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 BARKER
Given Name(s) or Initial(s) John
Regimental Number 152
RankPrivate
Unit Name 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen
StateQld
Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown)

B5172: next of kin in Cole's Hill Warwickshire Eng.
URL2: ?Cpl. 668 John BARKER discharged for employment 26.3.1902 when 5QIB returned to Aust.
URL3: THE FIFTH CONTINGENT. That Ipswich is proud of her sons who have championed the Empire's cause in South Africa was once more exemplified yesterday [10.5.1902] on the occasion of 'the citizens' welcome home to the Ipswich members of the Fifth Contingent, Captain GEHRMANN, Lieutenants HH BENJAMIN and J LOYNES, Sergeant TH ARMSTRONG, Corporals W POTTS and D LILLEY, and Troopers MCILWAINE, LANFER, LUCAS, Owen CAMPBELL, BARKER, MCCABE, and MAHER. An Influential committee, with the Mayor (Alderman HEINER) at the head had been formed, and their appeal to the public met with a ready response. Yesterday afternoon [10.5.1902] at 4 o'clock the committee and a goodly concourse of citizens attended at the railway station to receive the guests of the day. Here were in waiting the local corps of the QMI and QDF, under the command of Major CAH WATSON, together with the town band, led by Mr. CJ HEGARTY. The appearance of the officers and men as they reached the doors of the station was the signal for an outburst of cheering, amidst which they were conducted to drags kindly lent by Messrs. Elias HARDING and HS CRIBB. A procession, headed by the band was then formed, and traversed the principal streets to the Town Hall, where the Mayor formally congratulated the home comers on their return and thanked them for their services. Subsequently, in the council chambers, refreshments were served. At 7.30 pm Captain GEHRMANN and his officers and men were entertained to dinner in the Town Hall, the Mayor presiding, and being supported by Mr. JW BLAIR MLA, Major WT DEACON CB, Major CAH WATSON, commanding the local Defence Force, Captains CARDEW QMI and MCLEOD QDF, Lieutenants C GIBBON, A GIBBON, AG DE SILVA, B ROBINSON, and Lieutenant HUNTER, of the Fifth Contingent, also the Rev. Dr. PRITCHARD, rector of St. Paul's, Mr. HT MACFARLANE PM, Aldermen Dr. MCDONALD and H REILLY, Messrs. AJ STEPHENSON, HT HOOPER, Dr. PHILLIPS, THORNTON, R MCGILL, AF WHITEHILL, D ARMSTRONG, W STAFFORD, HL JONES, TW HARDY, EJ SMITH, Mr. MCDERMOTT (president Ipswich Rifle Club), FA BRYANT, W BRYAN, H SHAPCOTT, W RYOTT-MAUGHAN, JM PARLANE, FA ALLEN, Sub-inspector NETHERCOTE and many others. The Town Hall was well filled, and an excellent repast was served by Mr. F WHITEHOUSE. After dinner, and after the usual loyal toasts had been duly honoured, the toast of the evening, "Our Guests", was proposed by the Mayor and Major DEACON, and received most enthusiastically, both speakers heartily congratulating the returned soldiers on their achievements at the seat of war. Captain GEHRMANN, who was cheered to the echo, thanked the proposer and seconder of the toast and the citizens generally for their kindly welcome. He claimed no honour for himself, but attributed the success of the "possum skins" to the zeal and good discipline of his men, and said they were all willing, if required, to again do service on behalf of the Empire. Lieutenants BENJAMIN, LOYNES and HUNTER also responded. ...
Source References
Murray: Official Records of the Australian Contingents etc. page(s) 496
B5172: National Archives of Australia series B5172
Bne. Courier: Brisbane Courier newspaper date(s) 12 & 16.5.1902
External Link URL1www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/CollectionsDownloads/Documents/boer_war_index_id18351.pdf
External Link URL2nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19184287
External Link URL3nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19185826


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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