Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown) | |
Murray: 'D'Sqn., invalided to Australia arrived 17.8.1900 but died in Sydney 4.10.1900.
Source:# 93 grave in St. John's Reid ACT.
Source:# 107 Tpr. YOUNG William J War Memorial Queanbeyan NSW, died.
B5204: Queen's South Africa medal and 2 clasps (Drief. & CC).
Cope1: 1st Aust.H, born 1877 at Round Hill NSW (now ACT?) invalided with wounded hand and enteric which turned to rheumatic fever, Queen's South Africa Medal and 6 clasps.
URL3: War Memorial Queanbeyan NSW.
URL5: invalided per 'Persic', photo.
Bomb.T.: Letters from the Front - Trooper WF YOUNG of the NSW Mounted Rifles in a letter from Sovtfontein to his
uncle, Constable J Young of this town, says: "We are the extreme advance guard of Lord Roberts' portion of the army and have been working very hard entrenching ourselves, as an attack is expected at any moment. We have to go on parade every morning an hour before daylight to be in readiness for the enemy. We arrived at Capetown on 19.2.1900 and left there by train on the 25th
arriving at Modder River three days later, having been over sixty hours on the
train. We were on guard over Cronje's four thousand men for a few days and then took part in the march across the Orange Free State, during which we had some pretty hot fighting. Now we are twenty miles north of Bloemfontein. In a big battle last Saturday [13.4.1900] we couldn't see one another sometimes for dust and smoke from the shells which burst amongst us. Only one Australian was killed and two or three wounded, but there were 200 casualties altogether. With the exception of one man a whole division of the King's Own Scottish Borderers was killed by one shell. We have lost a great many horses since we started, some were shot and others died of disease. There is a nasty fly and tick here that torments them a great deal. This soldiering is a very rough game, lying out in all kinds of weather (we haven’t any tents, you know) with very cold nights and hot days. A great many men have taken sick – we are not above half fed, that is the cause of it. I am hanging out so far, but we are a gaunt looking lot. Rumour says it will take twelve months before the war is finished, but I hope this will not be true. It is a peculiar life this, for you never know when your own time will come to pass in your checks. We are considered to have had some most miraculous escapes so far, but that may not be our luck always. We are situated in a most critical position at present and goodness knows where we will be when this reaches you." Constable YOUNG's nephew, who recently returned from the war in South Africa, died in Sydney on Thursday [4.10.1900]. When the deceased returned he was in a very bad state of health, having suffered severe attacks of malarial and enteric fever.
NSW BDMs: William F YOUNG 1877 birth registered in Queanbeyan NSW & 1900 death registered in Sydney.
Bega Star: Trooper YOUNG who went to South Africa with the first detachment of Bega Mounted Rifles, writing to his uncle, Constable J. Young of Bombala [c6.1900], says: "We are the extreme advance guard of Lord Roberts' portion of the army, and have been working very hard entrenching ourselves as an attack is expected at any moment. We are 20 miles south of Bloemfontein. In a big battle last Saturday (31.4.1900) we couldn't see one another sometimes for dust and smoke from the shells, which burnt around us. Only one Australian was killed, and two or three wounded, but there were 200 casualties altogether. With the
exception of one man, a whole division of the King's Own Scottish Borderers was
killed by one shell. This soldiering is a very rough game, lying out in all kinds of weather. We are not above half fed. We are situated in a ??toritical position at present, and goodness knows where we will be when this reaches
you."
Source:# 1286 was it Horace John YOUNG or William Frederick YOUNG (who was the nephew of Constable YOUNG of Bombala) or both who went with the first Bega MR detachment?
Roe: A Sqn. NSWMR sailed from Sydney early 11.1899 while 1NSWMR went in mid 2.1900 so WR YOUNG from Queanbeyan is unlikely to have been the P YOUNG reported in the Bega Standard as leaving there with the first Bega MR detachment c10.1899.
URL8: Wm. YOUNG a volunteer for Africa enrolled and leaving Queanbeyan for Sydney 23.12.1899.
URL9: Pte. Fred. YOUNG, son of Mrs. Young of Canberra, was one of the wounded soldiers who returned from South Africa last month by the Persic [c8.1900]. We regret to say that he is still dangerously ill at St. Vincent's Hospital Sydney. Until a few days ago his life was despaired of, but he has now taken a decided turn for the better, and at odd times was able to recognise his mother. He was wounded in the hand, and was afterwards delirious with enteric fever. This has now turned to rheumatic fever.
URL10: Soldiers' Memorial at Queanbeyan unveiled on King's Birthday 1903 by Mrs Granville RYRIE wife of Major Granville RYRIE ... The monument then revealed to view is 12ft high, built of freestone, surmounted by a lamp, the whole standing on an octagonal basement. There are four marble panels on the four faces of the structure. The inscription on the east panel reads Erected in 1903 As a memorial to the brave men of the Queanbeyan district who lost their lives in defence of the Empire during the Great Boer War, 1899-1902. The north panel contains the names of the engagements - Modder River, Bloemfontein, Rensburg, Slingersfontein, Reit, Relief Kimberley, Dransfield, Osfontein, Paardeburg, Klip Drift, Belmont, Graspan. The south panel for the present is left blank, the idea being later on to inscribe the names of all those from the district who participated in the engagements, whilst the remaining panel contains the names of the fallen comrades. IN MEMORIAM. Trooper Alexander D CAMPBELL Trooper Michael J COMMINS Sergeant William BG SMITH Trooper James H SWAN Trooper William F YOUNG. At the base of this another tablet bears the quotation from Horace - Decorum est pro patria mori.
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