Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown) | |
Murray: killed 25.7.1900.
Source:# 1066 S. Aust. memorial in Vredefort cemetery says 163 Tpr. FJ TOTHILL killed in action at Stinkoutoom 24.6.1900, photo.
URL3: farewelled from Gawler SA.
URL4: agriculturalist aged 19 single.
URL5: Pte. JF TOTHILL, memorial in St. Peter's Cathedral Adelaide SA.
URL6: killed in action at Vredefort 25 or 26.7.1900 aged 19, from Gawler SA.
Source:# 1316 memorial stone erected in Vredefort Cemetery by Capt. SC MCFARLANE DSO for S. African Graves Fund c1904-5.
URL7: photo.
URL10: The Departed Brave. Sunday, 19.9.1909 was a memorable tho' sad day to many who attended the Memorial Service to the soldiers from South Australia who died in South Africa during the Boer War. There was a mammoth gathering to witness the ceremony, at the Memorial Statute in Adelaide on the occasion. The following is the Roll Call of the South Australian heroes who lost their lives. First Contingent. Surgeon-Mjr. TOLL, Lieut. POWELL, Cpls. HEINJUS and KLAFFER, Tprs. SMITH and MATHEWS. Second Contingent. Lieut. GORDON, Tptr. MARSHALL, Tprs. BARTLETT, MARSDEN, and HARDY. Third Contingent. Capt. HUBBE, Cpl. CURRIE, Tprs. MILLMAN and SLOAN. Fourth Contingent. Sgt. MCCABE, Saddler MITCHELL, Tptr. DAVIS, Tprs. PROSSER, MOORE, NICHOLAS, PAGE, HONNER, PALMER, GOODES, WOODHAM, LANDSELL and TOTHILL. Fifth Contingent. Capt. HIPWELL Reg. Sgt.-Mjr. MCGILLIVRAY, QMS SCHUMANN, Sgts. HAMILTON, RUST, and MERCER. Cpl. WHITE, Lce.-Cpl. HAMP, Tprs. GIBB, WHITTLE, MAY, HORSEFALL, GLUYAS, COCHRANE, HIRTH, VICKERY and SIMMONS. Sixth Contingent. Sgt. MURRIE, Lce.-Cpl BARRON, Tprs. BENNIER, WALTER, EWINS, MARSHALL, CROFT, MAIN, TEATE and BEARE. 2nd Australian Commonwealth Horse. Tprs. BROWNLEY, SPILLANE and TAEUBER.
Ad. Observer: 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.
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