Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William Saultry was enlisted as William Soultry in 1901. His name is misspelt on the 5VMR Muster Roll. He would have been asked to state his name and age.

Hence, AWM Boer War Nominal Records contain errors.

His name was spelt correctly in his 1901 Melbourne Leader 5VMR Soldier I.D. portrait plus on his South African Death certificate. Likewise on his KwaZulu Natal 2nd Anglo-Boer War Memorial and back home in Melbourne on St Kilda's South African War Memorial.

Family Records:

William was named after his father. He was born in Northcote in Melbourne in 1869. The son of William Saultry and Margery McDonald. The couple had had two daughters and three sons including William (Jnr).

The family lived in Port Melbourne. Bill was he would have been known, worked as a labourer in Port Melbourne. He answered the call to arms. Bill volunteered to fight for King and Empire in 1901.

He was a good horseman and passed the strict riding test. It is likely that Bill understated his age in order to enlist. For he was 31 years old not 30 years old which was the maximum age.

Bill had two weeks training before embarking on the SS Orient. The training period was short because only those who could ride and shoot were enlisted in 5VMR.

His unit, 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles, suffered the heaviest casualties amongst all the Australian Boer War Contingents.

That was primarily because Boer Commandos attacked their 5VMR bivouac in the Transvaal at Wilmansrust Farm on 12 June 1901. Nineteen 5VMR Soldiers including one Officer were KIA. The fallen Officer was their Regimental Surgeon. That fact may have contributed to the large number of wounded who died without immdediate medical care.

However, five officers plus thirty six men who were WIA did survive that Boer launched night attack.

This debacal became known as the "Wilmansrust Incident". It resulted in a British Court of Inquiry to blame 5VMR Officers and men for the failure of their picquets, perhaps unfairly. For thay had followed King's Regulations including the stacking their arms.

However Boer Commandos used stealth at night, to approach very close before launching their suprise attack on the 5VMR Wilmansrust Farm Encampment.

Bill however survived the Boer bullets only to fall victim to Enteric Fever. He died in No 1 Stationary Hospital in Charlestown, Natal Colony on 11 Jan 1902.  

Enteric Fever as Tythoid was called, claimed about one half of all the Australian Boer War casualties. For this was a time before antibiotics and modern medicine.

Contaminated water and lack of hygiene while campaigning on the veldt was the prime cause.        

Bill received a posthumous QSA with five clasps. 

Lest We Forget. 

References cited:

Melbourne Leader Newspaper's 15 Feb 1901 page six Supplement. His 5VMR Soldier Portrait is newspaper photo number 565, subtitled Saultry [1489]. 

"A Matter of Honour" 2017 Ed. 5VMR Book page 448.

South African Death Certificate No 41 Charlestown as registered in the District of Newcastle in the Colony of Natal on 15 Feb 1902. His Date of Death is 11 Jan 1902. Cause of Death: Enteric Fever.

The British 2nd Anglo Boer War Memorial in Newcastle, in the KwaZulu Natal Province has his correct surname spelling. 

St Kilda South African War Memorial likewise has correct spelling. PTE W SAULTRY.