Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown) | |
Murray: initials SW, 'A'Sqn. 4Tp.(Sale), died of pneumonia in Melbourne Hospital 11.8.1902.
Price1: War Memorials Ballarat Canberra.
B5207: a miner from Chiltern Vic. next of kin Mildura.
URL1: Percival William joined 26.4.1902.
B4418: Boer War dossier.
URL3: Percival William (copy signature initials PW) a miner aged 24 from Chiltern Vic., born in Melbourne next of kin mother in Mildura.
URL4: 6ACH men hospitalised aboard 'Drayton Grange' on arrival at Albany WA 31.7.1902 - Tprs. DUDLE, MCGREGOR, WARD, SCOTT, MARTIN, SARGENT, LASSEY, MARSH & GORMLEY.
URL6: Six Wodonga lads were on the notoriously overcrowded and insanitary transport the Drayton Grange, the abominable arrangements in which will form the subject of an inquiry by a Royal Commission. The Wodongaites were Fred. POWELL, Tom HOLT, T PARNABY, J MCDOWELL, V DUFFEY and CE CAMPBELL. With the exception of the last named, who left the boat at Albany, the whole of the men, who had gone to South Africa as bushmen, reached Hobson's Bay on Thursday, the 7th inst. [8.1902]. DUFFEY, however, returned to his boat, and resumed the journey to Sydney. PARNABY and MCDOWELL reached home on Saturday night [?9.8.1902]; while POWELL and HOLT after spending a few days in town, got back on Tuesday night [12.8.1902]. A large number of their comrades, including members of the rifle club and fire brigade, were on the platform, and HOLT and POWELL were heartily cheered as they alighted from their carriage. None of the men from Wodonga had any sensational stories to relate. They had got as far as Klerksdorp when peace was proclaimed, and their military experience was confined to a drive. The only real danger the boys encountered was on the return journey, concerning which they all speak with one voice. The home authorities and the Durban medical officer notwithstanding, the Drayton Grange was disgracefully over crowded. Accommodation was said to be provided for 1900, and but for the alarming illness of many of the passengers the accommodation, inadequate as it was, might have been endured by that number; but there were actually 2300 soldiers on the boat, including 46 officers, and the boat was filthy in the extreme. The fact that nine hale and hearty young men succumbed tells its own tale. Nothing more shocking than the poisoned atmosphere below and in the hospitals could be imagined. One of the victims, who died since landing, was Percival DUDLEY, of Chiltern.
URL6: Melbourne August 11 [1902]. A trooper named DUDLEY, who returned by the Drayton Grange, died at hospital today from dysentery. The ninth death in connection with the Drayton Grange was reported today. The victim is trooper HUMPHRIES of New South Wales.
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