CHRISTIE, William James
| Service Numbers: | 175, 1928 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 11 February 1902, Lytton, Brisbane, Qld. |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse |
| Born: | Gatton, Queensland, Australia, 18 September 1874 |
| Home Town: | Gatton, Lockyer Valley, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer, Labourer, Furnace Man- South African Railways |
| Died: | Senility, Cerebral Thrombosis, Grangrene of Leg, Edevale Hospital, Germiston, Gauteng, South Africa, 2 June 1953, aged 78 years |
| Cemetery: |
Westpark Cemetery, Randburg, Gauteng, South Africa |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 175, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Sergeant, 1928, 3rd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse | |
| 1 Nov 1899: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 175, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 448 notes 1st QMI embarked 1 Nov 1899 aboard Cornwall arriving Cape Town 13 Dec 1899. | |
| 23 Jan 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 175, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 449 notes 1st QMI embarked 13 Dec 1900 returning to Australia aboard Orient arriving Brisbane 17 Jan 1901, disbanded 23 Jan 1901. | |
| 11 Feb 1902: | Enlisted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 1928, 3rd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, Lytton, Brisbane, Qld. | |
| 25 Mar 1902: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 1928, 3rd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 527 notes 3rd BACH embarked 25 Mar 1902 aboard Englishman arriving Durban 10 May 1902. | |
| 19 Aug 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 1928, 3rd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 527 notes 3rd BACH embarked at Durban 11 Jul 1902 aboard Drayton Grange returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 13 Aug 1902, disbanded 19 Aug 1902. |
Help us honour William James Christie's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Daryl Jones
Son of David CHRISTIE and Ellen nee SWANSON, Gatton, Qld.
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
William James Christie served twice in the South African (Boer) War. First service was as a Private S.N. 175, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry. Second service was as a Sergeant S.N. 1928, 3rd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse.
When he first enlisted in 1899 in the 1st QMI and his details were published with the rank and file in The Brisbane Courier, 18 Nov 1899, he was recorded as Private W. J. Christie, single, Gatton. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 27, it is noted he directed part of his pay to D. Christie (his father), Lockyer's Creek, Gatton.
The paybooks also record that, like a number of the men, he was seconded to the South African Police between 19 Jun 1900 and 1 Jul 1900. He served the full tour of the 1st QMI returning to Brisbane where he was discharged 23 Jan 1901.
He enlisted again in 1902 in the 3rd BACH and on his Attestation Paper, dated 11 Feb 1902, it is noted that; he was born at Gatton and was 27 years 5 months of age, he was single and a farmer; his N.O.K. was his father David Christie, Gatton; and he had previously served with the 1st QMI. He served the full tour of the 3rd BACH but it is uncklear wther he returned to Australia or took his discharge in South Africa, as civil records show he was living in South Africa prior to 1904.
William James Christie was born on 18 Sep 1874 at Gatton, a son to David Christie and Ellen Christie (nee Swanson). By 1904 he was living at Durban, South Africa, working as a labourer, when on 22 Nov 1904 he married Florence Marley and they had 3 children between 1905 and 1911. At some point after 1911 they relocated to Johannesburg where he had been working as a furnace man with South African Railways prior to his passing in 1953.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 452 and 527; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier 1st and 2nd services; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 27; "South Africa, Natal, Civil Marriages, 1845-1955", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDCG-4NC : Sat Mar 09 21:10:38 UTC 2024), Entry for William James Christie and Florence Marley, 22 Nov 1904.; "South Africa, Transvaal, Civil Death, 1869-1954", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WCV1-YF6Z : Thu Mar 07 22:06:07 UTC 2024), Entry for William James Christie, 2 Jun 1953.)