Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: William Colbourne

Ancestor's date of birth: 01/08/1874

Ancestor's date of death: 31/01/1941

Cause of Death: Age Related

Service and Life Before the Boer War: William Colbourne was the son of Corporal John Colbourne and Eliza Kennedy. By trade he was a printer but at the Boer War was already serving in the Field Artillery although it is not clear whether he was a permanent soldier or not. When the Medical corps was authorised to proceed to South Africa they were short of drivers and to rectify this William was one of the Artillery drivers transferred to the Medical Corps keeping his existing serial number. He was promoted to L/Cpl at this time.

Service Number: 25

Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Sydney

Unit: NSW Army Medical Corps Field Ambulance

Rank attained in Boer War: LCPL, Date Effective: 1899

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): CPL, Date Effective: 19/05/1915

Murray Page: 21

Contingent: First New South Wales

Ship: SS Kent, Date of Sailing: 03/11/1899

Memorial details: Death notice in the Sydney Morning Herald of 03 Feb 1941

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesberg, Diamond Hill, Wittegergen, Cape Colony and South Africa 1901 Clasps. 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.

Personal Characteristics: Height 175 cm, weight 65 kg (1915), of dark complexion with blue eyes and black hair.

Reasons to go and fight: A serving soldier whose skills were needed.

Details of service in war: December 1899 - January 1901 in Cape Colony, Free State, and Transvaal He was mentioned by A B Paterson in one of his dispatches. He was also mentioned in a letter home by another soldier the relevant sections set out below:

"I took a waggon out with Billy Colbourne and another chap. We brought in two officers; one was shot through the shoulder and the other through the head - he was unconscious and never rallied. His name was Lieutenant Kiswick, of the 16^th Queen's Royal Lancers. We buried him, and put a small crossover his grave.

We pushed on as best we could, and after four or five hours we came to a farmhouse, and there we stopped for the night. There were sheep, pigs, and poultry, and you should have seen me catching two and screwing their necks. Billy Colbourne got one, and as I am in charge of the waggon that I am driving, we had three fowls between us. It was the first feed for about four weeks, and I can tell you we enjoyed it."

Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Australia, 8 January 1901 on the Orient. Moved to Western Australia, married Jessie and worked as a labourer. Joined the AIF 12 May 1915. Served in the Medical Corps as a Nursing Orderly in France. Returned to Australia 12 March 1918. Moved back to New South Wales, died in Randwick, 1941.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Dougal Gordon, Pearce ACT
Relationship to Ancestor: 2X Great Nephew

Name of Descendant: Henry Gordon, Pearce ACT
Relationship to Ancestor: 3X Great Nephew

Name of Descendant: Alannah Gordon, Pearce ACT
Relationship to Ancestor: 3X Great Niece

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