Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown) | |
Murray: killed in action at Middle Kraal on 29.5.1901.
Price1: War Memorials Ballarat Canberra.
5VMR QSA Roll: HAVINS Left Wing, Queen's South Africa medal and 3 clasps (CC OFS & Tvl) killed in action.
HAGSOC: Memorial Middleburg.
B5179: born 1879 a boundary rider from Brighton Beach Vic.
Melb. Leader: Brighton Beach Vic., photo #333.
URL3: photo.
URL5: Sergeant GB DYAMOND, G Company, 5th Victorian MR, has written the following letter to Mrs. HEWINS, of Brighton Beach — Klipfontein, 6.6.1901. Dear Mrs. HEWINS, It is with feelings of the deepest sympathy that I pen you these few lines. Please excuse the liberty I have taken as a stranger in writing to you but I thought you might like to hear from one who was with your dear son at the last. Poor little chap, he was liked by everyone in the regiment. I took a fatherly interest in him, on account of his youth. I have been out here for nearly 18 months, and I am sure that I have never missed anyone so much as I have Bert. He and I used to sleep and mess together and he was always wanting to do something for me. His conduct was all that could be wished for. I remember well the morning of the 29th May, we were supposed to be rear guard. Bert said to me, "Well, George, old man we are going to have a quiet day, to day. G Company is going to have a rest for once." I replied that it was a about time they gave us a spell. After a while we were sent right away by ourselves — 40 of us, all told, — and we got about eight miles from the column, and sighted the enemy on a kopje straight in front of us. We galloped up to it, but when we got there the Boers had left it, so we advanced. I saw the Boers on the next kopje, but when we got to the top of it there was no one in sight. We kept on, and passed a kraal. I happened to turn my head. I could hardly believe the evidence of my own eyes — there were fully 60 Boers in our rear, and not more than 50 yards away We were only 14 strong, the rest of our party being about a mile away. 1 jumped off my horse and fired at a man who was taking aim at me, and we both fired together, but he missed me. The firing alarmed the rest of our lads, some of whom dismounted, and tried to stem the tide, but it was useless. Little Bert was near me all the time. I called out to him to gallop down to a house, where there was good shelter, but he said, "No I shall stay here with you". We saw our officer fall. The Boers were only 20 yards from us, and Bert and I, with two other men, were all that were left. We kept on firing. I again urged Bert to try and get to the house; he wanted me to go with him, but I could not, on account of having a bad leg . At last he and one of the other men started. They ran nearly all the way, and the Boers did not see them until they had got 200 yards. They then opened a heavy fire on them, but they still kept on, and had only to go about 50 yards further, when they would have been safe, but fate decreed otherwise. The Boers left the place where I was and I went out and attended the wounded. Some of the poor lads were past all earthly aid, I did not know then that Bert was hit. I went down to the house for some water for the wounded men and enquired for my little chum, but no one had seen him, I did not know what to think; I would not allow myself to think he had been hit. I went and searched for him; at last I found him. Please excuse me for not dwelling on this part of the sad occurrence. Poor lad, be was badly wounded, but still alive. I galloped away for the doctor and ambulance, but after seeing him the doctor held out no hope. The poor little chap was
unconscious until the last. We carried him into camp and I sat by him until he expired, at 3:30 am. Everything was done for him that could be done, but his life was in the hands of a higher power than ours. I have got a few of his things, which I will send to you when I am sure of your address. He had a photo, of yourself, which I send in this letter. Excuse this letter not being phrased as it might be; but I am only a rough soldier. Please accept my deepest sympathy in your sad bereavement, and believe me to be your sincere friend.
URL6: Fifth VMR Memorial to Fallen Comrades opposite to St. Kilda Barracks ... The following is the list of names appearing on the tablets, together with the addresses, which we have obtained from official sources - Captain J KELLY, Melbourne. Lieutenant SR COULTER, Ballarat. Lieutenant JG CHRISP, Frankston. Lieutenant AG JOHNSTON, Hawthorn. Lieutenant AE MURPHY, Colac. Medical Officer HA PALMER, Ballarat. Sergeant AGK BUCKINGHAM, Yea. Farrier-Sergeant JF HOULIHAN, Collingwood. Corporal RPN ROBERTSON, Portsea. Corporal H HARRISON, Collingwood. Corporal H NEWLANDS, Prahran. Lance-Corporal AE BURLEY, Ballarat. Lance-Corporal HJ BOXALL, Melbourne. Lance-Corporal GR BUTTON, Anakie. Lance-Corporal HC HADLEY, Fitzroy. Lance-Corporal TS ROSS, Williamstown. Shoeing-Smith A HOUGHTON, Inverleigh. Shoeing-Smith AE SPOWART, Dean's Marsh. Shoeing-Smith RM THORNTON, Kilmore. Shoeing-Smith F RANKIN, Police Barracks, Melbourne. Privates SJ BARNARD, North Brunswick; EH BLANDFORD, Bendigo; L BOND, Longwood; FH CAUGHEY, Bairnsdale; J CHARLTON, Euroa; J COLLINS, Mumbannar; J COSTELLO, Dunolly; AB DAVIDSON, Moe; FG DOW, Balaclava; G GLENN, South Melbourne; LJW GOUDIE, St. Kilda; RG HARRISON, Mathoura NSW; WJ HEALEY, Melbourne; HH HENDY, Lyndhurst; HV HEWINS, Brighton; WW JAMES, Nagambie; HS LAMB, Sale; HJ LAWRENCE, North Carlton; AE MACK, Jolimont; TH MAHONEY, Darraweit Guim; J MCCANN, St. Kilda Road; J MCCORKELL, Queensclilf; MT MCDONALD, Yinnar; J MCNALLY, Carapooee; E REISENAUER, Armadale; EJ ROWE, Elsternwick; W SAULTRY, Port Melbourne; WA SMITH, Sutton Grange; GW STRATTON, Mooroopna; R TOPHAM, Yapeen; E VALPIED, Toora; NA WATSON, Pomborneit; J WHELAN, Glenhuntly; JE WHITE, South Melbourne.
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