Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

When Walter Sorrell enlisted in 1901 in the 6th QIB and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 13 Apr 1901, he noted his N.O.K. as James Saul, Sandgate. In the original Nominal Roll of the 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent, held by National Archives, it is noted hs N.O.K. was his step-brother James Saul, Sandgate, Qld.

Queensland newspapers reported his wounding (The Telegraph 10 Sep 1901) and return to Australia (The Queenslander, 21 Jun 1902) under his enlisted name of Walter Sorrell. However, Walter Sorrell may have been an alias used by Martin William Saul, who in Mar 1902 wrote to his mother (details published in The Macleay Argus NSW, 19 Apr 1902) which indicated he was serving with the Queensland Bushmen when involved in a battle where a number of New Zealand soldiers were killed. The nominal Roll compiled by Murray does not list any soldier with the surname of Saul.

Martin William Saul was born in 1862 at Seven Oaks, Macleay River, NSW, a son to James and Jane Saul. He was the second eldest son of James and Jane, their eldest son was named James and was born in 1860.

When Martin William Saul passed on 30 Sep 1936 in Sydney, a number of obituaries were published in newspapers serving the Kempsey and surrounding districts. He had been living at Kempsey when he was taken ill and transferred from the local hospital to a hospital in Sydney where he passed. All the obituaries note his Boer war service, some a little more extravagently than others, and note his surviving siblings, one of which was his brother James in Brisbane. It would appear that Walter Sorrell was Martin William Saul. One of the obituaries is transcribed below.

Mr. Martin Saul (Obit)- The Macleay Chronicle, 7 Oct 1936, p. 5.

The late Mr Martin Saul of Kempsey, Macleay River, who passed peacefully away in hospital, Sydney, on Wednesday morning last, September 30, 1936, was the second eldest son of the late James and Jane Saul of Seven Oaks, Macleay River. Veteran of the Boer war, he won distinction under the late Lord Roberts, serving right through the campaign with only two short interruptions, due to slight wounds. Prior to the war he was a public school teacher on the Queensland-New South Wales border, and enlisted from Queensland. Being an educated man it was interesting to hear him speaking on his travels abroard. He was born at Seven Oaks in 1862. His surviving brothers are James (Brisbane Q.), Richard (South West Rocks), William (Great Barrier Reef Q.), while sisters are Mrs. John Reilly (Smithtown), Mrs. Robt. Jamieson (Frederickton), Miss Annie Saul (South West Rocks). Two brothers, Harry and Chris, and one sister predeceased him. The funeral took place at 11 o'clock Thursday morning  at the Necropolis and amongst the chief mourners were four of his neices, Mrs. N. Bruce, Mrs. C. Jackson, and misses Mary and Angela Reilly, and sisters-in-law Mesdames H. Saul and A. J. Hefren.

(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 516; National Archives Australia- B 5172 Nominal Roll of 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent Queensland Defence Force for service in South Africa, p. 5; various newspaper articles- see links).