Ancestor Details
Name of Ancestor: Fletcher Evelyn Quintal
Ancestor's date of birth: 08/02/1868
Ancestor's date of death: 31/12/1953
Cause of Death: Age related
Service Number: 175
Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Sydney
Unit: B Company, NSW Imperial Bushmen
Rank attained in Boer War: CAPT, Date Effective: Late 1901
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): CPL, Date Effective: 10/10/1914
Murray Page: 94
Contingent: Fourth New South Wales
Ship: Armenian, Date of Sailing: 23/04/1900
Other Boer War Service: 3 NSWMR and 7 NZ Contingent
Memorial details: Buried at Emily Bay Cemetery Norfolk Island.
Decorations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Rhodesia, Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal clasps; King's South Africa Medal with SA 1901 and SA 1902 clasps. Mention in Despatches (MID). 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal. Coronation Medal.
Personal Characteristics: He was a first Generation Northfolk Islander descended from THE BOUNTY Mutineers. Height 180 cm, weight 76 kg (1914).
Reasons to go and fight: Patriotic.
Details of service in war: May 1900 - May 1901 with the NSWIB in Rhodesia and west Transvaal including capture of de la Rey's convoy and guns at Wildfontein (24 March 1901). Slightly wounded at Buffels Hoek 18 August 1900, Lance Sgt 1st December 1900. Agreed to stay on in South Africa after May 1901. British Commission as a Lieutenant [remained posted to NSWIB] June 1901. Attached for duty to 7th NZ Contingent [NZMR] June 1900 [Captain Simpson's Company]. Mentioned in Dispatches: Mentioned in Dispatches Lord Kitchener mentions 8th October 1901 [published in the London Gazette 3 December 1901 page 8544 position 1] the citation reading: "Greatly distinguished themselves [with Captain C Simpson 7th NZ Contingent] in the night capture of Spannersberg's Laager near Honingspruit 16 August 1901". Promoted to Captain late 1901 and transferred for administrative purposes but not operational purposes to 3rd NSWMR. OC Column Scouts until end of the war [Garrett's Column including 7th NZ and 6QIB].
Service and life after the Boer War: Received a special invitation to attend the Coronation of Edward VII in London 1902, and was awarded the coronation medal. Married Alice and had a daughter Emily. Was superintendent of Police at Norfolk Island. Enlisted as an OR in A squadron 6th Light Horse AIF, 7 October 1914. Promoted corporal 10 October 1914. Badly wounded, shot in the eye, Gallipoli 12 June 1915. Discharged on medical Grounds 1916. When he returned to Norfolk Island, his old position was offered back to him. He declined on the grounds that given his war injuries he did not consider he would be up to it. CLICK HERE for a more detailed biography of Fletcher Quintal.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Robert Westwood, Norfolk Island
Relationship to Ancestor: Great GrandsonName of Descendant: Kirk Westwood, Palmwoods QLD
Relationship to Ancestor: Great GrandsonName of Descendant: Marguerite Westwood, Palmwoods QLD
Relationship to Ancestor: Great Grand DaughterName of Descendant: Ross Westwood, Norfolk Island
Relationship to Ancestor: Grandson
