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  #16  
Old 19-09-15, 07:22 AM
Lancer 17 Lancer 17 is offline
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Hi Frank

According to "Murrays" Records of Australian Contingents to the War in South Africa 1899 - 1902 The 5th Mounted Rifles Contingent sailed from Melbourne in 3 transports on 15th Feb 1901 and and returned to Melbourne on 26th April 1902, I can give you the names of the ships if you want them. I therefore would say that they were away from Australia for 14 months not 2 months. I can Email you copies of the info if you want it.

Regards

Phil.
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  #17  
Old 19-09-15, 03:52 PM
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Frank Kelley Frank Kelley is offline
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Good heavens Phil,
Both you and Mr Murray are quite right, I really must dump that wretched copy of "The Times" in the bin, it had the year wrong, I should have remembered not only Lieutenant Maygar's well deserved Victoria Cross in 1901, but, also, those two hundred and fifty or so Victorians that embarked at Melbourne on the very same day, the 15th of February 1901, also bound for South Africa, as members of the SAMIF.
Sorry Phil, never mind, I only been interested in the Anglo Boer War since I was about seven!
Again sorry, kind regards Frank
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  #18  
Old 20-09-15, 03:41 AM
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iaindh iaindh is offline
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It was the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles that was involved in the Wilmansrust incident on the 12th June 1901, when poorly led by British Officers, they were surprised in a night attack on their camp by Boers. 19 of the 5th VMR were killed and 36 wounded.
The fallout from the incident was when Genl Beatson, who had commanded the column stated "I tell you what I think. The Australians are a damned fat, round shouldered, useless crowd of wasters . . . In my opinion they are a lot of white-livered curs . . . You can add dogs too"
On hearing this, a disgruntled Aussie said "It will be better for the men to be shot than to go out with a man who called them white-livered curs" which was overheard by Officers. As a result 3 of the VMR were sentenced to death which was later commuted to more minor sentences and still later freed after KEVII was petitioned.
This incident, coupled with the trial and execution of Morant and Hancock ensured that after the Boer War no Australian soldier would ever be submitted to capital punishment by their own side.
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Last edited by iaindh; 20-09-15 at 03:55 AM.
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  #19  
Old 20-09-15, 05:30 AM
Lancer 17 Lancer 17 is offline
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Hi Frank

Not to worry we all get it wrong sometimes, I too have a long held interest in the Anglo Boer War, I have 2 x QSA's to Victorians and also a KSA (but not the matching QSA, Darn !) and quite a library on the subject and a growing collection of Vic Pre Federation badges, mail to and from Vic and other troops in SA, 2 x letters posted from Mafeking after the seige, A seige 1 Pound note and 2 of each of the seige stamps and several of the over print stamps and a large photo book taken at Mafeking during the seige. I might say that I have been a scout most of my life and therefore my interest is both scout and military related.

Thanks for the appology, which is of course accepted. Again not to worry.

See I am interested in things other than the 17th Lancers !!

Regards

Phil.
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  #20  
Old 20-09-15, 05:52 AM
Lancer 17 Lancer 17 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iaindh View Post
It was the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles that was involved in the Wilmansrust incident on the 12th June 1901, when poorly led by British Officers, they were surprised in a night attack on their camp by Boers. 19 of the 5th VMR were killed and 36 wounded.
The fallout from the incident was when Genl Beatson, who had commanded the column stated "I tell you what I think. The Australians are a damned fat, round shouldered, useless crowd of wasters . . . In my opinion they are a lot of white-livered curs . . . You can add dogs too"
On hearing this, a disgruntled Aussie said "It will be better for the men to be shot than to go out with a man who called them white-livered curs" which was overheard by Officers. As a result 3 of the VMR were sentenced to death which was later commuted to more minor sentences and still later freed after KEVII was petitioned.
This incident, coupled with the trial and execution of Morant and Hancock ensured that after the Boer War no Australian soldier would ever be submitted to capital punishment by their own side.
G'day Iain

Thanks for your post re Wiliamsrust, you are right.

Some mad Pommy bastard Major made the men stack their rifles out side their tents rather than let the men sleep with their rifles beside them and he got our men killed.

What a barstard. he should have been shot at dawn and was lucky not to have been lynched by the Victorians.

This is still a very sore point with we Victorians.

Not happy Jan !!

Phil.
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  #21  
Old 20-09-15, 06:15 AM
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iaindh iaindh is offline
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G'day Phil,

Yes, it was a Major Morris of the RFA freshly arrived from India who was responsible, if that's the word!
The stacking of rifles was King's regulations but this was a different type of war. He also only posted 4 piquets and so the Boers were able to slip between.

regards,

Iain
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  #22  
Old 20-09-15, 11:23 AM
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RobD RobD is offline
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Default Wilmansrust

Robin Smith, who is a keen Boer War historian based in Natal, has closely researched the Wilmansrust action and battlefield, and has written a monograph on it. If anyone is keen to know more, he's the man to ask. PM me if you need his email address.

Last edited by RobD; 20-09-15 at 06:08 PM.
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  #23  
Old 21-09-15, 02:46 AM
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iaindh iaindh is offline
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Hi Rob,

I do know Robin Smith, I didn't however know he had written on the Wilmansrust incident.

regards, Iain

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobD View Post
Robin Smith, who is a keen Boer War historian based in Natal, has closely researched the Wilmansrust action and battlefield, and has written a monograph on it. If anyone is keen to know more, he's the man to ask. PM me if you need his email address.
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