ROSSITER, William Leopold
| Other Name: | Rossiter, William - AWM -Pre First World War Nominal Roll - 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry |
|---|---|
| Service Numbers: | 193, 12 |
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia, 1 January 1875 |
| Home Town: | Charters Towers, Charters Towers, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Soldier |
| Memorials: | Charters Towers Boer War Memorial Kiosk |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 193, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 12, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
| 1 Nov 1899: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 193, 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, Private, 193, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier, notes invalided due to enteric fever returning to Australia aboard Aberdeen arriving Brisbane 18 Aug 1900, discharged 25 Aug 1900. | |
| 6 Mar 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 12, 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. | |
| 26 Mar 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 12, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB p. 40 notes discharged in South Africa 26 Mar 1902 prior to the contingent sailing for return to Australia. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
William Leopold Rossiter was born in 1875 at St Leonards, New South Wales, a son to John Charles Rossiter and Mary Ann Rossiter (nee Raynor). He was noted as being discharged in South Africa to take up employment prior to the remainder of the 5th QIB returning to Australia.
(sources- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 493; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB p. 40).
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Note- he was recorded in the AWM Boer War Nominal Roll compiled by Murray under the name William Rossiter for his first service and then under his full name William Leopold Rossiter for his second service.
William Leopold Rossiter served twice in the South African (Boer) War. First service was as a Private S.N. 193, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry. Second service was as a Private S.N. 12, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen.
When he first enlisted in 1899 in 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 W. Rossiter, single, c/- R. Rossiter, Ayr, Lower Burdekin River. At the time he enlisted he was living at Charters Towers working as a miner. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 97, it is noted he was recorded as W. L. Rossiter. He was invalided from service and returned to Brisbane where he was discharged on 25 Aug 1900.
When he enlisted again 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 brother R. W. Rossiter (Richard Wellbank Rossiter), Ayr, Lower Burdekin, via Townsville. It was reported in the Brisbane Courier, 16 May 1902, that he was among men discharged in South Africa for employment. The Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB, Bk 1 p. 40, notes he was discharged in South Africa on 26 Mar 1902.
William Leopold Rossiter was born in 1875 at St Leonards, Sydney, NSW, a son to John Charles Rossiter and Mary Ann Rossiter (nee Raynor). He married Jacoba Johanna Catharina Fogwell on 12 Oct 1904 at Louis Trichardt, Zoutpansberg, Transvaal, South Africa.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 452 and 493; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier 1st service; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 97, and 5th QIB, Bk 1 p. 40; "South Africa, Transvaal, Civil Marriages, 1870-1931", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP7F-2DNR : Fri Mar 08 00:30:20 UTC 2024), Entry for William Leopold Rossiter and Jacoba Johanna Catharina Fogwell, 12 October 1904.).
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