RAMSAY, James William
| Service Number: | 333 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Queensland, Australia, 7 April 1878 |
| Home Town: | West End, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Pay Clerk- Water & Sewerage Board, Brisbane |
| Died: | Head injuries caused by a fall- died at Brisbane General Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 5 August 1928, aged 50 years |
| Cemetery: |
Toowong (Brisbane General) Cemetery, Queensland Plot: 7-83-15/16 |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 333, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Mar 1901: | Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 2 p. 176, notes promoted to Sergeant 4 Mar 1901. | |
| 6 Mar 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 333, 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. | |
| 22 May 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 333, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 2 p. 176, notes invalided returned to Australia aboard Columbian arriving Brisbane 15 May 1902, discharged 22 May 1902. |
James' story
James enlisted in the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen's Contingent in 1901 at the age of 22. They departed from Fort Lytton in Brisbane on the Templemore on 6th March 1901, arriving in Port Elizabeth on 1st April 1901.
The contingent was made up of 503 officers and other ranks and 450 horses.
They wore possum skin bands on their hats.
The unit saw a lot of action over the year they were away and at the end of their tour of duty had 2 two officers and 33 other ranks killed or died of illness.
One of James' friends KIA was Saddler-Sergeant James Patrick Shannon, S/N 1, wounded at the battle of Onverwacht and passing away five days later at Wakkerstroom.
James' mother was notified he had been listed as "dangerously ill" and in hospital during his tour. He'd contacted Measles, which in those days was a serious illness but he recovered and rejoined his unit.
Original letters, sent to his mother, describing conditions, loss of friends, their funerals etc are now in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
Other famous men serving in Sth Africa during James' tour were:
Lieutenant Edwin Henry "Harry" Harbord "Breaker" Morant.
Winston Churchill, who was a war correspondent.
Dr Arthur Conan Doyle, who worked as a Medic.
The 5th left Cape Town on the transport St Andrew on 27th March 1902 and arrived at Fort Lytton 30th April 1902.
Details of the 5th's service found in the publication - The 5th Contingent Queensland Imperial Bushmen in South Africa 1901-1902 by Alan L Fogg MBE
Submitted 27 April 2021 by Leonard Ramsay
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
When James William Ramsay enlisted in 1901 in the 5th QIB and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 16 Mar 1901, he noted his N.O.K. as his mother, Wood St, West End. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB, Bk 2 p. 176, it is noted he directed part of his pay to his mother Mrs. A. Ramsay, Wood St, West End.
James William Ramsay was born on 7 Apr 1878 in Queensland, a son to Edward Ramsay and Alice Ramsay (nee Wills). He was twice married. He first married Mercy Irene Carter on 11 Apr 1909 in Queensland and they had 1 child before Mercy passed in 1913. He then married Norah (Nora) Ryan on 8 Jan 1916 in Queensland and they had 3 children.
Following his Boer war service he returned to reside in Brisbane and worked as a pay clerk with the Water and Sewerage Board until he retired in 1925. He was residing in West End, Princhester St, when he passed in 1928. It was reported he suffered head injuries resulting from a fall in Jane St, West End, on Friday 3rd August rendering him unconscious. He was taken to the Brisbane General Hospital where he passed on Sunday 5th August 1928 without regaining consciousness.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 500; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th IB, Bk 2 p. 176; Australian Boer war Memorial database- Bio; various newspaper articles, see links).
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