Extracts and Comments
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Murray: NSWInf./'E'Sqn.1NSWMR died of enteric fever.
B5204: compositor born 1877 Parramatta NSW, mother Martha HILL George St. Parramatta, Queen's South Africa medal and 2 clasps (CC & OFS) struck out, ?in at Sydney 1.6.1901, died of enteric.
URL2: died at Maitland and commemorated in Cape Town (Maitland) Cemetery, memorial photo.
URL3: War Memorial Parramatta NSW.
URL5: Pte. Leslie HILL died of enteric in S. Africa 22.6.1900, photo.
URL6: Pte LC HILL died of enteric fever at Capetown 21.6.1900.
URL7: family In Memoriam notice says died 21.6.1900.
URL10: news received in June 1900 of deaths at Kroonstadt Hospital of Trooper LD TUNKS; at Bloemfontein Hospital of Trooper AE SMITH and at Capetown Hospital of Private LC HILL. Land: in 1860 the "Parramatta Volunteer Rifles" was formed. Practically every citizen that was eligible joined this embryo army, and members provided their own uniform. When volunteers were called for the Boer War the PVR sent seven with draft contingents, with the exception of Private LC HILL, all returned safe and sound.
URL1: Aust. Boer War Memorial database record.
Evg. News:: Captain JE GUYOT of 'H' Company, Third NSW Regiment, writes ... five members of my company are at present in South Africa - three, viz. Privates HINES, BOULTON and HILL - going with the 1st Infantry Contingent from here, under Captain LEGGE; and Privates CRISP and HR PEEK, who went away with the Second Contingent of Mounted Infantry, under Lieutenant Colonel KNIGHT.
Coota Hd.: Soldiers of the Queen. SERIOUS CHARGE OF NEGLECTING AUSTRALIANS. Sergeant BARNES, of the New South Wales Mounted Rifles, who was three times wounded at the front, who went to London with about 30 other Australians, told a 'Daily Chronicle' representative on August 21 [1900] what he and his colonial colleagues thought of the treatment they had received in South Africa. It should be mentioned (says the 'Chronicle') that Sergeant BARNES' father is a member of the New South Wales Legislature, and intends to bring before that body the facts that his son here narrates, some of which have already been touched on in these columns, particularly in a letter from an Australian correspondent, which was published on the 15th inst. 'We have nothing,' he said, 'to complain of in respect to our treatment at the front. The young officers may have been snobbish, but the generals treated us splendidly, particularly Lord ROBERTS and FRENCH and HUNTER. I was one of Lord ROBERTS' bodyguard when the troops entered Bloemfontein. I am afraid that then, as on other occasions, Tommy Atkins was somewhat jealous of us, and there were times when the Australian and Canadian men had to band themselves together for mutual protection from the Imperial troops, all that, of course, we could take without murmuring; but it was our treatment as wounded and as convalescents that filled us with disgust. Warm clothing sent out to us from Australia has been given to the English regiments, though we were in tatters and penniless. We were refused a transport to go back to Australia, though in May alone there were nearly 400 Australians invalided home waiting at Capetown. Our men have had to travel by the ordinary intermediate steamers, and were thus deprived of doctors and nurses on the way, and as the warm clothing had gone elsewhere the invalids had to return in their scant garments at a time when the weather is at its worst in Australian waters. Many of the men going home declare emphatically that this is the last time they will serve under the British flag. In the camp at Maitland, not only the sick and wounded were deprived of proper clothing, but even of the regulation amount of food. Invalids had to sleep on the ground, and many of them were without blankets, waterproof sheets, or overcoats for three weeks. When we were discharged from the hospital to Maitland camp, we were unable to draw any rations for three days, and had to exist on the charity of our fellow-countrymen. Sir Alfred MILNER had his attention drawn to the way we were treated, and promised to remedy matters, but, instead of getting better, it got worse, and on June 21 Sir Alfred was again informed of ill-treatment of Australian convalescents in the Maitland camp. His attention was particularly drawn to the case of Private HILL of the New South Wales Infantry, and he was told that HILL's death was solely due to the criminal neglect of the officials in charge at Maitland camp. A court-martial is being held into this case at the present time in Capetown, due to the inquiries ordered by the High Commissioner.
SundayT.: A WAR MEMORIAL. TO PARRAMATTA SOLDIERS. UNVEILED YESTERDAY [23.4.1904]. The soldiers formed up in two ranks, headed by Lieutenant-Colonel COX CB, and three hearty cheers were given them. Lieutenant-Colonel COX briefly acknowledged the compliment. Colonel BURNS then unveiled the memorial, which consisted of a broken column, on the four sides of which the following matter was inscribed - Lieutenant FOSTER, Corporal James WATTS, Corporal KILPATRICK, Corporal HARKUS, Captain RUNDLE DSO, Corporal EA SMITH, Private ATCHISON, Private G RAWES, Private JJ KEELEY, Private AE SMITH, Trooper LD TUNKS, Private L HILL, Private D WILLIS.
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