Australians in the Boer War
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Hint: This site is intended as a search aid - not a definitive source. It is essentially an index to documents that seem to relate to this person plus a very brief precis of relevant elements. Sources often conflict and I also flag things with a ? when I am unsure. So if the information below is important to you, then please check the original sources to see what else they contain (and in case I have inadvertantly introduced transcription and/or precising errors). There can be additional information that was not included in the database for both space and copyright reasons.


 

Surname MATHESON
Given Name(s) or Initial(s) John Ken
Regimental Number 283
RankPrivate
Unit Name 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen
StateQld
Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown)

Murray: MATHESON John Ken, killed in action at Rietfontein 16.6.1901.
McLachlan: ?MATHERSON JK killed or died.
HAGSOC: Memorial Standerton, Tpr. MATHESON QIB.
B5172: next of kin in Lismore NSW.
URL4: photo #283 MATHESON John Kenneth c/- D MATHESON, Lismore NSW.
URL5: letter to father, Mr. D MATHESON, from Capt. FWC GEYER 3Sqn. 6QIB.
URL6: memorial service in Lismore NSW for the late JK MATHESON.
URL7: AWM Roll of Honour - John Ken MATHESON 283 Private 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Colonial Military Forces South Africa 1899-1902 (Boer War) killed in action 16.6.1901 at Rietfontein, South Africa.
NSW BDMs: MATHESON John K 1881 birth registered at Richmond River NSW, father Duncan mother Lydia M.
URL8: UNVEILING THE PATRIOTIC MEMORIAL. DEMONSTRATION AT LISMORE. The memorial to the district soldiers who lost their lives during the late South African war was unveiled at Lismore on Wednesday, 1st October [1902], in the presence of fully 3000 people, representing every centre of the district. ... The memorial, which is of handsome design, consists of a sandstone base surmounted by a granite column (to which two arc lights are attached), on which the bronze figure of a Lancer stands. Appropriate inscriptions appear on the four squares of the base as follow - On the Keen Street face (south side) - 'Heroes who gave their lives for the Empire. FB BURGESS, D BLACK, L FETTING, H GAGGIN, J JONES, J MATHESON, PK MCNAMMARRA, EC OGLE. Woodlark Street face (west side) - Erected by the people of the Richmond River to commemorate the part taken in the South African war by citizen soldiers of the district. Hostilities began 10th October, 1899. Peace proclaimed 2nd June, 1902. Gloria Fortitas. Keen Street face (north side) - Branches of the service represented at the front. 53 NSW Lancers, 13 Scottish Rifles, 5 Reservists, 76 Civilians. Names of all combatants from the district, with particulars of service, appear on a scroll in the Town Hall. Woodlark Street face (east side) - Engagements in which our soldiers distinguished themselves. Belmont, Grasspan, Modder River, Magersfontein, Arundel, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Drefontein, Bloemfontein, Doornkop, Diamond Hill, Burbeton, Ermolo.
Source References
Murray: Official Records of the Australian Contingents etc. page(s) 515 541
West Australian: West Australian newspaper date(s) 21.6.1901
HAGSOC: HAGSOC's South African Graves website
B5172: National Archives of Australia series B5172
Queenslander: The Queenslander newspaper date(s) 13.4.1901
Lismore Star: Lismore Northern Star newspaper date(s) 20 & 24.7.1901
NSW BDMs: NSW Births Deaths & Marriages Index number(s) 26048/1881
RichRivHd.: Richmond River Herald and Northern Districts Advertiser newspaper date(s) 3.10.1902
External Link URL1www.hagsoc.org.au/sagraves/nmcdb/nmcdb-search.php
External Link URL2www.hagsoc.org.au/sagraves/photos/za01900.php
External Link URL3www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/CollectionsDownloads/Documents/boer_war_index_id18351.pdf
External Link URL4nla.gov.au/nla.news-page2403213
External Link URL5nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72078292
External Link URL6nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72078236
External Link URL7www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1712531/
External Link URL8nla.gov.au/nla.news-article127890502


Please email me if you can contribute any other relevant information about this person (eg any other military service, where in Australia they came from or when/where they died). Also, if you find an external link broken.


Apology: For some time now it has been difficult to keep up with the newly available sources (especially the Trove newspaper site) plus the flow of contributions and queries. So I have been forced to prioritise maintenance and data entry over replying to correspondence. Nevertheless, your contributions are being added to the database and acknowledged on the contributions page and, although my replies are many months behind, I will attempt to get to them more often.
 
Colin Roe
Canberra

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