SUNDMACHER, George
| Service Numbers: | 54, 651 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Hanover, Germany, 1869 |
| Home Town: | Laidley, Lockyer Valley, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Bread and Biscuit Maker, Police Officer |
| Died: | Suicide, Sandgate, Brisbane - Queensland, Australia, 8 December 1903 |
| Cemetery: |
Bald Hills (Sandgate) Cemetery, Brisbane Region Plot: COE-1-38 |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 54, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 651 | |
| 1 Nov 1899: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 54, 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. | |
| 11 Oct 1900: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 54, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 1st QMI 'A' Coy; Bk 1 p. 110, notes discharged at his own request at Pretoria on 11 Oct 1900. | |
| 20 Aug 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 651, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 506 & 518 notes he was part of the 1st draft which embarked at Sydney 20 Aug 1901 aboard Britannic arriving Cape Town 22 Sep 1901. | |
| 27 Jan 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 651, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 88, notes discharged in South Africa at own request on 27 Jan 1902. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Full name: George Carl Wilhelm August Heinrich Sundmacher
George Sundmacher served twice in the South African (Boer) War. First service was as a Private S.N. 54 in the 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry 'A' company. Second service was as as a Private S.N. 651 in the 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (1st Draft).
After marrying in 1896 and prior to enlisting in 1899, newspaper articles indicate he was living in the Laidley district working as a bread and biscuit maker. When he joined the 1st QMI in 1899 and his details were published with the rank and file in The Brisbane Courier, 18 Nov 1899, it was noted he was married and his addreas was c/- Mrs. Sundmacher, Thallon St, Ipswich.
In the Boer War Service Paybooks of the 1st QMI 'A' company, Bk 1 p. 110, it notes he directed part of his pay to Mrs. G. Sundmacher, Thallon St, Ipswich. The paybooks note he was discharged at his pwn request in South Africa from 11 Oct 1900, with newspaper reports indicating he took up employment with the South African Constabulary.
It is unclear when he returned to Queensland, but he was back by mid 1901 when volunteers were being sought, from men who had previously served, for the 1st Draft of the 6th QIB. The 1st Draft was to return as reinforcements for the 5th and 6th QIB contingents serving in South Africa.
He embarked with the first draft from Sydney on 20 Aug 1901. He was recorded in the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB (to which he was allotted), Bk 4 p. 88, where it was noted he directed part of his pay to his wife Elizabeth Hannah Sundmacher c/- Mrs. M. J. Beer, Thallon St, Ipswich. The paybooks note he again sought and was granted discharge on 27 Jan 1902 in South Africa to take up employment there.
The Brisbane Courier, 16 May 1902, notes when the 5th QIB embarked to return to Australia that, S.N. 651, Private John Sundmacher, was discharged January last in South Africa for employment. Again, there are no details on when he returned to Queensland before he passed in Dec 1903.
George Carl Wilhelm August Heinrich Sundmacher was born about 1869 most likely at Hanover, Germany, a son to Carl George Sundmacher and Minna Sundmacher (nee Richards). He married Elizabeth Hannah Beer on 5 Sep 1896 in Queensland and they had one child.
His death by suicide at his own hands was widely reported in Queensland newspapers including The Brisbane Courier, 9 Dec 1903, which noted he was about 34-35 years old and a native of Hanover, Germany, and his discharge papers from the Qld contingents were in his possession. The later Magisterial Inquiry was reported in The Telegraph, 11 Dec 1903, where it was noted he had not provided any support to his wife, who ran a boarding house at Sandgate, for the previous 2 years.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 453 & 518; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 1st QMI, Bk 1 p. 110, and 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 88; Suicide at Sandgate- The Brisbane Courier, 9 Dec 1903, p. 4; Suicide at Sandgate, Magisterial Inquiry- The Telegraph, 11 Dec 1903, p. 2).