GELLAN, William
| Service Number: | 484 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Scotland, United Kingdom, 1869 |
| Home Town: | East Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Checker- Railway Department |
| Died: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 17 February 1948, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Balmoral Cemetery, Qld Plot: 16-23 |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 484, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 484, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 488 notes 5th QIB embarked at Pinkenba 6 Mar 1901 aboard Templemore arriving Port Elizabeth 1 Apr 1901. | |
| 5 Aug 1901: | Wounded Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 484, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 503, notes slightly wounded at Katdoombult Farm 5 Aug 1901. | |
| 13 Jun 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 484, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 3 p. 149, notes embarked 15 May 1902 returning to England aboard Manhattan with discharge in England from 13 Jun 1902. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
When William Gallen enlisted in 1901 and was entered in the original nominal roll for the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent, held by National Archives, his N.O.K. was recorded as his sister Mrs. J. J. Munro, Denny, Stirlingshire, Scotland. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB, Bk 3 p. 149, it is noted he did not return to Australia with the 5th QIB, instead returning to England where he was discharged in Jun 1902.
William Gallen was born in 1896 in the district of Nigg (Kincardine), Scotland, a son to William Gallen and Margaret Gallen (nee Chalmers). It is assumed after the war he returned to England to reunite with his family in Scotland, where in 1904 he married Margaret Charteris (Charters).
At least one of their three children was born in Scotland. At some point after 1907 they relocated their young family to Brisbane, Australia, where by 1915 he was employed as a checker with the Railway Department. When he passed in 1948 his funeral notice published in The Courier Mail, 18 Feb 1948, noted his Boer war service with the 5th QIB with a request for members of the African War Veterans Association to attend.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 503; National Archives Australia- B 5172 Nominal Roll of 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent Queensland Defence Force for service in South Africa, p. 8; Qld State Arcives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 3 p. 149; ScotlandsPeople online BDM registers).