Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown) | |
McLachlan: ?ANNATT JW killed or died.
Murray: killed in action Eland's R. 6.8.1900.
Source:# 22 War Memorial Brisbane.
Source:# 54 grave Elands R. Cemetery, photo.
Kopje: shell burst at his feet.
B5172: South Brisbane Qld.
URL6: born in 1864 at Linthrathen Airlie Scot., joined Gordon Highlanders at age 16 and wounded at Majuba Hill in 1st Boer War, served with A&S Highlanders in Zulu War 1883-84 and against Sitting Bull in Canada being severely wounded at Pine Ridge in 1890, came to NSW then Qld. as an instructor and commissioned in 1895.
URL7: How Lieutenant ANNAT was killed. Trooper David BRYCE, of the third Queensland contingent, writes a graphic account of the siege of the garrison at Elands River in August 1900. The ferocity of the Boer attack may be gauged from the fact that the enemy's nine guns (121b. and 151b.), two Maxims, and 1700 rifles simply poured lead into the British camp continuously for eleven days, over 1600 shells alone being fired on one day. Lieut. ANNAT met his death at the end of the third day, as related by Trooper BRYCE- "Poor Lieut. ANNAT was smashed to pieces with a 121b. shell on the night of the third day. He was going over to his men, and, in crossing, the last shell that was fired that night fell at his feet. He lived about ten minutes, writhing in agony. Everyone in the camp was sorry for him, as he was doing splendid work, and was unanimously voted one of the best officers on the ground. The Rhodesians used to swear by him." On the twelfth day the garrison was relieved by Lord Kitchener, whose column had been chasing De Wet for the previous eight days. The casualties of the garrison numbered 17 killed and 59 wounded, and the horses were reduced from 537 to 42.
URL8: AUSTRALIANS AT WAR. SIEGE OF ELANDS RIVER, Mr. JF MURRAY, chief vice-president of the Australian Natives' Association in New South Wales, delivered a lecture in the Masonic Hall, Newcastle, last evening [5.5.1909] upon the question of Australian defence and Australians in war. ... The lecture dealt principally with the story of the siege of Elands River; when 400 Australians defended their position, and kept at bay 4000 Boers for 13 days. Mr. MURRAY, who was a trooper in the South African campaign, and was one of the defending Australians besieged, told of the Australians' march through the South African veldt, incidentally throwing many side lights upon the campaign, which only the man in the ranks doing the work can see and appreciate. ... One pathetic incident was the death of Lieutenant HANNET (sic)who was torn to pieces by a Boer shell. He was a brave man, and a fine soldier.
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