BUCKINGHAM, Alfred George Kearnan
| Service Numbers: | 188, 1700 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles |
| Born: | Callington, South Australia, Australia, 7 November 1880 |
| Home Town: | Yea, Murrindindi, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Unknown |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Rhenoster Kop, South Africa, 23 July 1901, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Boer War Memorial (Queen Victoria Square), Melbourne - 5th Contingent Victorian Mounted Rifles, Yea St. Luke's Anglican Church Sergeant Alfred Buckingham Memorial Plaque, Yea War Memorial |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 188, 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 188, 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles | |
| 13 Jan 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 188, 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles, Ship Euryalus | |
| 23 Jul 1901: | Involvement Sergeant, 1700, 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles |
OBITUARY
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/59951692#
Yea Chronicle (Yea, Vic. : 1891 - 1920), Thursday 1 August 1901, page 3
SERGEANT ALFRED BUCKINGHAM'S DEATH By the death of Sergeant Buckingham at Rhenoster Kop this district has lost the first of her citizen soldiers who has been killed in action in the service of his country. The deceased left here with the 2nd contingent, and, after seeing several small fights, was struck down by enteric fever.
He was invalided to England, whence he returned to South Africa and rejoined his old regiment at the front, where he had a much larger experience of war than on the first occasion. When the 2nd contingent were ordered back to Victoria, he obtained leave to accompany them as far as Cape Town, having previously accepted the position of Sergeant in the 5th contingent into which corps he was consequently drafted.
Again going North with his new comrades, Sergeant Buckingham has been actively engaged in pursuit of the enemy until his services were so suddenly ended. No details are yet to hand, save that, on Wednesday of last week, he met with a gallant death at the hands of his country's foes at Rhenoster Kop, in the extreme North of the Orange River Colony.
Sergeant Buckingham,resided in the neighbourhood of Yea for about six years prior to his departure for South Africa. He was the eldest son of Mr. James Buckingham, formerly of this town but now of Tallangatta, and was well and favourably known throughout this district where the news of his death in discharge of his honorable and dangerous duties was received with sincere and profound regret.
As a token of respect to the memory of the brave soldier, all the flags in the town have been raised, since the receipt of the sad news, half mast high.
Submitted 23 July 2019 by Elizabeth Allen
Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Alfred George Kearnan BUCKINGHAM was born on 7th November, 1880 in Callington, South Australia
His parents were James Wildren Andrew Bath BUCKINGHAM & Bridget Catherine (Kate) KEARNAN who married in South Australia in 1878
He was employed by his Father on the Azwarby Estate for some time before he enlisted to serve in the Boer War
He embarked with the 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles (SN 188) as a Private on 13th January, 1900 on the ship Euryalus and was invaluded to England with enteric fever then drafted to the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles in South Africa where he served as a Sergeant (see attached story for futher details)
Alfred was Killed in Action at Rhenoster Kop, South Africa on 23rd July, 1901
There is a Memorial plaque in his memory at St Lukes Anglican Church in Yea, Victoria
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