Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown) | |
Murray: died 30.5.1900 at Bloemfontein.
Source:# 44 War Memorial Liverpool.
B5204: 58 Private SMITH AE born 1876 Penrith NSW horsebreaker next of kin father in Liverpool NSW.
Source:# 324 lived in Moree NSW.
URL2: War Memorial Parramatta NSW.
URL3: mentioned in speeches at Liverpool NSW on 18.8.1900.
URL4: died of enteric, last letters from Bloemfontein to family in Liverpool NSW.
Source:# 1253 not issued with medal.
URL7: A continental, well attended, was held in the Liverpool Town Hall grounds on Thursday night [19.4.1906], in aid of the Memorial Lamp Fund. The lamp was erected to perpetuate the memory of Private AE SMITH who died in South Africa, and to mark the volunteering of others from the district for tho Boer War. Permission was granted for the bands in camp to perform on the occasion. A vocal programme was also carried out.
URL8: news received in June 1900 of deaths at Kroonstadt Hospital of Trooper LD TUNKS; at Bloemfontein Hospital of Trooper AE SMITH and at Capetown Hospital of Private LC HILL.
URL9: Private SMITH, one of the first contingent of NSW Mounted Infantry at the front in South Africa, has sent the following letters to his father, Police Sergeant SMITH, Liverpool NSW - 'Prieska, 5.5.1900. We have just shifted camp over over the river and joined, two batteries of artillery and 800 other mounted men. At a quarter to 2 o'clock on the following morning we were on the march, without knowing where we were going to. Anyhow, we marched about 18 miles back along the road we came, met some more troops, had a couple of biscuits and some bully beef, and fed our horses. We reached Orange River, travelling over 280 miles. Three other men and myself formed a rear guard while the troops marched out of camp, and we had to keep about a mile behind them. From 2 o'clock that morning till 11.30 pm we had nothing to eat. Three chaps have gone to the hospital - one from Picton and two from Bega. One has been sent to Wynberg with fever, and the other two are in the Medical Corps Hospital here with dysentery. There are now about 25,000 troops here. Every where there are teats, and troops are going away daily in thousands. It is a sight worth seeing, although we all regret to see the trainloads of wounded coming down from Modder River and other places. There is to be a big battle fought about 70 miles from here on or about the 7th of this month. We had a little rain last night, the first since we left Capetown, and it was quite a treat. We had a bit of fun watching Roberts' Light Horse recruiting yesterday. They are all new chums, and worse than sailors on horse back. They mount on either side of the horse, and dismount in dozens before the order is given. However, it is said they are all good shots. There is to be a big battle at Magersfontein shortly, and if the British cut the Boers up the war will soon be over. We were out about 12 miles from camp yesteraay, and got orders to take about 50 horses that were grazing. They belonged to the Boers, who fired about twenty shots at us at a long range from behind the ridges, but we could not see them, and therefore could not return the fire. Anyhow, we captured the horses, and all returned safe. The New Zealanders are camped close to us. They lost four men at Colesberg. We are going to use the horses we captured to-morrow, so we will be able to give ours a spell. We expect to leave here at any moment. Bank's Drift, Modder River, 28.2.1900. 'We have had some very heavy work lately. We started at Klip Drift, Modder River, and had some very heavy fighting. We have been under heavy fire six times now, and when the shells burst things are very unsettled. There have been some terrible losses on both sides, but the Boers are getting by far the worst of it. When at Prieska we thought we had seen what war was like, but it is only now that we are finding out how matters are. We went into the laager where Cronje and his 5000 men surrendered, and the sight was something terrible. British and Boers were lying all over the place dead; also cattle and horses in hundreds. The Boers have made the river water unfit for use. Cronje is a hard-looking old stager, and so are some of his men. The poor beggars all seemed pleased to be taken prisoners. We have only four men wounded in our lot; otherwise we are all well. We lay for six hours under, heavy fire at Ramah, without a man being hit, but in another regiment the casualties were 62 killed and wounded. We are within three days' march of Bloemfontein'. (3.3.1900). We are moving on to Osfontein, where we are to spell for a few days.'
URL10: Liverpool. SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL. - The recent Empire Day celebrations call to mind the fact that three or four years ago an effort was made in Liverpool to memorialise the volunteers to the Boor war from the Liverpool district. One volunteer, the late Trooper AE SMITH, died in South Africa from enteric fever, contracted whilst at the front. Several others received wounds and other injuries. A strong committee was formed at the time to forward, the movement; and we understand that a sum of close on £20 was subscribed for the purpose of erecting a suitable memorial.This money is still in the bank, but as it was not banked as a fixed deposit, it is not drawing any interest ; and, moreover, it is possible that in the course of time it will revert to the bank, unless the memory of the committee and its officers is stimulated. There is another view in which the matter is to be regarded. The money was subscribed for a certain purpose, and if this purpose is not to be given effect to, the various amounts should be returned to the subscribers.
SundayT.: A WAR MEMORIAL. TO PARRAMATTA SOLDIERS. UNVEILED YESTERDAY [23.4.1904]. The soldiers formed up in two ranks, headed by Lieutenant-Colonel COX CB, and three hearty cheers were given them. Lieutenant-Colonel COX briefly acknowledged the compliment. Colonel BURNS then unveiled the memorial, which consisted of a broken column, on the four sides of which the following matter was inscribed - Lieutenant FOSTER, Corporal James WATTS, Corporal KILPATRICK, Corporal HARKUS, Captain RUNDLE DSO, Corporal EA SMITH, Private ATCHISON, Private G RAWES, Private JJ KEELEY, Private AE SMITH, Trooper LD TUNKS, Private L HILL, Private D WILLIS.
Sydney Tel.: During Saturday and yesterday [10.6.1900] the Premier, Sir William LYNE, received the following cable messages from the High Commissioner for South Africa, Sir Alfred MILNER - "8th June. I regret to report that No. 299, Bugler WA MELVILLE, Australian Horse, has been taken prisoner' (In good health); that No. 82, Private I GOODSELL, New South Wales Ambulance Corps, died of enteric fever at Deelfontein." "9th June. Charles Percy NORNE was discharged from Bethune's Mounted Infantry on 20th January. Nothing heard of him since. Thomas Henry DILLON was not reported prisoner from Colonial (?). Frank DILLON, Brabant's. Horse, is a prisoner unwounded. I regret to report that No. 311, Private W FREEMAN, died of enteric fever at Bloemfontein on 29th May; and that No. 58, AE SMITH, died of enteric fever at Bloemfontein on the 30th May. They were both members of the New South Wales Mounted Rifles".
Evg. News: Mr. W BROWN, Nagle-street, Liverpool, has received the following letter from his son, Private C BROWN, one of the Second Contingent of NSW Mounted Infantry, at the front in South Africa - "Bloemfonteln, March 17. - We left Modder River about two weeks ago, and were not long before we had a go. About 300 of us attacked about 11,000 Boers, and we were under fire for about four hours and a half. The bullets fell around us like hailstones. The next day we had another engagement at Osfontein but soon got rid of the enemy. We had some hard fighting at Dreifontein, and it was very dry — we had no water for about ten hours, which was a bit rough. Still it is grand to be under fire after the first or second time. We killed a terrible lot of Boers. They are great cowards, and we gave them 'jip' when they started retreating. The place is very healthy. I saw Ted SMITH, a Liverpool comrade. He is attached to us now, and we were together in the last fight. I also met Charley BOSSLEY, one of the First Australian Horse, from Liverpool, and he is looking well. We are going to stay here for about three weeks in camp. We are at peace here with the Orange Free Staters, so it will not be lone before the war is over. We are all going to get new horses, and we want them badly, as ours have all got sore backs or been poisoned. We all have plenty to eat and drink, which is the main thing. It was pretty hard on us before we got into town. Tobacco was 5s a cake, but I did without it. It is very hot here in the daytime, and cold at night. Goodness knows where we will be sent to after we leave here. This would make a splendid place for farming, but there is no timber. I have not been into the town yet. We are camped three miles out of town, but I suppose I will get a look at it before we leave. When I get home I will read you the contents of my pocket-book, and then you can form some idea of what war is like."
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