AKRED, James Allen
| Service Numbers: | 691, 305 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Spalding, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom, 1867 |
| Home Town: | South Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 691 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 305, Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
| 18 May 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 305, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 475 notes 4th QIB embarked 18 May 1900 aboard Manchester Port arriving Beira 14 Jun 1900. | |
| 1 Jun 1900: | Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 485 notes promoted to Corporal on 1 Jun 1900. | |
| 10 Aug 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 305, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 477 notes 4th QIB embarked 5 Jul 1901 aboard Britannic returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 5 Aug 1901, disbanded 10 Aug 1901. | |
| 26 Sep 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 691, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 506 notes 2nd Draft of the 6th QIB embarked at Sydney 26 Sep 1901 aboard Harlech Castle arriving Cape Town 26 Oct 1901. | |
| 23 Jun 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 691, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 508 notes 6th QIB embarked at Durban 17 May 1902 aboard Devon returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 17 Jun 1902, disbanded 23 Jun 1902. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
James Allen Akred served twice in the South African (Boer) War. First service was as a Private rising to Corporal S.N. 305 in the 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen. Second service was as a Private S.N. 691 in the 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen.
(Source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 485 and 519).
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
James Allen Akred served twice in the South African (Boer) War. First service was as a Private rising to Corporal S.N. 305, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen. Newspaper reports on his return to Australia indicate he had attained the rank of Sergeant with the 4th QIB. Second service was as a Private S.N. 691, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (2nd Draft).
When he joined the 4th QIB in 1900 and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 19 May 1900, he noted his N.O.K. as Mrs. Cotton, Cnr. Allen and Water Sts., South Brisbane. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 4th QIB, Bk 1 p. 34, it is noted he directed part of his pay to his sister Mary Ann Catton, Cnr. Allen and Water Sts., South Brisbane. His sister Mary Ann Akred had married William Thurston Catton in Queensland in 1885.
The paybooks note he returned to Australia after the main body of the 4th QIB with official discharge in Brisbane on 23 Sep 1901. Very soon after he was selected in the Second Draft of the 6th QIB and embarked again for South Africa on 26 Sep 1901. All but one of the members of the draft had served previously in either the 3rd QMI or 4th QIB contingents in South Africa and were assembled as reinforcements for the 5th and 6th QIB contingents already in South Africa.
Men in the draft were not recorded in the original nominal roll for the 6th QIB. He is recorded however, in the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB (to which he was allotted), Bk 4 p. 132, where it is noted that any enquiries regarding him be directed to his sister Mrs. M. A. Catton, Wilton St, South Brisbane. The paybooks note he returned to Brisbane on 11 Aug 1902.
James Allen Akred was born in 1867 at Spalding, Licolnshire, England, a son to James Akred and Jane Akred (nee Crampton). His parents emigrated to Queensland aboard the ship Clara in 1874 settling in the South Brisbane area.
His younger brother Benjamin Charles Akred died in Toowoomba in 1891 and it appears James Allen Akred was also in Toowoomba with newspaper reports in 1890 indicating he was a subscriber to the Toowoomba Hospital. Prior to enlisting in 1900 he was residing in Brisbane with little information found on his life after returning from the war.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 485 and 519; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 4th QIB, Bk 1 p. 34, and 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 132; "England and Wales, Census, 1871", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRXT-H6Z : Tue Oct 08 22:49:34 UTC 2024), Entry for James Akred and Jane Akred, 1871).
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