Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

'Machine Gun Section of "A" Battery, Royal Australian Artillery (Qld.), seconded to 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry.

The Machine Gun Section was taken from the Royal Australian Artillery (Queensland). The contingent arrived in Cape Town on 12 December 1899. Owing to the weight of the machine gun carriage and the condition the horses were in, it was found that even with four horses per gun they could not keep up with the Column, and were, therefore, worse than useless. The machine guns were therefore handed over complete with harness and all spare parts to Colonel Chambier, Royal Artillery, at Kimberley, and, being required for further service, were retained when the Contingent returned to Queensland.' from Official Records of the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa. Page 448 (archive.org)

'Local and General News.

The second large batch of invalided Queensland soldiers from South Africa to the number of 42 passed through Toowoomba by the Sydney mail train on Saturday evening en route to Brisbane. They had a very hearty reception during their brief stay here. The local military forces turned out In strength to greet them, and as the train, which was nearly an hour late, steamed in, the Mounted Infantry Band, under Mr. Haskew, struck up "Home Sweet Home." The platform was densely packed with enthusiastic spectators. The Mayor, on behalf of the Toowoomba citizens, tendered a hearty welcome to the men, which was emphasised by Alderman Trapp in a few appropriate remarks.

Sergeant-Major Price returned thanks on behalf of the men, who were loudly cheered, and the train moved out amid the strains of "Auld Lang Syne." The following is a list of the names of the forty-two men who returned :- Sergeant-major J. G. Prlce, Sergeant H. F. Walker, Corporals A. Kidd (Toowoomba), D. Harris, A. Wagner (Toowoomba), Privates R. T. Thomas, J. McDonald, J. E. N. Bull, N. de Verdon, R. McKenzie, W. Rossiter, J. H. Hitchcock, W. Commack, G. Izlaub (Toowoomba), R. S. Pitt, E. V. Fieldlng, R. Smith, S. Washbourne, J. Banks, G. W. T. Waterton, R. Greenwell, W. J. Evans, W. H. Stewart, J. Grayson, J. Ross, J. Cathcart, T. R. Maxwell, J. Locke, M. Egan, H. McNeven, G. Michael, D. McIntosh, P. J. Kavanagh, J. J. Dodson, J. Connolly, W. A. McLeish (Toowoomba), H. G. Fordham, A. W. Dodd, W. Brady, T. Cobon, W. H. Phillips, Gunner P. Riddell. Gunner H. Mungall could not be brought on through illness, and was left behind in the South. Most of the invalids
are from the First Contingent, and a few were members of the Second Contingent. One left with the Fourth Contingent, but had to return on landing owing to ill-health.' from Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser 21 Aug 1900 (nla.gov.au)

'INVALIDS REJOINING.

The undermentioned invalids, being no longer required for the special service for which they were enrolled, will rejoin the Queensland Regiment of Royal Australian Artillery: First Contingent— Sergeant F. Price, Corporal D. Harris, Gunners J. Smith, P. Riddell, and H. Mungall. Second Contingent— Corporal J. Connolly and Corporal T. Halligan.' from The Week 21 Sep 1900 (nla.gov.au)

'Bush Veldt Carbineers.

The Bush Veldt Carbineers were raised in Pretoria in February 1901 and did useful work in the difficult country north of Pietersburg in that year. They saw a lot of fighting, but it gained an unfortunate notoriety by the conviction of Morant, Handcock and Witton on charges that they had committed acts not in accordance with the rules of civilised warfare.

Undoubtedly a corps such as this, acting beyond the immediate control of higher authorities and far from support, was placed in a very unenviable position. The enemies they had to deal with were not always members of regular commandos, but often leaderless gangs of ruffians not unacquainted with nefarious practices and incapable of appreciating anything but the most arbitrary justice. Mr Green, who was chaplain to the Australian Bushmen, a corps that operated much in the Pietersburg district, speaks in terms of praise of the Bush Veldt Carbineers. He says that they were chiefly English refugees of that district. They acted as scouts for General Plumer, and did well. On one occasion they captured the convoy of a train-wrecking gang and 11 prisoners. These latter would not disclose where their mines were laid, so they were promptly put on a trolley; an explosion did take place, but none were killed.

The Bush Veldt Carbineers were renamed to the Pietersburg Light Horse on 1 December 1901. The unit was employed in the extreme north of the Transvaal — officially designated as 'the wildest part' of that country.' LINK (www.angloboerwar.com)