HORTON, George Cooper
| Service Numbers: | 666, 184, 2697 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 August 1901 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 49th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Yengarie, Queensland, Australia, 9 March 1873 |
| Home Town: | Bundaberg, Bundaberg, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Carpenter, Train Driver |
| Died: | Chronic Myocarditis, General Hospital- Pretoria, South Africa, 31 October 1940, aged 67 years |
| Cemetery: |
New Cemetery, Staatsartillerie Road, Philip Nel Park Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa |
| Memorials: | Bundaberg Christ Church Roll of Honour |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 666 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 184, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
| 1 Mar 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 184, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 463 notes the 3rd embarked 1 Mar 1900 aboard Duke of Portland arriving Cape Town 2 Apr 1901. | |
| 21 Jun 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 184, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 465 notes the 3rd embarked 9 May 1901 from Cape Town returning to Australia aboard Morayshire arriving Sydney 7 Jun 1901 (by rail to Brisbane), disbanded 21 Jun 1901. | |
| 20 Aug 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 666, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 506 notes Horton was in first draft leaving Brisbane by rail 18 Aug 1901 to embark in Sydney on 20 Aug 1901 aboard Britannic arriving Cape Town 22 Sep 1901. | |
| 20 Aug 1901: | Enlisted Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 666, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
| 28 Mar 1902: | Enlisted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Doyle’s Australian Scouts |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Aug 1915: | Embarked Private, 2697, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Kyarra, Brisbane | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Aug 1915: | Involvement Private, 2697, 9th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Kyarra embarkation_ship_number: A55 public_note: '' | |
| 27 Feb 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 49th Infantry Battalion | |
| 13 Sep 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 49th Infantry Battalion | |
| 7 Jul 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Sergeant, 49th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
George Cooper Horton served twice in the South African (Boer) War an again in WW1. He first served as a Private S.N. 184 in the 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry and second as a Private S.N. 666 in the 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (Doyle's Scouts). A newspaper report 16 May 1902 notes he remained in South Africa for further duties when the rest of 6th QIB returned to Australia, the date of his return and discharge is not given. (source Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 471 & 519- see note bottom of page).
He served in WW1 as a Private (promoted to L/Cpl. the L/Serg.) S.N. 2697 in the 49th Battalion AIF (source National Archives Australia WW1 service record).
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
George Cooper Horton served twice in the South African (Boer) War and again in WW1. First service was as a Private S.N. 184, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, Boer war. Second service was as a Private S.N. 666, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (1st Draft), Boer war. Third service was as a Private rising to Lance Sergeant S.N. 2697, 49th Infantry Battalion AIF, WW1.
When he joined the 3rd QMI in 1900 and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 3 Mar 1900, he noted his N.O.K. as Mrs. E. J. Pierce, Taylor's Siding, Crow's Nest Line. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 3rd QMI, Bk 3 p. 5, it is noted he directed part of his pay to his sister Mrs. Annie Pierce, Taylor's Siding, Crows Nest, Toowoomba. He served the full tour of the 3rd QMI and was returned to and discharged in Brisbane on 20 Jun 1901.
Almost immediately he volunteered for 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 was recorded in the Boer War Service Paybooks of the 5th QIB (to which he was allotted), Bk 4 p. 102.
The Brisbane Courier, 16 May 1902, notes when the 5th QIB embarked to return to Australia that, S.N. 666, Private Geo. C. Horton, remained in South Africa for further service. The Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 102, notes he embarked for England to be part of the Coronation Contingent but does not give either a date of discharge or return to Australia. It appears he returned to South Africa where he married in 1908. It then appears they returned to Australia prior to 1915.
He enlisted again in Brisbane in 1915 for WW1 and his Attestation Paper, dated 2 Jul 1915, notes that; he was born in Queensland and was 42 years 4 months of age; he was married and a carpenter; his N.O.K. was wife Mrs. M. D. Horton, Boundary St, Bundaberg (later changed to Wynnum, Qld); and he had previously served with the 3rd QMI in the Boer war. It appears after he returned and was discharged, he and his wife returned to live in South Africa.
George Cooper Horton was born on 9 Mar 1873 at Yengarie via Maryborough, Qld, a son to George Horton and Ann Horton (nee Cooper). He married Mary Douglas Stokoe Clarke on 14 May 1908 at Nylstroom, Waterberg, Transvaal, South Africa. At the time they married he was 36 years of age working as a contractor and his wife was 40 years of age (born in England), a widow, and a housekeeper. It appears they had no children, and when he passed in 1940 his last occupation was recorded as train driver.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 471 & 519; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 3rd QMI, Bk 3 p. 5, and 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 102; National Archives Australia- WW1 service record; "South Africa, Transvaal, Probate Records from the Master of the Supreme Court, 1869-1961", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP8N-W4YF : Sat Mar 09 04:57:52 UTC 2024), Entry for George Cooper Horton, 1940.; "South Africa, Transvaal, Civil Marriages, 1870-1931", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPW5-LKP9 : Fri Mar 08 10:22:49 UTC 2024), Entry for George Cooper Horton and Mary Douglas Stokoe Clarke, 14 May 1908.)
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