THURSTON, John Bates Milne
| Service Numbers: | 420, 92 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 March 1901, Re-engaged at Camp Karakatta in Perth to serve again in South Africa. Enlisted as a Sergeant because of his previous active service. |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 6th Western Australian Mounted Infantry |
| Born: | Fiji, 11 February 1877 |
| Home Town: | Perth, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Stockman |
| Died: | Pneumonia & Enteric Fever, No 17 General Hospital, Standerton, Mpumalanga, South Africa, 30 December 1901, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Standerton Garden Of Remembrance, Mpumalanga, South Africa |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, WA Kings Park Boer War Memorial |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 92, 2nd Western Australian Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Sergeant, 420, 6th Western Australian Mounted Infantry | |
| 3 Feb 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 92, 2nd Western Australian Mounted Infantry, Embarked at Fremantle on the Troop Transport ship "Surrey". Disembarked at Cape Town on 24th February 1900. | |
| 24 Feb 1900: | Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 92, 2nd Western Australian Mounted Infantry | |
| 14 Mar 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 92, 2nd Western Australian Mounted Infantry, Ship Maplemore | |
| 7 Nov 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 92, 2nd Western Australian Mounted Infantry, R.T.A. from Cape Town on Transport ship "Wooloomooloo". Disembarked at Fremantle on 8th December 1900. | |
| 7 Mar 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 92, 2nd Western Australian Mounted Infantry, Awarded Queens South Africa Medal. | |
| 14 Mar 1901: | Enlisted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 420, 6th Western Australian Mounted Infantry, Re-engaged at Camp Karakatta in Perth to serve again in South Africa. Enlisted as a Sergeant because of his previous active service. | |
| 10 Apr 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 420, 6th Western Australian Mounted Infantry, Embarked at Fremantle on Transport ship "Ulstermore". Disembarked at Durban on 29th April 1901. | |
| 29 Apr 1901: | Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 420, 6th Western Australian Mounted Infantry | |
| 30 Dec 1901: | Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, 420, 6th Western Australian Mounted Infantry | |
| 30 Dec 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 420, 6th Western Australian Mounted Infantry, D.O.D. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
John Bates Milne THURSTON was born in Fiji on 11th February, 1877
His parents were Henry Charles THURSTON & Jane (Irene) MILNE who married in Fiji in 1875 - his father was the Postmaster in Fiji at one stage
He served in both the 2nd Western Australian Mounted Infantry as a Private and the 6th Western Australian Mounted Infantry as a Sergeant
John died of Pneumonia and Enteric Fever on 30th December, 1901 at Standerton, South Africa
His name is memorialised on the Standerton War Memorial
He was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal with clasps
Biography contributed by Maurice Kissane
When John Bates Milne Thurston was born in Fiji in 1877, he was named after his uncle. However his full name included Milne which was his mother's maiden name.
His father, Henry Charles Thurston was the Fiji Postmaster. Henry was likely appointed to that position by his own brother John who was Acting Premier. John Bates Thurston had served in the merchant marine plus he had farmed in Australia. He had ended up in Fiji after surviving a shipwreck. He made a fresh start. He was employed by the British consulate. He became a consul and eventually became Colonial Secretary.
When John was 10 years old, his uncle was Kighted by Queen Victoria. Sir John Bates Thurston was appointed Governor and Commander in Chief of the Colony of Fiji in 1888. He died at sea enroute to Melbourne in 1897.
John by then had migrated to the Colony of Western Australia. The Kalgoorlie Goldfields may have been the carrot. However, he was good horseman and found work as a Stockman.
The Transvaal War as it was called began when the Boers invaded British Colonies to besiege townships.
John was amongst the first to volunteer. His did so when when he read that mounted contingents would be riased. John would have seen this as his chance to demonstrate his loyalty by fighting for HM The Queen and Her Empire.
He easily passed the riding and shooting selection tests. John was enlisted into the 2nd Western Australian Mounted Infantry. He served as a Private.
He saw a lot of action repelling Boer attacks during the the Battle of Diamond Hill plus at other Transvaal locations. He survived his Boer War service and was repatriated. He was discharged with the QSA medal.
John was now a veteran. However he went back to Camp Karakatta in Perth to volunteer for the 6th Western Australian Mounted Infantry, then in camp.
He would have been interviewed at Karakatta by Major Campbell. He was the W.A. Colonial Force's Chief Staff Officer. He enlisted John as a 6th WAMI Sergeant. His demonstrated leadership skills under fire in 2nd WAMI would have earned him his 6th WAMI stripes.
He again saw much action. However, the real killer was not Boer bullets but ever present disease. For about one half of the Boer War caulities died from disease.
SGT THURSTON, John Bates Milne [420] 6th WAMI died from disease on 30 December 1901. He died in the Transvaal where he had fought. Lest We Forget.
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