YESBURG, William Henry
| Service Number: | 398 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Queensland, Australia, 21 September 1867 |
| Home Town: | Aramac, Barcaldine, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Lengthsman |
| Died: | Queensland, Australia, 7 December 1944, aged 77 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 398, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 398, 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. | |
| 5 Jan 1902: | Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 3 p. 65, notes promoted to Corporal 5 Jan 1902. | |
| 26 Mar 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 398, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 3 p. 65, notes discharged in South Africa 26 Mar 1902. However, it also notes he later returned to Australia aboard Aberdeen arriving Brisbane 20 Aug 1902. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
His surname is recorded variously as Yesburg and Yesberg noting the latter appears in the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB and on the Qld BDM birth register.
When William Henry Yesburg enlisted 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 I. Maine, Prince of Wales Hotel, Clermont. In the original nominal roll for the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent, held by National Archives, his N.O.K. is noted as his step-sister, Isabella Maine, Prince of Wales Hotel, Claremont, Qld.
In the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 5th QIB, Bk 3 p. 65, it is noted he was discharged in South Africa in Mar 1902 to take up employment there. This did not appear to be a long term venture as it is also noted he was returned to Australia aboard Aberdeen arriving in Brisbane at the end of Aug 1902. It further indicates he was granted a pass to travel to Barcaldine in Sep 1902 with his intended address being Corinda Station via Aramac where it is assumed he worked as a stockman.
William Henry Yesberg was born on 21 Sep 1867 in Queensland, a son to Henry Yesberg and Mary Yesberg (nee Pizden). He appears to have led a complicated life, which included changing his surname to Bird by Deed Poll on 11 Jan 1918 as reported in the Cairns Post, 11 Apr 1918. At the time he was living at Forsayth working as a railway lengthsman.
Indeed, when he passed in Queensland on 7 Dec 1944 he was recorded on the BDM Qld death register under William Henry Bird, son of Heinrich Yesberg and Mary Pizden.
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, p. 501; National Archives Australia- B 5172 Nominal Roll of 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent for service in South Africa, p. 6; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 3 p. 65).
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