Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown) | |
Murray: 2QMI seriously wounded Onverwacht 4.1.1902, Queen's South Africa medal and 3 clasps King's South Africa medal and 2 clasps.
URL1: WW1 AIF Major 1LH.
URL2: journalist aged 41 from Darlinghurst NSW.
B5172: next of kin in Brisbane Qld.
URL3: WW1 AIF Major 7th Reinforcements for 1LH a journalist aged 41 in 1915 born in 1873 from Darlinghurst NSW next of kin wife in Darlinghurst, Tpr. 2QMI Tpr. ORC PMP Lieut. 5QIB plus Lieut. & Inspector of Military Stock Pretoria Dist. severely wounded QSA and 3 clasps KSA & 2, 1903-07 Officer of Armed Native Constabulary Papua 1915 Lieut. & Capt. AIEF, 1936 correspondence with Repatriation Commission Sydney.
URL4: private letter dated Newcastle 10.1.1902 reports wounded at Sprintskop near Walkerstroom, Qld. Government seeking details.
URL5: left behind wounded in hospital at Charlestown when 5QIB returned to Aust.
URL6: Lieut. HIGGINSON, who caused his friends considerable anxiety during his South African campaign, having been severely wounded in the thigh, returned this week [c9.1902] and is now staying with his mother at Yeronga.
URL7: Several dreary weeks of trekking on the Amersfont road followed before the column reached Onverwacht, where a big fight was made with 900 Boers. The casualties in PLUMER's column in this engagement were nineteen killed, and thirty-seven wounded. Major VALENTINE, commanding the corps, was among the slain, and Captain JOHNSON of the Scottish Imperial Yeomanry, while several Queenslanders also fell, including Sergeants BERRY and POWER (the latter being mentioned in despatches for coolness and daring in action) and SHANNON, privates CHARDON, SALT, MACFARLANE and LILLEY, while Captain CARTER and Lieutenant HIGGINSON were severely wounded. It was in this engagement that Major TOLL displayed that special bravery that caused his name to be mentioned in the London "Gazette" for bravery and coolness in leadership. Company-Sergeant KNYVETT and Reg.-Sergeant Major PRICE being also mentioned for coolness. Major TOLL was himself too modest to tell our representative much of his own doings, but the other officers speak in the highest terms of his leadership. "Don't forget," said one of them, "to say that we all call TOLL 'The Fighting Major.'"
URL9: LONDON, Jan 11 [1902]. In the fighting at the end of last week, when Generals PLUMER and SPENS and Colonel PULTENEY attacked a considerable Boer force under Commandants Chris BOTHA and OPPERMAN, and drove it from a position north of Amersfoort, in the South Eastern Transvaal, a detachment commanded by Major JM VALLENTIN, of the Somersetshire Light Infantry, who was attached to the South African Constabulary, suffered severely. Major VALLENTIN and 18 men being killed and 5 officers and 28 men wounded. The following casualties occurred among the Fifth Queensland Bushmen, who formed part of Major VALLENTIN's detachment - Killed - Private A BELIN. - Severely Wounded - Captain H CARTER, Lieutenant J HIGGINSON, Sergeant J SHANNON, Corporals C BYRNE, F EFENWICK (sic) and B SMITH, Bugler W BUSBIE, and Privates D ARNOLD, H DOBE, E NORMAN, AE MURRAY, W PALMER and F SINCLAIR. - Slightly Wounded - Privates W BATCHELOR, J MACARTIE and G WATERTON.
URL9: The Lieut. J HIGGINSON mentioned in the latest cables as being severely wounded in
the recent engagement at Amersfoort is a son of the late Mr. JC HIGGINSON of
Noondoo, St. George, general manager of the Australian Pastoral Company, Limited. Lieut. HIGGINSON joined the Second contingent as a private, returned to Queensland invalided, and afterwards obtained a commission in the Fifth Queensland Bushmen's Contingent.
|