TASMANIANS IN THE ANGLO BOER WAR: other contingents
The following images are thumbnails only having been reduced to minimal size. If you wish to view the image in its original format, please refer to the Weekly Courier and Tasmanian Mail LINC.
No full size images are given on this website due to uncertain copyright restrictions. These thumbnails are intended simply as a preview indexed to the relevant Weekly Courier issue date and page.
No full size images are given on this website due to uncertain copyright restrictions. These thumbnails are intended simply as a preview indexed to the relevant Weekly Courier issue date and page.
ALFRED ADLER KEEN AND CLEMENT KEEN
Trooper Alfred Keen of Kingston served sixteen months with a British garrison including the seven month siege in Mafeking, being the only Tasmanian who went through the siege. He was a member of Major-General Baden-Powell’s Protectorate Regiment.
Alfred Keen left for South Africa in 1895 and in August 1899, he decided to be one of the first to join a volunteer corps. He was sent to Mafeking and so became the 16th man to enlist for the war and the only Tasmanian to take part in the siege. When the Protectorate Regiment disbanded, Alfred returned to Tasmania and was in South Africa again six months later when he joined the Transvaal Volunteers. Alfred is brother to Clem Keen who served in Ladysmith and was severely wounded through hand and back at Wagon Hill in January 1900. He was a member of the Imperial Light Horse. Clem followed his brother to South Africa possibly in 1896. He was the twin brother of Edgar Keen, who later became councillor at Devonport. At left is Lady Baden-Powell in Hobart meeting with Alfred Keen (centre) who served with her husband at Mafeking. Keen was a member of the garrison during the siege and A E Gresson (left) was a member of the relieving force. The photo was published in the Mercury in 1947. |
ARTHUR LESLIE JOHNSTONE
Son of W J Johnstone of the firm, Johnstone and Wilmot, Arthur joined the Victorian Imperial Contingent as a private, and although having no previous military training gained promotion at the front. He was a Quartermaster Sergeant when he was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal for gallantry in 1901.
Educated at the Launceston Church Grammar School, Arthur joined the Bank of Australasia, but resigned in 1890 to go to Mildura where he purchased a selection of land and became a fruit grower. On his return to Mildura from the Boer War Arthur became Director of the Mildura Cooperative Fruit Company. Later he became Chairman of the Australian Dried Fruits Association. He died in 1938 aged 67. |
JAMES HAROLD PATTERSON
A native of Launceston, James Harold Patterson entered the Melbourne Grammar School in 1888 and subsequently proceeded to the United Kingdom where he obtained his medical and surgical degrees at the Edinburgh University. After returning to Victoria, Patterson served in the Anglo Boer War as lieutenant of the Fifth Victorian Contingent and was later promoted to captain. He was mentioned in despatches for having, "proceeded under fire to within 70 yards of the enemy in order to assist wounded men and remained under close fire for over two hours, and though constantly shot at, continued to attend to the wounded and remained behind with them when the patrol withdrew, though he was without red cross brassard." He was awarded the Queen's medal with four clasps.
After the war, Patterson took up a practice at Tallangatta, where he was popular with the locals and regarded affectionately as Dr Pat. In 1914, he had an attack of influenza but for a month contrived to carry on his professional work, denying himself the rest and care that he would have insisted upon in the case of any of his patients. He died several weeks later, leaving a wife and three children under the age of 10. He was 41. |
GEORGE LIVINGSTONE ELLIS
George Ellis was the son of the secretary of the Workmen’s Club at Launceston. He was a native of Hobart and served his time as a compositor in Launceston. In 1895 he went to South Africa and on the outbreak of the war joined Thorneycroft’s Regiment of Light Horse and saw a lot of active service.
Ellis was wounded at the Spion Kop engagement and died from his wounds on 2 February 1900. He was 25. A marble memorial was installed at the Examiner’s office, which was funded by his former colleagues. |
Nominal Roll
The following link is an excerpt from the Official Records of the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa compiled by Lieutenant Corporal Pembroke Lathrop Murray in 1911. It includes full names, rank, promotions, honours and deaths specific to the State of Victoria.
Please note that not all names are listed in the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa. If you fail to find the person you're looking for, you can search the complete register by surname at the following website: Australians in the Boer War.