Ancestor Details
Name of Ancestor: Edwin Charles Mathews Bawden
Ancestor's date of birth: 1876
Ancestor's date of death: 07/08/1901
Cause of Death: He died in the Melbourne Hospital of pneumonia following measles contracted on the voyage home. He died eight days after returning from the war.
Service Number: 122
Colony or State of enlistment: VIC, Place of Enlistment: Wilby?
Unit: Victorian Imperial Bushmen
Rank attained in Boer War: SGT, Date Effective: Detail unavailable.
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): Did not survive the Boer War.
Murray Page: 262 and 336
Contingent: Fourth Victorian
Ship: Victorian, Date of Sailing: 01/05/1900
Memorial details: There is a monument to Edwin Bawden at his home town of Eldorado, Victoria.
Awards/Decorations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Transvaal, Rhodesia and Cape Colony clasps.
Personal Characteristics: The following is an extract from Edwin's mother's obituary in 1928. "The sad incident in the deceased lady's life was losing her only son, Edwin C.M. Bawden, who died a few days after landing from the Boer War. He was a popular favourite with the townspeople, who showed their regard for him by erecting a broken column of polished granite to his memory. The monument surmounts the highest point of One Tree hill facing the town . It was a memorable day for the people when the squadron of the Victorian Mounted Rifles from the district road into the town of Eldorado under the command of Colonel Patterson and proceeded to the spot, where the army chaplain and Major Holden duly unveiled the memorial with the usual ceremony observed by soldiers to a fallen comrade."
Reasons to go and fight: Detail not provided
Details of service in war: Rank was farrier sergeant. May 1900 - June 1901 in Rhodesia, west Transvaal, 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), may also have undertaken garrison duty in Rhodesia.
Service and life after the Boer War: He died eight days after returning from the war.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Colin Hollow, Prince's Hill VIC
Relationship to Ancestor: 1st cousin twice removed
