distributed, a return was made to the oval, where the sports programme was resumed in a keen exhilarating air. The various events were witnessed by a large crowd, and some close contests resulted.
Source References		Murray: Official Records of the Australian Contingents etc. page(s) 358 379 B5207: National Archives of Australia series B5207 B4418: National Archives of Australia series B4418 Newbury1: South Australians and the South African War page(s) 34 Register: The Register newspaper South Australia 1.5.1900 Ad. Advertiser: Adelaide Advertiser newspaper date(s) 14.2.1902 Ad. Observer: Observer newspaper, Adelaide date(s) 25.7.1903
External Link URL1		naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=687005&I=1&SE=1
External Link URL2		nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54446916
External Link URL3		nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4900498
External Link URL4		nla.gov.au/nla.news-article162451052

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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