TOWNSHEND, Ernest
| Other Name: | Townsend, Ernest - Australian War Memorial - Boer War Nominal Roll- 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
|---|---|
| Service Numbers: | 681, 99, 289, 195 |
| Enlisted: | 11 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 4th Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron |
| Born: | Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, 1875 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia, 3 October 1924, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Rookwood Cemeteries & Crematorium, New South Wales Plot: Anglican Zone C 07 Grave 2772 |
| Memorials: | Newtown Superior Public School Great War Memorial |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 681 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 99, Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
| 18 May 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 99, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 475 notes 4th QIB embarked 18 May 1900 aboard Manchester Port arriving Beira 14 Jun 1900. | |
| 10 Aug 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 99, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 477 notes 4th QIB embarked 5 Jul 1901 aboard Britannic returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 5 Aug 1901, disbanded 10 Aug 1901. | |
| 26 Sep 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 681, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 506 notes the 2nd Draft of the 6th QIB embarked at Sydney 26 Sep 1901 aboard Harlech Castle arriving Cape Town 26 Oct 1901. | |
| 27 Oct 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 681, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 122, notes returned to Australia aboard Karrung arriving Brisbane 27 Oct 1902, discharged 27 Oct 1902. |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 289, 1st Infantry Battalion, Naval and Military Forces - Special Tropical Corps | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Aug 1914: | Embarked Private, 289, 1st Infantry Battalion, Naval and Military Forces - Special Tropical Corps, HMAT Berrima, Melbourne | |
| 19 Aug 1914: | Involvement Private, 289, 1st Infantry Battalion, Naval and Military Forces - Special Tropical Corps, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Mar 1915: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 289, 1st Infantry Battalion, Naval and Military Forces - Special Tropical Corps, Time Expired | |
| 24 Mar 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 195, 12th Light Horse Regiment | |
| 13 Jun 1915: | Embarked Private, 195, 12th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Suevic, Sydney | |
| 13 Jun 1915: | Involvement Private, 195, 12th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
| 23 Feb 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 4th Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron | |
| 15 Jan 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 195, 4th Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron |
Help us honour Ernest Townshend's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Ernest Townshend was born in 1875 at Bathurst, NSW, a son to John Herbert Townshend and Mary Hannah Townshend (nee Hutchinson-Parkin). He married Amy Hedger in 1903 at Newtown, NSW.
He served twice in the South African (Boer) War and twice in WW1.
Boer War services- Private S.N. 99, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen and Private S.N. 681, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (2nd Draft).
WW1 services- Private S.N. 289, 1st Battalion, Naval and Military Forces (Special Tropical Corps) and Private S.N. 195, 12th Light Horse Regiment AIF transferring to the 4th Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron AIF.
(sources AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 481 and 519; National Archives Australia WW1 service record).
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Ernest Townshend served twice in the South African (Boer) War and again twice in WW1. First service was as a Private S.N. 99, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Boer war. Second service was as a Private S.N. 681, 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen (2nd Draft), Boer war. Third service was as a Private S.N. 289, 1st Battalion, Naval and Military Forces- Special Tropical Corps AIF, WW1. Fourth service was as a Private S.N. 195, 4th Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron AIF, WW1.
When he joined the 4th QIB in 1900 and he was entered on the original nominal roll of the 4th Queensland Contingent, held by National Archives, his N.O.K. was recorded as John H. Townshend, Kingstown, Newtown, Sydney. In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 4th QMI, Bk 5 p. 11, it is noted he directed part of his pay to his father John Herbert Townshend, Newtown, Sydney. He served the full tour of the 4th QIB and returned to Brisbane for discharge on 10 Aug 1901.
Very soon after he was selected in the Second Draft of the 6th QIB and embarked again for South Africa in Sep 1901. All but one of the members of the draft had served previously in either the 3rd QMI or 4th QIB contingents in South Africa and were assembled as reinforcements for the 5th and 6th QIB contingents already in South Africa.
Men in the draft were not recorded in the original nominal roll for the 6th QIB, but he is recorded in the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB (to which he was allotted), Bk 4 p. 122, where he noted his address post discharge as P.O. Camperdown, Sydney. Members of the draft remained breifly in South Africa on extended service after the 5th and 6th QIB contingents returned to Australia. The service paybooks notes he returned to Australia and was discharged in Brisbane on 27 Oct 1902.
He enlisted again for WW1 on 11 Aug 1914 at Sydney and noted on his Attestation Paper that he; was born at Bathurst and was 39 years old; was married and a labourer; his N.O.K. was his sister Mrs. Grace Costello, Newtown; and he had previously served with the 4th and 6th QIBs in South Africa. He eserved in Papua New Guinea and returned to Australia at expiration of service and was discharged 4 Mar 1915.
The same month he re-enlisted again for WW1 on 24 Mar 1915 at Liverpool and noted on his Attestation Paper that he; was born at Bathurst and was 40 years 5 months of age; was a widower and a labourer; his N.O.K. was his sister Mrs. Grace Costello, Newtown; and he had previously served in New Guinea and South Africa. He embarked for Alexandria and later returned to Australia where he was discharged 15 Jan 1920.
Ernest Townshend was born in 1875 at Bathurst, a son to John Herbert Townshend and Mary Hannah Townshend (nee Parkin). He married Amy Hedger in 1903 at Newtown, Sydney, and they had two children. His wife had passed on 3 Aug 1907, a few months after the birth of their second child, and before he first enlisted for WW1.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 481 & 519; National Archives Australia- B 5172 Nominal Roll of 4th Queensland Contingent Queensland Defence Force for service in South Africa, p. 2; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 4th QIB, Bk 5 p. 11, and 5th QIB, Bk 4 p. 122; National Archives Australia- WW1 service record).
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