Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Richard Guy Dutton is recorded as having served with three Qld contingents in the South African (Boer) War though he only embarked twice from Australia. First service was as a Private S.N. 118, 2nd Queensland Mounted Infantry. Second service was as a Private rising to Sergeant S.N. 675, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (1st Draft). Third was as a Sergeant S.N. 675 rising to Lieutenant, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen.

When he joined the 2nd QMI in 1899/1900 and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 20 Jan 1900, he was noted as single and from Roma. He was invalided from service to England from where he returned to Brisbane and was discharged 13 Mar 1901.

Not long after he was selected in the First Draft of the 6th QIB and embarked again for South Africa in Aug 1901. The members of the draft mainly consisted of men who had served in previous 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 but he is recorded in the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB (to which he was allotted), Bk 4 p. 110. While serving with the 5th QIB he was promoted to Lieutenant.

When the 5th QIB returned to Australia a number of the men remained in South Africa for various reasons. The Brisbane Courier, 16 May 1902, notes when the 5th QIB embarked to return to Australia that, Lieutenant R. G. Dutton, remained in South Africa for further service. The Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB notes he was discaharged 9 Aug 1902 returning to Brisbane 10 Sep 1902. He married a couple of months later.

Richard Guy Dutton was born in about 1859 at Clapham, Surrey, England, a son to Charles Morgan Dutton and Julia Dutton. It hasn't been ascertained when he emigrated to Australia, but by 1985 he was living in the Roma district and working as the Station Manager at Ballaroo Station. After returning from the war he married Mary Stanislaus O'Sullivan on 12 Nov 1902 in Queensland and they settled in the Roma district. 

He resumed pursuing his pastoral interests and later became a Stock Inspector. His obituary, transcribed below, noted he was living with incapacities in his last few years. About 12 months prior to his passing he had travelled to England to visit his sister in Surrey, and was still on that trip when he passed in 1930.

Richard Guy Dutton- The Western Star, 9 Jul 1930, p. 2.

Mrs. R. G. Dutton, Warwick, received news by cable of the death of her husband in London on Saturday last. Mr. Dutton went to England about a year ago, on a visit to his sister, Mrs. Walter Butler, of Heyward Park, Surrey. Mr. Dutton had been an invalid for years. He was well known in the Roma district, and about 35 years ago was manager of Ballaroo station, and was a keen cricketer, representing the Country in what were always annual fixtures, Country v. Town matches. He served in the South African war with the Second Queensland contingent, under Col. Ken Hutchison. After coming back to Queensland, he again followed his pastoral pursuits, and later joined the Department of Agriculture and Stock, and was stationed at Roma as Stock Inspector for some years. Old residents of the Maranoa will regret to hear of his death.

(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 462, 493 & 519; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 2nd QMI, Bk 1 p. 38, and 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 111).