BOYCE, Samuel
| Service Number: | 421 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Rosalie Plains, Queensland, Australia, 18 January 1873 |
| Home Town: | Toowoomba, Toowoomba, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Taxi Driver |
| Died: | Heart Failure, Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia, 26 September 1947, aged 74 years |
| Cemetery: |
Charters Towers Monumental & Lawn Cemetery, Queensland Plot: LYND, Section 24, Plot 461, Grave # 10567 |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 421 | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 421, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 506 notes 6th QIB embarked at Pinkenba 4 Apr 1901 aboard Victoria arriving Cape Town 2 May 1901. | |
| 2 Mar 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 421, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 6th QIB, Bk 2 p. 198, notes invalided returned to Australia aboard Whakatane arriving Brisbane 24 Feb 1902, discharged 2 Mar 1902. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
When he enlisted in 1901 in the 6th QIB and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 13 Apr 1901, he noted his N.O.K. as Mrs. J. Evans, Jondaryan. In the original nominal roll for th 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent, held by National Archives, his N.O.K. is recorded as being his sister. His sister Isabella Boyce had married Joseph Evans in 1889 and was nominated as N.O.K. as his parents had passed prior to him enlisting.
Samuel Boyce was born on 18 Jan 1873 at Rosalie Plains, a son to James Boyce and Sarah Ann Boyce (nee Lackie). After discharge from the Boer war he had worked as a taxi driver in Toowoomba before venturing to Mt Isa and Hughenden.
As reported in The Norther Miner (Charters Towers), 22 Sep 1947, he was a resident at Eventide Home (for the aged), Charters Towers, when he went missing on Thursday 18 Sep 1947 while attempting to walk back to the home via a back road from a venue he had visited.
He became lost and continued wandering day and night in the bush until found at midday Saturday 20 Sep 1947, some 18 miles from Charters Towers, by a rural property owner. When found he was suffering dehydration with a badly swollen tongue, was covered in scratches after falling a number of times and had been without food. He was taken back to Eventide Home and admitted to the hospital ward and appeared to be resting comfortably. The ordeal though must have taken a toll given he passed a few days later.
(AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 517; National Archives Australia- B 5172 Nominal Roll of 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Queensland Defence Force for service in South Africa, p. 6; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 6th QIB, Bk 2 p. 198; newspaper articles- see links).