Hello from South Australia

[mooke07]

Hi and warm welcome Matt,

Fascinating family history but I am particularly keen on Breaker Morant stories and have a few books on his life etc. Great to read of someone who was there. Do you have anything for that period?

Hope you enjoy the Forum and several of us have albums that you can browse through of Boer War period badges and plenty spanning the Great War and WW2. Take the time to look through some and it is a credit to the dedication of many members to preserving history - proud history like your families, cheers from Brisbane, Dean.

[Coast Watcher]

Welcome aboard from a fellow South Aussie.

[POL_AIR_1]

Originally Posted by slick_mick

Yes Mate - that was me!

Hope you enjoy the book - its very well done.

Mick

Thanks Mick. If anyone hasnt already checked out the "Regimental Books" website, then it's a MUST!! I messaged Mick the other day to ask a question, and before I could blink I already had the response. Their service is fantastic and the range they have (quite often) is not found anywhere else!! Highly recommend!!

Originally Posted by iaindh

Maybe one day I'll post my Father's exploits during WWII and after.

There is a small area for South African connections further down if you go past Canada & Oz.

Thanks Iain. Hopefully you do post the exploits. I know from talking with my mum, my grandfather never spoke much about the war afterwards. Partly because he didnt want to relive the things he had done, and partly because he didnt think he did anything out of the ordinary.

Just the other day I heard another event that happened where the Allies had hidden gold bullion and documents. The Japanese invaded and this gold and documents now fell deep behind enemy lines. My grandfather with his extensive knowledge of the bush selected a few men and they had to sneak in (as I said, deep behind enemy lines) and recover the gold bullion and documents.
Unfortunately the Allies were quite embarrassed they had let this happen that it was highly classified and was never published or mentioned. I'm sure some of you will be thinking "yeah, right!"

I've already had a bit of a surf around the S.A. pages at the bottom and love all the photos there of member's badges!!

Originally Posted by mooke07

Fascinating family history but I am particularly keen on Breaker Morant stories and have a few books on his life etc. Great to read of someone who was there. Do you have anything for that period?

Hi Dean,
I dont actually have anything for that period that I can share with you unfortunately. I do have a couple of "facts" from relatives that I have read recently about "The Breaker" and his family. I have a few odds and ends from my great grandfather that I was going through last weekend. I might have to hunt out the things I read and PM you.

Originally Posted by Coast Watcher

Welcome aboard from a fellow South Aussie.

Cheers Ed, and welcome to you also!!

Regards to all,
Matt

[iaindh]

Originally Posted by POL_AIR_1

Thanks Iain. Hopefully you do post the exploits. I know from talking with my mum, my grandfather never spoke much about the war afterwards. Partly because he didnt want to relive the things he had done, and partly because he didnt think he did anything out of the ordinary.

Matt

Hi Matt & thx for the encouragement, I will post his exploits in the near future; fortunately I have most things stored in my head, but there's no one left to ask anyway that I know of.
regards,
Iain

[Ray6930]

Hi Matt - Welcome indeed. Facinating reading, was the Breaker Morant trial and execution the subject of a film? Not sure if the same topic but remember a film from my youth with Edward Woodward in - I think that was three on court martial.
I am hoping to come to Oz for the first time (and probably only) - either around Christmas this year or May next year.
Having just retired from Surrey Police I wondered if you collect British Police items and wanted things like Helmets, truncheons, badges (including the old Constabulary one) etc.
My passion is Royal Marines' badges - as both my son and I served in the Corps.
The only military history before us was my parents who both served in WWII (Dad on HMS Rodney and Mum in WAAF on barrage balloons). Prior to that there was no real military involvement - more likely a long line of criminals!!
Enjoy your time in the forum - I have found the members to be courteous and helpful (and very patient with the less knowledgeable novices like myself)
Yours Aye
Ray

[POL_AIR_1]

Originally Posted by iaindh

........fortunately I have most things stored in my head, but there's no one left to ask anyway that I know of.

Hi Iain,
I know exactly how you feel!! I thought exactly the same about my ggfather especially, but now also my gfather because I really only have my parents left that can recap stories/events. As I said in a previous post, the problem with this is the fact that neither of them spoke of the war (or very seldomly) upon their return.

But... I have found with the advances in technology I have been able to make contact with people all over the world and dug up things, files, photos that none of my other family members have seen before. The reason I am so keen for you to get it written down is because I found a letter from my uncle that was written in 1981 with facts & stories in it about my ggfather and gfather. 30 years later these stories would have either been forgotten, embellished, or just mixed up with time. I am so thankful this was done for us.

Originally Posted by Ray6930

....wondered if you collect British Police items and wanted things like Helmets, truncheons, badges (including the old Constabulary one) etc.

Hi Ray,
Thanks for the welcome.
There was a movie called "Breaker Morant" made in 1980 which is the one you are thinking of. I just watched it again a couple of days ago.
Don't quote me on this, but apparently the South African jail/gaol scenes were shot in Burra, South Australia in their old jail/gaol.

Funnily enough, I am actually a collector of Police memorabilia as this was always a life long passion of mine to join at some stage (according to my parents, stemming from my ggfather's time in the South African Constabulary). I generally collect South Australia Police and AFP (Australian Federal Police) items. It's only recently I have expanded to militaria.

My old man (dad) was born in Bristol, so he has a rather nice collection of Bristol Constabulary, and Avon & Somerset Constabulary badges, helmets, hats etc. Everything I point out to him on ebay, he already seems to have though. You dont want to quickly rejoin A&S constabulary for me do you??

Great history there by the way! I am really enjoying reading everyone's stories.

I promise to all that my posts will get shorter, but I always find I can never sum up in just one or two sentences as I am meeting new people.

Cheers,
Matt

[Family History]

Hi Matt,

I am the same as you reseraching my family tree history, I have found 4 family members in the Boer War, 74 in WW1 and hunderds in WW2, and more. I am slowly researching all their military service history up to the present conflicts.

I have a large family tree with connection back to the first, second and third fleets. My tree contains over 120,000 people so I have a large number who have served. PS plus 40 blood convicts and 6 bushrangers.

Regards

Michael

[POL_AIR_1]

Originally Posted by Family History

Hi Matt,

I am the same as you reseraching my family tree history, I have found 4 family members in the Boer War, 74 in WW1 and hunderds in WW2, and more. I am slowly researching all their military service history up to the present conflicts.

I have a large family tree with connection back to the first, second and third fleets. My tree contains over 120,000 people so I have a large number who have served. PS plus 40 blood convicts and 6 bushrangers.

Regards

Michael

Hi Michael,
That is absolutely amazing!!!! It must have taken so long to be able to find all of this out. I am pretty much happy/suck on just my ggfather and gfather at the moment, but this is keeping me more than busy. Over the many years I have been in my current employment I have seen many family histories, some taking relatives decades to complete.
Addictive though isnt it!?!!
Well done, and keep up the good work on the history fact-finding mission!
Cheers,
Matt

[Lancer 17]

G'day Matt,

What a fabulous family history, be very proud of your forebears, lets see you post some photos in the Aussie photo section.

Welcome another Aussie to the forum.

Regards

Phil.

[POL_AIR_1]

Originally Posted by Lancer 17

G'day Matt,

What a fabulous family history, be very proud of your forebears, lets see you post some photos in the Aussie photo section.

Welcome another Aussie to the forum.

Regards

Phil.

Thanks Phil,
I've posted a couple of photos of my gfather and my ggfather in the aussie section, but I am still hunting to see if I can find more.
Cheers,
Matt

[POL_AIR_1]

A quick update on my findings to date (and over the weekend)......

gfather: Captain A.I.F., WW2
ggfather: 3rd Victorian Bushmen's Contingent Boer War, South African Constabulary, Captain A.N.M.E.F. WW1
gggfather: Captain RN (until pneumonia killed him in 1882)
ggggfather: Colonel (no information, but possibly Turkish Army?) Gallant actions on the Danube and in the Crimea (died from Cholera in 1855, in Balaklava).
gggggfather: Lt-Col 82nd Regiment then 40th Regiment of Foot.

I can find plenty of information apart from the Colonel. Can anyone please assist me on how/where I can possibly obtain information on his service in the Crimean War?
Cheers,
Matt

[Kbak]

What can I say great background Matt,
Welcome to the forum.

regards

Keith

[billy]

Welcome to the forum some very interesting threads, you,ll enjoy good luck billy

[Roy]

Hi Matt,

Sorry for my late response but a very hearty welcome.

What outstanding family history, it seems I'm not the only one who is envious. I had so little (almost non excitant) family history (let along military history) passed down to me, I decided to collect any medals and other items that were attributed to my family name (see album). I know it's not perfect but it's the best I can do. Continued good luck with your research.

All the best Roy.

[POL_AIR_1]

Thanks guys. I dont really feel like a newbie anymore on here, just a newbie still with my experience.

Roy, I just checked out your albums and also your website. Very cool!!

Unlike yourself, I am actually very lucky that I have quite a lot that has been readily available at my finger tips, unfortunately I have left it this long before the interest sparked. There is no way that I would be able to fill in all these gaps if it wasnt for computers and the internet. You've done bloody well with your collection!!

So do you know about swords also? Unfortunately that is something that I believe has gone to another family member, so all I am left with is two photos.

I will be posting some more photos in the next couple of days in the Australian section of my gfathers uniform (and a couple of other things) as they are today.

Cheers,
Matt