SCRIPT FOR HISTORIC BOER WAR VIDEO
Reg. A. Watson
Commonly called the Boer War, it should be more correctly termed the Second Anglo-Boer
War. This war, which was waged from October 11 1899 until May 31st 1902, was a major
conflict in that a total of 450,000 British forces, including colonials, fought a total of 87,365
Boers.
Australia's effort was massive in relation to our small population. In excess of 16,000 troops
left our shores. Many re-enlisted; in total up to 23,000 Australians. 857 Tasmanians made
up of 36 officers and 821 other ranks served. About 880 horses also left Tasmania.
Tasmania has 40 known sons buried in South Africa, those who died as a direct result of the
war either because of the bullet, disease and suicide. Another two died on the way home
across the Indian Ocean on the transport Drayton Grange taking the death toll to 42.
Today, numerous memorials are scattered throughout Tasmania testifying to our
involvement and paying homage to those who served and to those who died. Most are
possibly forgotten and neglected. Perhaps they have been considered a quaint reminder of
some war most Tasmanians have little knowledge of, with these memorials over shadowed
by later major conflicts.
In many ways the study of the war can be seen to have similarities to the Vietnam War, yet
with the amount of time it lasted, there were more Australian casualties in the Boer War
than the latter nasty war. We now know the psychological after effects, something which
wasn't recognised until the Second World War and not really developed until after Vietnam.
The number of suicides by those Australians who served in the Boer War is not known yet
there were those who took their lives during and after the war. The Boer War saw the
returned veteran, as was the case so often in the Great War, settle back into civilian life the
best he could with perhaps with the help of his family, friends and the family doctor or
minister of religion, but little else. They were even denied repatriation help. It was not until
the 1950s the Federal Government considered veterans eligible for such benefits. By then a
large portion were dead or beyond help.
The War was declared on the 11 th October 1899. The following day the Boers invaded the
province of Natal and it has to be said, looting and pillaging, annexing great tracts of land,
re-naming towns and implementing their race laws. Somewhere between 21,000 and
30,000 Boers pushed their way from both the Orange Free State and the Transvaal.
The storm had broken loose. On October 14th the first major engagement took place with
the Boers suffering heavy losses.
At the turn of the last century feeling for Britain and the Empire was very strong in
Tasmania. We were linked to the Empire not merely by ties of Government and history, but
by race. Tasmanian and British patriotism usually went hand in hand. The Governor,
Viscount Gormanston, expressed this when he exhorted the members of the Bushmen's
Contingent to acquit themselves in a manner at once credible for this loyal colony and
worthy of the best traditions of the British Army.
Most of the Tasmanian troops were sent off to Alba Studios at 60 & 69 Elizabeth Street,
Hobart to be photographed.
2
To allow Tasmanian soldiers to fight overseas, the Government passed an enabling act and
there a very competitive spirit between the colonies to be the first one to commit troops.
Not all supported Britain, however; one was newspaper editor and hoped-to-be politician,
James Paton who used his paper, The Clipper, as an avenue for his views. Yet his counter
opinion was the exception and short lived. Tasmania even considered at a later time to
accept Boer prisoners happy to receive the money from London for the purpose, but
Melbourne, now the new capital of the fledging nation of Australia, decided against it.
In 1899 the Federation referendum was held. This developed the feeling of national pride
and Australia sought not only to equal, but to better the Mother Country in some fields.
Our Australian National Flag was first flown September 3 1901. We were finally a nation.
On October 10 th 1899 the Tasmanian Parliament expressed its loyalty and devotion to Her
Majesty the Queen and its sympathy with Her Majesty’s Imperial Government with the
difficulties that have arisen in South Africa and is of the opinion that Tasmania should equip
and despatch for service with Her Majesty’s Regular Forces in South Africa.
When Tasmania sent troops to South Africa, it instilled a great sense of pride. This was
expressed in W.H. Dawson's poem, "Tasmania's Gift" composed and dedicated to the
troops. Our first troop of 80 men of the First Tasmanian Contingent under the command of
Captain St Clair Cameron left Tasmania October 27 th just a fortnight after the declaration of
war. The contingent reached Cape Town on the 26 th November disembarking the following
day. The Mercury newspaper, January 1, 1900 carried a report on the arrival in South Africa.
Conditions of enrolment were 12 months or the duration of the war. Payment was by the
Imperial Government Commonwealth Treasurers Authority. Married men were not
enlisted. Men had to be able to ride and to shoot well.
Qualifications for the Eight Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse was height not less
than 5 foot three inches and chest not less than 34 inches. Age not under 20 years. By this
time acceptances had changed a little. While single men were preferred, married men were
allowed on the understanding that if killed or died from sickness no separation allowance
would be forthcoming.
On June 1 1902 peace was proclaimed in South Africa. A telegram was sent to Premier
Lewis with the news that, The Representative of the Boer forces in the field have accepted
the terms of surrender offered by His Majesty's Government. After receiving the news, Mr
Lewis dispatched this message: Upon the announcement of the declaration of peace great
rejoicing took place throughout Tasmania consequent upon the receipt of the welcome
news.
There were banner headlines in the local newspaper Mercury June 3 1902 with the heading
PEACE PROCLAIMED. The cessation of the war was met by the firing of five guns from the
3
Queen’s Battery and from announcements posted out at the newspaper office. Crowds
thronged the streets of the city and a public meeting was called at the Town Hall attended
by the Mayor and Premier accompanied by musical bands. There was a further patriotic
meeting in the evening. At 11:30 that morning a thanksgiving service was performed at St
John’s Goulburn Street and later at 4:30pm at the Town Hall. St Joseph’s and St Mary’s,
Catholic, a solemn “De Teum” was sung with St Mary’s school choir singing the National
Anthem.
Celebrations were carried out all around the State, from Bagdad to Mathinna on to St
Mary’s, Richmond, Bothwell, Strahan, New Norfolk and no doubt elsewhere. In Launceston
there was general rejoicing in the streets. School children were granted a holiday and most
business stopped. Rejoicing continued into the evening.
Upon return, the First Contingent was met by thousands of people who had flocked to the
wharfs and the Domain. The vessel, the Harleca Castle; was met by many V.I.P.'s including
the Premier, N.E. Lewis, the Minister of Defence, G.T. Collins and other dignitaries.
The Premier briefly addressed the troops and welcomed them home. With the troops were
two nursing sisters who had also served in South Africa, Sisters Hutchinson and Wallace.
The Police were powerless to keep the crowds under control. The public thronged forward
embracing and kissing the men. After a few minutes the men were drawn up and marched
to the parade ground where they paraded before the Governor and his wife and the Mayor.
A riot nearly broke out when the excited gathering spilled over into the areas reserved for
the V.I.P.’s. The Governor, the Mayor and even the troops were pushed and shoved.
Mounted troopers and police endeavoured to quell the swelling mass, but their efforts were
unsuccessful. Several ladies fainted in the confusion. It was reported that the doctor,
rather than going to their aid, took shelter elsewhere.
Eventually common sense prevailed when it was decided to move the returned troops on
and march them into town. The streets of Hobart were shrouded in decorations. There
were banners hanging from places of business, displaying such sentiments as :Welcome to
our Boys; Welcome home Tasmanians, and ;Tasmania is Proud of her Sons;
A banquet followed in the old Exhibition Building on the Domain, which is no longer there.
Speeches were made and the churches held thanks giving services.
It was not long before the Tasmanian South African Returned Soldier's Association was
formed and continued in the south until October 10, 1963 when the minute books declared,
;The affairs of the Association in the south be handed over to the northern branch”. Sadly,
but inevitably, the northern branch - thus the Association - folded in 1969.
The motto of the Association was ; Keep green the memory of fallen comrades; Over the
years that memory has dimmed
4
Their memory, however, has been kept somewhat alive by several major monuments in
Tasmania, especially the imposing one in Princes Park Launceston and the magnificent
bronze statue of a soldier on the Hobart Queen’s Domain.
The foundation stone of the Hobart one, which was first known as the Tasmanian Solders
National Memorial, was laid on July 4 1901 by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Cornwall and
York. The Mercury reported it, July 5 1901. At this time, the State's death toll was 16.
During the royal visit, Trooper T. Fitzallen was presented with a medal, the brother to
Trooper Albert Fitzallen who was to die in the war.
The site for the memorial was chosen as it would be in view of all vessels entering the
harbour and would overlook the review group as well as being discernible from the lower
end of Liverpool Street. The chairman of the memorial committee was Bernard Shaw (first
cousin to the English playwright George Bernard Shaw) and the architect was Alan Walker.
The creator of this remarkable sculptured piece was Ben Sheppard senior, who married Elsie
Morrisby, sister to Bernard Morrisby, who died in the war. It is believed Bernard Morrisby
may have been the model for the monument or his brother Raymond Morrisby, who
survived the war. There is also that another contender for model recognition, that being
Frederick Weeding, who worked at the time on Lt-Colonel Cameron’s property in the
Midlands.
Benjamin (Ben) Sheppard (1876-1910) was London born who moved to Hobart, joining his
sister and her schoolmaster husband at Bismarck, now Collinsvale. He won a commission
for the memorial, which he executed in London. It received great acclaim both in Britain and
in Australia. Undoubtedly, it was his masterpiece. A replica was later erected at Halifax,
Yorkshire, England.
In the cavity of the foundation stone was placed names of those comprising the Tasmanian
contingents that went to South Africa, also newspapers containing the announcement of
the following events: the first meeting held in connection of the memorial; death of the
Queen; accession of King Edward VII; arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York
in Australia and the names of the Executive Committee and others who took part in having
the memorial erected.
In part the Duke's address said: "pride in race and country" adding, “we are met together to
do honour to our gallant brothers who have fallen in South Africa and it is with great
satisfaction I have laid the first stone of our national tribute to their memory.”
The foundation stone was placed in position by the means of a pulley and a further three
huge granite stones were added for the base.
The monument was described as the “National Monument” and that subscription for its
erection came from “all classes of people throughout Tasmania.”
5
The reason why the soldier statue is looking in the direction that he does because he
watches the troops leaving and returning to and from our shores.
The statue was sent to London for casting in bronze and exhibited there. The Founder was
Messrs Singer and Co of Somerset. While in Venice and Rome, Sheppard found inspiration
in Michelangelo’s statue of David, hence the trooper’s pose. The Times reported: “He
stands on the alert, his field glasses in one hand and his rifle in the other; a fine type of the
young manhood of the colony who came forward so readily to help the mother country and
the Empire” The helmeted figure, however, is not peculiarly Australian. The statue returned
to Hobart on the SS Papanui in January 1905. The statue obviously was added after the
unveiling of the memorial.
Ben Sheppard won the design for the memorial out of 52 entrants, sixteen of which came
from Britain. Twenty guineas were given as a prize. Sheppard was born in London and died
in Cape Town after leaving Tasmania for a warmer climate because of his failing health.
The Mercury (25 th July 1902) described Sheppard as a “promising young painter”.
Forty two Tasmanians died from various causes during the war and more than 600
Australians. Tasmania, in the modern era, was the first State to organise an annual BOER
WAR COMMEMORATIVE DAY which is held in Hobart on the first Sunday in June and the
third Sunday in June in Launceston.
Commonly called the Boer War, it should be more correctly termed the Second Anglo-Boer
War. This war, which was waged from October 11 1899 until May 31st 1902, was a major
conflict in that a total of 450,000 British forces, including colonials, fought a total of 87,365
Boers.
Australia's effort was massive in relation to our small population. In excess of 16,000 troops
left our shores. Many re-enlisted; in total up to 23,000 Australians. 857 Tasmanians made
up of 36 officers and 821 other ranks served. About 880 horses also left Tasmania.
Tasmania has 40 known sons buried in South Africa, those who died as a direct result of the
war either because of the bullet, disease and suicide. Another two died on the way home
across the Indian Ocean on the transport Drayton Grange taking the death toll to 42.
Today, numerous memorials are scattered throughout Tasmania testifying to our
involvement and paying homage to those who served and to those who died. Most are
possibly forgotten and neglected. Perhaps they have been considered a quaint reminder of
some war most Tasmanians have little knowledge of, with these memorials over shadowed
by later major conflicts.
In many ways the study of the war can be seen to have similarities to the Vietnam War, yet
with the amount of time it lasted, there were more Australian casualties in the Boer War
than the latter nasty war. We now know the psychological after effects, something which
wasn't recognised until the Second World War and not really developed until after Vietnam.
The number of suicides by those Australians who served in the Boer War is not known yet
there were those who took their lives during and after the war. The Boer War saw the
returned veteran, as was the case so often in the Great War, settle back into civilian life the
best he could with perhaps with the help of his family, friends and the family doctor or
minister of religion, but little else. They were even denied repatriation help. It was not until
the 1950s the Federal Government considered veterans eligible for such benefits. By then a
large portion were dead or beyond help.
The War was declared on the 11 th October 1899. The following day the Boers invaded the
province of Natal and it has to be said, looting and pillaging, annexing great tracts of land,
re-naming towns and implementing their race laws. Somewhere between 21,000 and
30,000 Boers pushed their way from both the Orange Free State and the Transvaal.
The storm had broken loose. On October 14th the first major engagement took place with
the Boers suffering heavy losses.
At the turn of the last century feeling for Britain and the Empire was very strong in
Tasmania. We were linked to the Empire not merely by ties of Government and history, but
by race. Tasmanian and British patriotism usually went hand in hand. The Governor,
Viscount Gormanston, expressed this when he exhorted the members of the Bushmen's
Contingent to acquit themselves in a manner at once credible for this loyal colony and
worthy of the best traditions of the British Army.
Most of the Tasmanian troops were sent off to Alba Studios at 60 & 69 Elizabeth Street,
Hobart to be photographed.
2
To allow Tasmanian soldiers to fight overseas, the Government passed an enabling act and
there a very competitive spirit between the colonies to be the first one to commit troops.
Not all supported Britain, however; one was newspaper editor and hoped-to-be politician,
James Paton who used his paper, The Clipper, as an avenue for his views. Yet his counter
opinion was the exception and short lived. Tasmania even considered at a later time to
accept Boer prisoners happy to receive the money from London for the purpose, but
Melbourne, now the new capital of the fledging nation of Australia, decided against it.
In 1899 the Federation referendum was held. This developed the feeling of national pride
and Australia sought not only to equal, but to better the Mother Country in some fields.
Our Australian National Flag was first flown September 3 1901. We were finally a nation.
On October 10 th 1899 the Tasmanian Parliament expressed its loyalty and devotion to Her
Majesty the Queen and its sympathy with Her Majesty’s Imperial Government with the
difficulties that have arisen in South Africa and is of the opinion that Tasmania should equip
and despatch for service with Her Majesty’s Regular Forces in South Africa.
When Tasmania sent troops to South Africa, it instilled a great sense of pride. This was
expressed in W.H. Dawson's poem, "Tasmania's Gift" composed and dedicated to the
troops. Our first troop of 80 men of the First Tasmanian Contingent under the command of
Captain St Clair Cameron left Tasmania October 27 th just a fortnight after the declaration of
war. The contingent reached Cape Town on the 26 th November disembarking the following
day. The Mercury newspaper, January 1, 1900 carried a report on the arrival in South Africa.
Conditions of enrolment were 12 months or the duration of the war. Payment was by the
Imperial Government Commonwealth Treasurers Authority. Married men were not
enlisted. Men had to be able to ride and to shoot well.
Qualifications for the Eight Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse was height not less
than 5 foot three inches and chest not less than 34 inches. Age not under 20 years. By this
time acceptances had changed a little. While single men were preferred, married men were
allowed on the understanding that if killed or died from sickness no separation allowance
would be forthcoming.
On June 1 1902 peace was proclaimed in South Africa. A telegram was sent to Premier
Lewis with the news that, The Representative of the Boer forces in the field have accepted
the terms of surrender offered by His Majesty's Government. After receiving the news, Mr
Lewis dispatched this message: Upon the announcement of the declaration of peace great
rejoicing took place throughout Tasmania consequent upon the receipt of the welcome
news.
There were banner headlines in the local newspaper Mercury June 3 1902 with the heading
PEACE PROCLAIMED. The cessation of the war was met by the firing of five guns from the
3
Queen’s Battery and from announcements posted out at the newspaper office. Crowds
thronged the streets of the city and a public meeting was called at the Town Hall attended
by the Mayor and Premier accompanied by musical bands. There was a further patriotic
meeting in the evening. At 11:30 that morning a thanksgiving service was performed at St
John’s Goulburn Street and later at 4:30pm at the Town Hall. St Joseph’s and St Mary’s,
Catholic, a solemn “De Teum” was sung with St Mary’s school choir singing the National
Anthem.
Celebrations were carried out all around the State, from Bagdad to Mathinna on to St
Mary’s, Richmond, Bothwell, Strahan, New Norfolk and no doubt elsewhere. In Launceston
there was general rejoicing in the streets. School children were granted a holiday and most
business stopped. Rejoicing continued into the evening.
Upon return, the First Contingent was met by thousands of people who had flocked to the
wharfs and the Domain. The vessel, the Harleca Castle; was met by many V.I.P.'s including
the Premier, N.E. Lewis, the Minister of Defence, G.T. Collins and other dignitaries.
The Premier briefly addressed the troops and welcomed them home. With the troops were
two nursing sisters who had also served in South Africa, Sisters Hutchinson and Wallace.
The Police were powerless to keep the crowds under control. The public thronged forward
embracing and kissing the men. After a few minutes the men were drawn up and marched
to the parade ground where they paraded before the Governor and his wife and the Mayor.
A riot nearly broke out when the excited gathering spilled over into the areas reserved for
the V.I.P.’s. The Governor, the Mayor and even the troops were pushed and shoved.
Mounted troopers and police endeavoured to quell the swelling mass, but their efforts were
unsuccessful. Several ladies fainted in the confusion. It was reported that the doctor,
rather than going to their aid, took shelter elsewhere.
Eventually common sense prevailed when it was decided to move the returned troops on
and march them into town. The streets of Hobart were shrouded in decorations. There
were banners hanging from places of business, displaying such sentiments as :Welcome to
our Boys; Welcome home Tasmanians, and ;Tasmania is Proud of her Sons;
A banquet followed in the old Exhibition Building on the Domain, which is no longer there.
Speeches were made and the churches held thanks giving services.
It was not long before the Tasmanian South African Returned Soldier's Association was
formed and continued in the south until October 10, 1963 when the minute books declared,
;The affairs of the Association in the south be handed over to the northern branch”. Sadly,
but inevitably, the northern branch - thus the Association - folded in 1969.
The motto of the Association was ; Keep green the memory of fallen comrades; Over the
years that memory has dimmed
4
Their memory, however, has been kept somewhat alive by several major monuments in
Tasmania, especially the imposing one in Princes Park Launceston and the magnificent
bronze statue of a soldier on the Hobart Queen’s Domain.
The foundation stone of the Hobart one, which was first known as the Tasmanian Solders
National Memorial, was laid on July 4 1901 by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Cornwall and
York. The Mercury reported it, July 5 1901. At this time, the State's death toll was 16.
During the royal visit, Trooper T. Fitzallen was presented with a medal, the brother to
Trooper Albert Fitzallen who was to die in the war.
The site for the memorial was chosen as it would be in view of all vessels entering the
harbour and would overlook the review group as well as being discernible from the lower
end of Liverpool Street. The chairman of the memorial committee was Bernard Shaw (first
cousin to the English playwright George Bernard Shaw) and the architect was Alan Walker.
The creator of this remarkable sculptured piece was Ben Sheppard senior, who married Elsie
Morrisby, sister to Bernard Morrisby, who died in the war. It is believed Bernard Morrisby
may have been the model for the monument or his brother Raymond Morrisby, who
survived the war. There is also that another contender for model recognition, that being
Frederick Weeding, who worked at the time on Lt-Colonel Cameron’s property in the
Midlands.
Benjamin (Ben) Sheppard (1876-1910) was London born who moved to Hobart, joining his
sister and her schoolmaster husband at Bismarck, now Collinsvale. He won a commission
for the memorial, which he executed in London. It received great acclaim both in Britain and
in Australia. Undoubtedly, it was his masterpiece. A replica was later erected at Halifax,
Yorkshire, England.
In the cavity of the foundation stone was placed names of those comprising the Tasmanian
contingents that went to South Africa, also newspapers containing the announcement of
the following events: the first meeting held in connection of the memorial; death of the
Queen; accession of King Edward VII; arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York
in Australia and the names of the Executive Committee and others who took part in having
the memorial erected.
In part the Duke's address said: "pride in race and country" adding, “we are met together to
do honour to our gallant brothers who have fallen in South Africa and it is with great
satisfaction I have laid the first stone of our national tribute to their memory.”
The foundation stone was placed in position by the means of a pulley and a further three
huge granite stones were added for the base.
The monument was described as the “National Monument” and that subscription for its
erection came from “all classes of people throughout Tasmania.”
5
The reason why the soldier statue is looking in the direction that he does because he
watches the troops leaving and returning to and from our shores.
The statue was sent to London for casting in bronze and exhibited there. The Founder was
Messrs Singer and Co of Somerset. While in Venice and Rome, Sheppard found inspiration
in Michelangelo’s statue of David, hence the trooper’s pose. The Times reported: “He
stands on the alert, his field glasses in one hand and his rifle in the other; a fine type of the
young manhood of the colony who came forward so readily to help the mother country and
the Empire” The helmeted figure, however, is not peculiarly Australian. The statue returned
to Hobart on the SS Papanui in January 1905. The statue obviously was added after the
unveiling of the memorial.
Ben Sheppard won the design for the memorial out of 52 entrants, sixteen of which came
from Britain. Twenty guineas were given as a prize. Sheppard was born in London and died
in Cape Town after leaving Tasmania for a warmer climate because of his failing health.
The Mercury (25 th July 1902) described Sheppard as a “promising young painter”.
Forty two Tasmanians died from various causes during the war and more than 600
Australians. Tasmania, in the modern era, was the first State to organise an annual BOER
WAR COMMEMORATIVE DAY which is held in Hobart on the first Sunday in June and the
third Sunday in June in Launceston.