Ancestor Details
Ancestor's Name: Edwin Sydney Hession (Hessian in Murray)
Ancestor's date of birth: 1881
Ancestor's date of death: 29/01/1947
Cause of Death: Carcinoma of the Kidney
Service Number: 2929
Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Sydney
Unit: A Bty Royal Australian Artillery
Rank attained in Boer War: GNR, Date Effective: On enlistment
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No evidence of post war service
Murray Page: 100
Contingent: Second New South Wales (reinforcement draft commanded by LT RG King)
Ship: Maplemore, Date of Sailing: 15/03/1901
Memorial details: Detail not known
Decorations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Cape Colony, Orange free State, Transvaal, and SA 1901 clasps.
Personal Characteristics: He was a serving member of the NSW Permanent Artillery.
Reasons to go and fight: Was serving in No 1 Company, NSW Garrison Artillery.
Details of service in war: A battery was equipped with 15 pounder breach loading guns. These guns had a maximum timed range for shrapnel shells of 4100 metres. He served on operations in Cape Colony, Orange free State, Transvaal from 15 May 1901 until August 1901. CLICK HERE for more details of A Battery's service in the Boer War.
Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Australia on the Herleich Castle, arriving 15 September 1901. He left the permanent Army and worked as a gardener. Married Isabella Simpson and had children Leonard, Elvira, John, Elsie and Kathleen, and another male child who died young. He was living at Mosman near Sydney when he died in 1947. His nephew Christopher Hession served as a major in the 7 Light Horse in WW1 serving at Gallipoli and in Palestine. His son Leonard served as a gunner in 2/5 Field Regiment during World War 2 and saw action in Egypt, Syria, New Guinea, and Borneo. His great great nephew John Howells served in the RAAC 1974 - 1995 rising to lieutenant colonel.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: John Howells, Penrith NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Great, great nephew
