RUSSELL, George Edward
| Service Number: | 153 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry |
| Born: | England, United Kingdom, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Gympie, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 153, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov 1899: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 153, 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, 153, 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. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
When George Edward Russell 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 G. E. Russell, single, Horseshoe Bend, Gympie. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 100, it is noted like a number of the men he was seconded to the South African Police between 19 Jun 1900 and 12 Nov 1900. He served the full tour of the 1st QMI returning to Brisbane where he was discharged on 23 Jan 1901.
He returned to Gympie after his discharge where The Gympie Times, 7 Mar 1903, reported on insolvency proceedings against him. The report noted that he (George Edward Russell) had served with the 1st contingent in South Africa, and was working as a miner. At the time of enlisting he was boarding with a Mrs. Rogers in Gympie when he was looking to purchase a Miners Homestead.
It appears after his return he used part of his war gratuity and return of board monies by Mrs. Rogers to go towards purchasing a property with Mrs. Rogers requiring the title to be put in her daughter, Blanche's, name. By the time the property transferred he had married Blanche. Newspapers subsequently reported he was declared insolvent in 1903 due to not being able to complete payment for timber he had purchased to build a house on the property.
He married Blanche Agatha Rogers on 10 Dec 1902 at St. Peter's Church, Gympie. In the marriage notice published in The Gympie Times, 13 Dec 1902, it was noted that he was the son of the late Captain George Brown Russell of the Royal Dragoons (England).
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 451; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 100).