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CLANCY, Peter James, Private #279, 4QIB, H Company – Killed in Action


This photo, by Tosca, appeared in The Queenslander, Illustrated Supplement of 19 May 1900, page 940S, as one of the 4th Contingent of Queensland Bushmen. Source Picture Queensland, and John Oxley Library, State Library of Qld. It can be found on the Trove website.

The information which follows has been compiled by Mrs Mary Metcalfe of Brisbane who was researching the men who comprised the 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen contingent to the Second Boer War in South Africa. They sailed from Brisbane on the ‘Manchester Port’ on 18 May 1900. Her grandfather, Alexander Beveridge Cunningham, of Clifton, Queensland, was #344 of the contingent, and may have been one of the longest survivors, as he died on 12 September 1974 in Toowoomba, Queensland, aged 97 years.

Historian Paul Taro Seto, of Caloundra, Queensland is a great nephew of #347 Victor Arthur Hair. Paul’s interest in the latter’s involvment in the 4QIB led him to a point where he compiled a collection of personal stories on the men. The material has been sourced by him and Mary Metcalfe from the digitised newspapers on the National Library of Australia Trove website, substantiated by research at Queensland State Archives, Australian War Memorial, State Library of Queensland (John Oxley), and Official Records of the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa, compiled and edited for the Department of Defence by Lt-Colonel P.L. Murray, R.A.A. (Ret.) 1911.

On 11 July 2014, Mary Metcalfe discovered that the date of death for Peter James Clancy which appears on the public monument in Hay, is not the date on which this soldier is reputed to have been killed.

Please refer to the individual paysheet record from the Paybooks at Queensland State Archives – page 88 for Peter James Clancy, Item ID8868/ Previous system DEF/11/ Microfilm Z4203. This record is naturally QSA copyright. His date of death is there recorded as 25 September 1900, and the newspaper articles which follow bear this out. Murray Nominal Roll page 485 for #279 also has the September date.

The Riverine Grazier (HAY) Friday 24 August 1900 pg 2:
WITH THE BUSHMEN'S CONTINGENT. Letter from a District Member.
Mr J. R. Clancy, of the Nine-Mile Box, has two sons with the British forces in South Africa. One, Mr William Clancy, is with the New South Wales Bushmen, and the other, Mr Peter Clancy, is with the Queenslanders. From the latter, Mrs Clancy has received two letters, from which we take the following extracts : —
At sea, 21st June. 'We are to get off the ship (Manchester Port) to-morrow at Capetown.' It has been terrible on board, as there is such a crowd of men and horses. So far, the men have been in good health, but we lost about fifteen horses. I think there was a disease amongst the English horses, and ours got it from them.' Pretoria, 10th July. ...' I have had a rough time since we arrived at Capetown. We were put into a train and sent right on to Bloemfontein. Then on to Kroonstad. We were seven days in the train, and it was rough. Then we were sent out in the country — the Orange Free State— after rebels, for a fortnight. We had no tents and were sleeping in the open every night. We are going out to fight Botha from here in the morning. We can hear the cannons roaring at the present moment, but I do not take any notice of it now, as this is my second time of being within firing distance of the Boers. From what I can hear from those who are here, this battle is going to be a big one, and I feel quite anxious to get in the fighting. You would hardly credit the pleasure it is to get news from home after being out here. We get no war news, as there are no papers printed here. The sights that I have witnessed since I came over are something terrible. We have come to towns deserted and ruined — merely the frames of the houses standing. It was a sight to see the Kroonstad railway blown up. It was a ruin. On the line from there to Pretoria all the bridges were in ruins. It is wonderful how quickly the British got the line in repair again. At one place the line was torn away for five miles. But you could not imagine what it was like without seeing it. I am writing this on the ground”.

Morning Bulletin, (Rockhampton, QLD.), Tuesday 9 October 1900, pg 5: More Queensland Casualties. According to yesterday's " Telegraph', his Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor has received from the High Commissioner of South Africa the following cablegram, dated October 6; "Lieutenant Higson, severely wounded; No. 279, Private Clancy, killed at Zandfontein, September 25; No. 210, Private Cook, No. 248, Private Redler, No. 74, Private Young, missing at Doorniegte, September 29; all Queensland bushmen." Lieutenant John Higson's Queensland address is care of Mr. F. Sturgess, Cribb-street, Milton. He is a son of Mr. Henry Higson, of Marburg, West Moreton. Private Peter James Clancy left as his address, "care of father, Hay, New South Wales."

The Riverine Grazier (HAY) Friday 12 October 1900 pg 2:
Mr. J. R. Clancy, of the Nine-Mile Box, yesterday received the following telegram from Lieutenant-Colonel Lyster, of Brisbane:—"Deeply regret to inform you cable received reporting death of Private Peter James Clancy, killed at Zandfontein on 25th September; accept sincere sympathy from Commandant and staff.' Mr. Peter Clancy was a native of Hay, and the eldest son of Mr. J. R. Clancy. He was twenty-seven years of age. The deceased soldier left Hay two years ago for Queensland, and was at Burketown when volunteers for the Imperial Bushmen were being invited. He joined the Queensland contingent of the Imperial Bushmen, and from his letters home he seemed to be taking an active part and an active interest in the war. When the news of his death reached Hay yesterday the greatest regret was expressed, and Mr. and Mrs. Clancy and their family, who are old and much respected residents of Hay, have the sympathy of all classes in their bereave- ment. Mr. William Clancy, a younger brother of the deceased, went to the war with the New South Wales contingent of Imperial Bushmen, but so far as is known the two brothers never met in South Africa.

The Queenslander, Saturday 13 October 1900 pg 2:
MORE CASUALTIES. QUEENSLANDERS IN SOUTH AFRICA.
A telegram has been received from the High Commissioner of South Africa, stating that Lieutenant Higson was severely wounded and (279) Clancy was killed at Zandfontein on 25th September; and also that (210) Cook, (248) Hilder, and (74) Young were missing at Doorniegte on 29th September last. It is added that all are members of the Queensland Bushmen's (Fourth) Contingent.

The Capricornian, Saturday 24 November 1900 pg 29:
AT THE FRONT WITH THE FOURTH CONTINGENT. (See segment on Peter Clancy herein)
LETTER FROM LIEUTENANT W. J. KELLAWAY.
Mrs. J. E. Kellaway, of Denison-street, is in receipt of a letter from her son Lieutenant W. J. Kellaway, who is now in South Africa serving in the Queensland detachment of the Imperial Bushmen's Contingent.

DEATH OF PRIVATE CLANCY.
I suppose by this time you have had the news of poor Lieutenant Higson's bad luck. He got wounded in the head at Zandfontein a few days ago. It was a narrow escape from instantaneous death. He bore up bravely, poor fellow, and walked about a quarter of a mile to get shelter, leaning on the arm of Corporal Symes. The Mauser bullet entered the right temple and came out at the left temple higher up. His frontal bone was smashed a good deal and the brain was showing. It was fortunate the doctors were handy and up with him in a few minutes. Drs. Both and Nesbit performed an operation on him immediately. They took out a few square inches of bone from his forehead and cleaned the brain. When we left he was doing pretty well and the doctors had some hope of his recovery; but the worst stage was coming on, so we are all anxiously awaiting some news of him. Private Clancy, who was with Lieutenant Higson, was killed by a Mauser bullet entering just at the apex of the heart. We buried him on the field and put up a cross to mark his last resting-place. A curious thing happened to Clancy which makes his death more touching. ' A bullet pierced his hat when we were advancing on a strong position held by the Boers on a stony ridge. He took off his hat and showing it to his mates said, 'Look, chaps; what do you think of this?” He was immediately shot again and fell to rise no more. He was a great favourite. He always had a pleasant smile on his face.

The Sydney Stock and Station Journal, Tuesday 30 October 1900 pg 3
DEATH. CLANCY.— Peter James Clancy, eldest son of Mr. J. R. Clancy, Hay, who was killed while on active service, Zandfontein, South Africa, September 25, aged 26 years. By his loving friend, Emily Wilson, North Sydney.

PETER JAMES CLANCY # 279 - original poem
Composed by Mary E. Metcalfe ©
8 April 2014
An obliesk stands tall
In the small of Hay
Commemorating the day
When one of their kinsman lay
down his life
For a cause known to all.

The young lady from Sydney
Wished fervently
He had returned safe and sound
And was there to be kissed
Oh how he was missed.
Alas, sadly it was not to be
For he gave up his life
While fighting with the 4QIB.

The above poem by me was motivated by this newspaper notice.

The Riverina Times, Hay Standard etc. Thursday 3 January 1901 pg 2:
The Late Trooper Clancy.
We have received the following from the Rev. J. B. Armstrong, for many years the respected incumbent of St. Paul's at Hay. Mr Armstrong's remarks and the extract from the Rev. C. V. P. Day's letter from the Veldt, will be particularly gratifying to the friends of the late Trooper Clancy and to the public generally: — Mr Day writes to the ' Church Chronicle, ' Brisbane— ' You will have heard by this time of the engagements which we have taken part in, and what success or failure attended them. Poor Clancy only lived a few minutes, and, after being shot through the lower part of the heart, he expressed a wish that he should be buried with his signet ring on. I had a grave dug close by where he fell, and just one or two of us laid him to rest just as he was, with the exception of one or two articles of value belonging to him, which I have in my possession until I can find some relatives. I read the service over him which was accompanied by the ping pangs of the rifles all round and the booming of the big guns. Poor Lieut. Higson was lying close by, too, just having been brought down the kopje with a very nasty bullet wound through the head. He was most plucky and brave with it, and insisted on trying to walk from the firing line. The strangest thing is that he has never lost consciousness; his head was terribly smashed in and he lost a good deal of brain material. We were bound, to leave him behind of course, and we have not heard since a word from the doctor how he fares.' (Lt. Higson survived and returned a second time to the front.)

'The Rectory, Stanhope, Queensland, December 28, 1900. Dear Mr. Andrew, — I notice mention of the death of Trooper Clancy in the ‘Riverina Times’ — on the appearance and style of which paper pray accept my congratulations — and it struck me that the Clancy in Mr Day's letter was possibly the same man. If so, his relatives will be deeply interested. Mr Day's address, when he returns will be Bishopsbourne, Brisbane. I know him well, and poor Clancy could hardly have had at his side one more sympathetic and helpful. I presume the denomination of the two men would be different, but at least the poor fellow had one at his side to pray with him and to read a Christian service over him when he was laid to rest. Yours, &c.,
J. B. ARMSTRONG.

The Brisbane Courier, Thursday 21 February 1901 pg 5:
From a private letter received in Brisbane some weeks ago from Captain Berry, the circumstances under which Lieutenant Higson was wounded may be gathered. Captain Berry says :- " We were camped at Zandfontein, and I had to put two pickets out, one of twenty-five men and an officer, and the other of ten men under a non-commissioned officer, with orders to double the pickets before daylight, and to send out a patrol from each at daylight. I went out with the men to double the pickets myself, and sent Lieutenant Higson out with twenty men to patrol to the front. I followed shortly after, but Lieutenant Higson came under fire first as we went up towards some rocky kopjes. I tried to get to the left, but there were too many Boers along the top to admit of our outflanking them, and the fire was pretty hot, the enemy behind the rocks and we in the grass at about 400 yards. I soon noticed one man on the right helping back a wounded man and saw that the latter was Lieutenant Higson. A minute or two afterwards I saw another—Private Clancy—being dragged back by the arms, and two of the horses on the ground. We got to cover with the wounded about 600 yards back, and sent for the doctor. When the doctor arrived he could do nothing for Private Clancy, who was shot through the left breast, except administer an injection of morphia in the arm to relieve the pain. Poor Clancy was dead in about twenty minutes.

The Riverine Grazier, Friday 3 May 1901 pg4:
A LETTER FROM THE FRONT. (Peter Clancy’s younger brother)
— -------- Trooper W. Clancy, son of Mr. J. Clancy, of the Nine Mile Box, Hay, writes as follows to his brother :— ' Klerkdorp, 20th February, 1901. Well, I have pulled through the war so far all right. We had a terrible battle with the enemy the day before yesterday (Monday, 18th Feb.) You are sure to see an account of it in the papers. The enemy made the best stand since the big battle at Magersfontein. Our general told us that it was only an hour and a half short of that big battle. The enemy held the position---- one of the worst passes in the Transvaal to take— and also we had to take a town occupied by the Boers close by. They were waiting for us— eight Boer generals and two thousand men. They told the English people of that town that it was impossible for us to take their positions and get through the pass. Well, there is no mistake we had to fight every inch of the way. Every man of us emptied our bandoliers — that is 150 rounds. We also put twelve hundred shells into them before shifting them. We were shooting at from 600 yards up to 25. We had to charge the trenches three times before we took them. All the cover we had was to lie flat on the ground amongst the grass. The khaki saved a lot of our lives, being the colour of the ground. Within fifty yards of me there were fifteen casualties. 'D' squadron was guarding the gun, a fifteen pounder. Trooper Trainer, of our squadron, was seriously wounded, the bullet passing through a packet of ten rounds of ammunition, and entering the small of his back. Arthur Bell is with us, and doing well. We got into Hartebeestefontein, the town the Boers were occupying. A big ridge of hills run across the face of the town, and the pass faces the main street. (His letter continues. William appears to have been with the 6th contingent of NSW Bushmen.)

The Riverine Grazier, Friday 8 May 1903 pg 3: THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR MEMORIAL.
The Unveiling Ceremony. An Imposing and Successful Function.
The ceremony of unveiling the local memorial to the Hay District volunteers who lost their lives in the South African war, took place on Wednesday, and was very successfully performed. We do not remember any local function which has attracted such a spontaneous and wide spread interest; nor do we think that any local event was ever witnessed by so many people. The attendance of the public could not have been less than two thousand, or about two-thirds the population of the municipality. Everything favored a large attendance. The day was a half holiday, the weather was perfect, the memorial was a worthy 0ne and well placed, and the occasion was unique. (This report also contains Chaplain C.V. P. Day’s report about Peter wishing to be buried with his signet ring on. See above.)