KIDD, Alexander Cathro
| Other Name: | Kidd, Alexander - Australian War Memorial - Boer War Nominal Rolls |
|---|---|
| Service Numbers: | 108, 462, Officer |
| Enlisted: | 18 May 1902, Wilston, Brisbane, Qld. |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Brighty Fife, Scotland, 4 March 1877 |
| Home Town: | Helidon, Lockyer Valley, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer, Soldier |
| Died: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 15 July 1955, aged 78 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, NSW Rose Gardens, Garden G3, Position 24 |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Corporal, 108, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov 1899: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 108, 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. | |
| 25 Aug 1900: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 108, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 58, notes invalided returned to Australia aboard Aberdeen arriving in Brisbane on 18 Aug 1900, discharged 25 Aug 1900. | |
| 18 May 1902: | Enlisted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Trooper, 462, 7th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, Wilston, Brisbane, Qld. | |
| 19 May 1902: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Squadron Sergeant Major, 462, 7th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 530 notes 7th BACH embarked at Pinkenba 19 May 1902 aboard Custodian arriving Durban 22 Jun 1902 after peace had been declared. | |
| 9 Aug 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Squadron Sergeant Major, 462, 7th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 530 notes 7th BACH embarked at Durban 28 Jun 1902 aboard Manchester Merchant returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 2 Aug 1902, disbanded 9 Aug 1902. |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Nov 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, 1st to 15th (NSW) Reinforcements | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Jun 1918: | Embarked 1st to 15th (NSW) Reinforcements, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '20' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Field Marshal embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 20 Jun 1919: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Officer, 3rd Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Alexander Cathro Kidd'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 George KIDD, Iredale, Helidon, Qld.
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Note- he is recorded on various different records as Alexander Kidd and as Alexander Cathro Kidd.
He served twice in the South African (Boer) War under the name Alexander Kidd and again in WW1 under the name Alexander Cathro Kidd. First service was as a Corporal S.N. 108, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, Boer War. Second service was as a Squadron Sergeant-Major S.N. 462, 7th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, Boer War. Third service was as a Lieutenant, 3rd Infantry Battalion AIF, WW1.
He had been a member of the Queensland Defence Force (QDF), Queensland Mounted Infantry since 1 Mar 1895, prior to enlisting for the Boer war. When he first enlisted in 1899 with the 1st QMI and his details were published with the rank and file in The Brisbane Courier, 18 Nov 1899, he was recorded as Corporal A. Kidd, single, Iredale via Helidon. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 58, it is noted he directed part of his pay to Mr. G. Kidd (his father), Iredale, Helidon.
He was invalided from service with the 1st QMI returning to Brisbane, aboard Aberdeen, where he was discharged on 25 Aug 1900. It appears following his discharge he returned to farming with his father for a short period before joining the Instructional Staff of the QDF on 1 Mar 1901.
He enlisted again with the 7th BACH for the Boer War in 1902 and on his Attestation Form, dated 18 May 1902, it was noted that; he was born at Brighty, Fife, Scotland and was 25 years 2 months of age; he was single and a soldier; his N.O.K. was his father George Kidd, Iredale, Helidon; and he had previously served in South Africa with the 1st QMI.
The battalion arrived in South Africa after peace had been declared and embarked just 6 days after arrival to return to Brisbane where they were disbanded on 9 Aug 1902. He then joined the instructional staff of the Commonwealth/Australian Military Forces serving in Queensland until 13 Mar 1903 when he transferred to New South Wales commencing at Goulburn on 18 Mar 1903. He later relocated to Victoria Barracks in Sydney.
While living in NSW and serving on the instructional staff of the military, he enlisted again for WW1 in 1917 and also applied for a commission which was approved at the rank of Lieutenant. On his Attestation Paper and Commission Application, dated 5 Nov 1917, he noted that; he was born at Brighty, Dundee, Scotland on 4 Mar 1877; he was married and a Warrant Officer with the Aust. Military Forces; his N.O.K. was his wife Kathleen Kidd, Maud St, Nth. Goulburn, NSW; and he had previously served with the QDF, 1st QMI and 7th BACH in South Africa, and on the instructional staff of the A.M.F.
After serving in France and England he was returned to Australia where his appointment with the AIF was terminated on 30 Sep 1919. He then returned to the instructional staff of the military in NSW. He was retired from service on 5 Mar 1937 with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He reappeared in 1939 acting as the recruitment officer of ex-servicemen in Sydney to serve in home front garrisons during WW2, to man guard posts ordinarily staffed by members of the militia.
George Cathro Kidd was born on 4 Mar 1877 at Brighty, Fife (or Dundee), Scotland, a son to George Blair Kidd and Agnes Dewar Kidd (nee Cathro). His parents emigrated with their young and expanding family to Queensland in 1883 settling at iredale near Helidon where they farmed. Alexander married Kathleen Fox on 10 May 1905 at Goulburn and they would have 5 children in NSW.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 451 and 531; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier 2nd Service; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 58; National Archives Australia- Australian Instructional Corps Service Record; National Archives Australia- WW1 Service Record; various newspaper articles- see links).
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