Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Henry Oliver WALFORD was born in South Yarra, Victoria in 1866

His parents were William Farish WALFORD and Annie WAUGH

He married Emma JENNINGS in South Yarra in 1890

Henry was Killed in Action at Koster River, South Africa on 21st July, 1900 and is buried in the Rustenburg Cemetery

Henry Oliver Walford was an experienced bushman and prospector. His father William Farish Walford was Gulgong Deputy Sheriff according the Sydney Morning Herald (4 August 1900). Gulgong was a gold mining town in New South Wales.

Henry was once a mine manager at the Bullumwaal Gold Mine in Victoria's East Gippsland. He was likely a member of the Bullumwaal Rifle Club at that time. For he was described as crack shot. Henry received a marksmen badge after enlisting at Langwarrin Camp.

He was physically tall and well built at six feet. Henry was assessed in the strict 3VBC selection process and found to be a superior horseman.

That mitigated the fact that this married man was over thirty when he volunteered. Unmarried men in their Twenties were the target cohort to avoid paying a widows pension.  

Henry was but one bushie who had answered the call to arms when the Colonial Government announced that a contingent of Victoria Citizen Bushmen would be raised. That object was to counter the Boer Commando. For it was irregular mounted warfare on the veldt. The Regular British Army Regiments of Horse and Foot were not effective against the elusive Boer Commando.       

Henry would have seen Transvaal War service as his duty to HM Queen Victoria's Empire. However, less than one in ten applicants passed the strict 3VBC riding and shooting tests. For the Victorian Colonial Government who had raised, equipped and dispatched 3VBC wanted to showcase Australian Bushman Traits. 

Hence the standards were high to protect the well entrenched myths propagated by The Bulletin bards.

Banjo Paterson for example was a Bulletin Journalist and a bush poet. He served in South Africa as a war correspondent. He was but one Bulletin Bard who cultivated the powerful myth of the self reliant bushman to contrast with oppressive city working conditions.  

The bushman strategy used by the Victorian Colonial Government worked. For the Imperial Government subsequently raised, equipped and armed Imperial Bushmen Contingents from the Australian colonies. 

Hence there was no time to teach applicants to ride and shoot. The "Bushies" as they were called had to possess those skills. For they were to be deployed after a few weeks in camp to turn raw recruits into mounted infantry.   

Henry was a comrade of mum's grandad, TPR Richard Palmer [617] A Sqn 3VBC. For they both served in A Sqn 3VBC and fought together. Their rank was Private upon enlistment. They were promoted to Trooper in Rhodesia after being amalgamated with the 3rd West Australian Bushmen to invade the Transvaal with the Rhodesian Field Force.

The action at Koster's River in the Transvaal on 21 July 1900 was their baptism of fire. It was their first fire fight. Their long mounted column was ambushed. The Boers used long range mauser rifles to get the column dismounted and immobilized. The Boers targeted 3VBC horses. It was easier to kill a horse at long range with a mauser than a Trooper.

Tragically, Henry was killed but his comrade Richard survived that action. However, there is an issue with the date of Henry's death. 

Lt Col P L Murray states in his 'Official Records of the Australian Contingents to the War in South Africa' (1911) on page 247, that PTE WATFORD, Henry Oliver [488] 3VBC died of wounds at Koster River on 23 July 1900. This was two days after the action on 21 July 1900. Likewise "That Ragged Mob" being the service record of the Victorian Bushmen's Contigents (2009) cites the 1911 Official Records to state not KIA on 21 July 1900 but DOW on 23 July 1900.  

However, AWM plus Trove death notices state he was KIA on 21 July 1900. Either way, Henry was killed.

Lest We Forget.