Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of David McFARLANE and Miariam nee SMITH

Capt. S. C. McFarlane, D.S.O. who was killed on Saturday while fighting against the Zulus in Natal, was the son of Mr. D. M. McFarlane, late of Port Lincoln, but now of Fisher street, Malvern. He was born in the Angaston district of this State 28 years ago, and was a prominent Australian soldier in the South African war. He first went out as a trooper in the 2nd Western Australian Contingent, and was wounded at the Vet River, and sent to England. On return ing to South Australia he joined the 6th Imperial Bushmen's Corps as a lieutenant, under the command of Capt. Cornish. When the leader left for South Australia the command devolved upon Lieut.  McFarlane, who was given charge of the force,  and while acting in that capacity he rendered services which won for him the D.S.O. He remained in South Africa, and became adjutant to Col. Lyster's contingent. When the war was over Capt. McFarlane and his brother went into business in the Orange River Colony as farmers and stock dealers, and were successful. Capt. McFarlane achieved distinction in the South African war at the battle of Graspan. On one occasion, while lieutenant, he was sent with a company to seek relief for his regiment, which was in difficulties. The whereabouts of De Lisle's column was unknown, but he was instructed to find it, if possible, without engaging any of the enemy's scouts. When they had got over a rise the company were waylaid by Boers, and found themselves in a perfect hail of rifle fire. McFarlane resolved to make a dash through the enemy's country, and succeeded in reaching Col. De Lisle with only one horse wounded. The Australian's brilliant feat saved the regiment, for when the Boers saw the reinforcements of artillery and mounted infantry they fled. At the Groote Valley Farm engagement he and Capt. Watt (another South Australian officer) led the attacks from two sides. A friend of the late Capt. McFarlane remarked on Tuesday:—"I don't know what he wanted to go fighting the Zulus for, except that he was a born fighter. He had no time for the nice notes of diplomacy. He was a worker." From a letter received by his parents it appears that he was offered a captaincy in the Orange River Colony Volunteer Corps, commanded bv Col. De Lacey, a South African millionaire, which was being raised for service against- the Zulus. This he had gladly accepted, and when the last mail reached  Adelaide had just gone off to the front. The deceased was an officer of sterling qualities, and a favourite with his comrades of the 6th Imperial Bushmen's Corps.

After serving in the 2nd Western Australian Mounted Infantry, Sydney McFarlane returned to South Australia and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the 6th South Australian Imperial Bushmen, returning to South Africa for a second tour of duty. He was at Graspan on 6 June 1901 when eight South Australians were killed in about an hour, the State's worst day in the war by far. Awarded the Distinguished Service Order, he stayed on in South Africa after the war ended on 31 May 1902 and subsequently was instrumental in erecting headstones over the graves of many South Australians who died in the war. Fashioned from Angaston Marble and inscribed by monumental masons on West Tce, Adelaide, these headstones were consigned to McFarlane in Harrismith, Orange River Colony, where he worked as a stock agent. His generosity endeared him to Miss Hettie Clark and the committee of her South African Graves Fund in Adelaide. In 1906, however, he returned to soldiering aged 29 in order to help put down a Zulu rebellion. On 10 June he was shot dead at Mome Gorge in Zululand, very likely by friendly fire. He is buried in Eshowe cemetery. [Information supplied by Dr Tony Simpson].