Ancestor Details
Ancestor's Name: Alfred aka Herbert Johnson
Ancestor's date of birth: 03/11/1873
Ancestor's date of death: 31/10/1955
Cause of Death: Not Stated
Service Number: 448
Colony or State of enlistment: VIC, Place of Enlistment: Gippsland
Unit: 4th Victorian Imperial Bushmen
Rank attained in Boer War: PTE, Date Effective: Detail not available
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No post war service
Murray Page: 270
Contingent: Fourth Victorian
Ship: Victoria, Date of Sailing: 18/05/1900
Memorial details: Buried at Yarragon Victoria
Decorations: Queen's South Africa Medal with five clasps: CC/OFS/TVL/Rhod/SA01.
Personal Characteristics: Height 1.17 m, hair brown, eyes grey.
Reasons to go and fight: At the request of the Imperial Government for a Corps of seasoned bushman, bold riders and sharpshooters. Capable of successfully contending with a guerilla enemy.
Details of service in war: He attempted to enlist in Hamilton's Scouts with his father and at least one brother and apparently was successful. When that unit was disbanded prior to going overseas he then joined 4 VIB. Service 1 year and 126 days. He commenced enlistment for 6ACH (service No 91) but never completed the process. Service with 4 VIB was: May 1900 - June 1901 in Rhodesia, west Transvaal under Cape Colony including relief of Philipstown (11 February 1901), capture of Boer guns at Read's Drift (23 February), and capture of Boer patrol near Doornkloof (1 March 1901); contingent separated mid 1900-early 1901, with Major L. F. Clarke commanding C, D, and E squadrons on garrison duty in Rhodesia (Not known which part of the 4VIB PTE Johnson was with).
Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Australia: 12 July 1901 on the Orient. He share farmed at Yarragon for some time then bought 60 hectares at Trafalgar and had a cream contract with the butter factory. Three of alfred's sons served in WW2. Robert aka Bob, was shot down over Greece and buried at Phaleron Cemetery. William aka George, P.O.W. returned to Australia. Leo aka Mick, POW Malaysia died in Changi, buried Kranji War Cemetery Singapore.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Valerie Palgrave, Drysdale VIC
Relationship to Ancestor: Great NieceName of Descendant: John B Westhorp JP, Coldstream VIC
Relationship to Ancestor: Grandson
