MISSING, Herbert Henry
| Service Number: | 161 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry |
| Born: | Queensland, Australia, 12 January 1875 |
| Home Town: | Gootchie, Fraser Coast, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Grazier, Timber Contractor, Cane Farmer |
| Died: | Queensland, Australia, 23 September 1956, aged 81 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
St Paul Anglican Columbarium, East Brisbane, Queensland |
| Memorials: | Tiaro Shire Boer War Honour Roll, Tiaro War Memorial |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 161, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov 1899: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 161, 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. | |
| 23 Jan 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 161, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 449 notes 1st QMI embarked 13 Dec 1900 returning to Australia aboard Orient arriving Brisbane 17 Jan 1901, disbanded 23 Jan 1901. |
Help us honour Herbert Henry Missing's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Daryl Jones
Herbert saw action at Pardeberg, Dreinfontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, and Relief of Kimberley. He was awarded Queen's South African Medal with 5 claps.
He returned from active service in South Africa on the steamer 'Orient' arriving in Brisbane on 17th January, 1901.
Residents of the Gootchie District held a welcome home function in the Gootchie Provisional School building for Troopers Missing and Knudsen on 6th Feburary, 1901.
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
When Herbert Henry Missing 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 Private H. Missing, single, Gootchie, North Coast Line. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 72, it is noted he directed part of his pay to Henry Missing (his father), Bank of NSW, Maryborough.
Like a number of men in the 1st QMI, the paybooks note he was breifly seconded to the South African Police between 19 Jun 1900 and 1 Jul 1900. He served the full tour of the 1st QMI returning to Australia with the contingent on board the Orient to Brisbane where he was discharged on 23 Jan 1901.
In 1902 he was selected a a member of the Queensland detachment of the Commonwealth Coronation Contingent to attend the coronation ceromonies for King Edward VII. In 1953, when Australians were being selected to attend the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, his name was put forward to the R.S.L. by local newspapers to be sent, having attended the coronation of Edward VII some 50 years previously. The then 73 year old Mr. Missing indicated he would be "pleased to attend", if selected of course. As a Boer War veteran he was also slated to meet the Queen at Bundaberg during the Royal Tour in 1954.
Herbert Henry Missing was born on 12 Jan 1875 in Queensland, a son to Henry Missing and Elizabeth Missing (nee Uhr). He married Eva Beatrice Greenland Snellgrove on 15 Feb 1909 in Brisbane following which they settled at Bauple and had 2 children.
The Maryborough Chronicle on 22 Feb 1954 published a rendition of the history of Bauple as recounted by Herbert Missing. His father, Henry Missing, had purchased one of the first cattle stations , Old Gootchie Station, in 1875 at Gootchie, that was established prior to the town of Gympie. Herbert was working the station as a grazier with his father when he enlisted in 1899, returning to it after the war.
In 1912 he was working as a timber contractor at Bauple. In 1915 he purchased a farm at Gundiah where he farmed sugar cane up until 1947 when he sold the property. It is understood he returned to the station at Gootchie but maintained a strong involvement with sugar cane later relocating to Maryborough. He also maintained a strong association with the local branches of the Returned Servicemen's association.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 451; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier; Qld Sttate Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 72; various newspaper articles- see links).
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