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Australians
in the Boer War
Oz-Boer Database Project |
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Full Record
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 | | WHITE |
| Given Name(s) or Initial(s) | | Robert James Little |
| Regimental Number | | |
| Rank | | 2nd Lieutenant |
| Unit Name | | New South Wales Imperial Bushmen |
| State | | NSW |
Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown) | |
Murray: 'C'Coy. killed in action Manana 12.9.1901.
NMCSA : biography.
Source:# 263 War Memorial Condobolin NSW.
B5204: soldier born 1878 Condobolin NSW.
URL2: photo.
URL3: Born at Condobolin NSW 22.10.1878 son of John White, killed in action at Wonderfontein 12.9.1900 and buried at Lichtenberg Municipal Cemetery with memorial at St. Enoch's Presbyterian Church, Newtown NSW - "In memoriam Lieutenant Robert J.L. White, NSW Imperial Bushmen, killed in action at Wondersfontein, South Africa, whilst leading his troops on September 12 1900 aged 22 years. Erected by his young men friends. ". The Graphic (London) - "Lieutenant White was treacherously shot ... while going to answer the white flag displayed by the Boers. He was the pet of the Bushmen's Corp. "We all loved him, and will avenge him," are his men's own words. Colonel Mackay, the commanding officer of the Bushmen, is his brother-in-law. At the funeral his comrades replaced their hats on their heads, and joined hands together and swore most solemnly never again to recognise the white flag."
URL5: Lieutenant RJR WHITE, of the Australian Horse, and who was a relative of Colonel MACKAY, in charge of the Imperial Bushmen in South Africa, was killed in a recent engagement with the Boers at Wonderfontein.
URL7: A cablegram received in Sydney from Colonel MACKAY verifies the report that Lieutenant RJL WHITE was killed on 12.19.1900, in action at Wonderfontein. Lieutenant WHITE was only 23 years of age, and belonged to an old western pastoral family. Prior to the formation of the Imperial Bushmen, Mr. WHITE was an officer of the Australian Horse in Sydney, and he was very popular in his regiment, while his work was frequently the subject of praise from his superior officers. He received a commission as lieutenant in the Imperial Bushmen, and after his first engagement in South África, at Eland's River, he was specially mentioned by the officer commanding the brigade for conspicuous bravery for rescuing a trooper from a heavy fire-zone. He also was well spoken of in connection with the manner in which he bore himself in several subsequent fights. Lieutenant WHITE was a brother-in-law of Colonel MACKAY, and general regret is expressed, both in military and civil circles, at the death of the gallant young officer.
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| Source References | |
Murray: Official Records of the Australian Contingents etc. page(s) 88 89 96 204
NMCSA : National Memorials Council of South Africa
Source:# Oz-Boer contributed source number 263
B5204: National Archives of Australia series B5204
Source:# Oz-Boer contributed source number 619
Launc. Exam.: Launceston Examiner newspaper date(s) 19.9.1900
BurrowaNews: Burrowa News newspaper date(s) 28.9.1900
Town&Country: Aust. Town and Country journal date(s) 29.9.1900
| | External Link URL1 | | www.hagsoc.org.au/sagraves/nmcdb/nmcdb-search.php | | External Link URL2 | | www.hagsoc.org.au/sagraves/photos/people.php | | External Link URL3 | | glosters.tripod.com/BoerW.htm | | External Link URL4 | | nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35371598 | | External Link URL5 | | nla.gov.au/nla.news-article101594737 | | External Link URL6 | | nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165299014 | | External Link URL7 | | nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71389397 |
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.
The
Oz-Boer Database
is copyright and may not be used for any commercial purpose.
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