Ancestor Details
Ancestor's Name: James Robert McCrossin (also known as Robert Rayment)
Ancestor's date of birth: 24/04/1869
Ancestor's date of death: 21/01/1956
Cause of Death: Age related heart failure
Service and Life Before the Boer War: He was a farmer and carpenter at Guyra before the Boer War. The story goes that he had an argument with the Recruiting Officer who told him to get lost, however an acquaintance of his, Robert RAYMENT, who had been selected decided not to go so MCCROSSIN took his place. He was cousin of John Alexander MCCROSSIN 3NSWMR, served as No. 176 Robert RAYMENT in the NSWIB, his medal is ascribed to 176 JR MCCROSSIN NSWIB.
Service Number: 176
Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Armidale
Unit: 'F' Coy NSWIB (aka 6th Imperial Bushmen)
Rank attained in Boer War: CPL, Date Effective: 01/04/1900
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No evidence of post Boer War service.
Murray Page: 104
Contingent: Fourth New South Wales
Ship: SS Armenian, Date of Sailing: 23/04/1900
Memorial details: Detail not provided
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Cape Colony, Transvaal, Orange Free State, Rhodesia and South Africa 1901 clasps.
Personal Characteristics: Determined with a sense of humour and very kind and generous.
Reasons to go and fight: Very patriotic and looked for adventure away from farming and building.
Details of service in war: Service: May 1900 - May 1901 in Rhodesia under Carington and west Transvaal including capture of de la Rey's convoy and guns at Wildfontein (24 March 1901) The unit landed at Beira, crossed Rhodesia, and operated in the north-west of the Transvaal. Under General Carrington they advanced to the relief of their noble Colonial brothers at Elands River and, having seen the enemy, took part in the very inglorious retreat. When the Elands River garrison, having been relieved, was marching to Mafeking, they found the 6th Imperial Bushmen at Zeerust, and the latter are said to have expressed themselves very freely at the humiliating role they had been forced to play. They had suffered some very trifling losses, but would gladly have borne much to have had the credit of relieving Hore. The Reverend J Green, who was at Elands River , said the 6th were very sick at being in the "inglorious attempt to pull us out of the fire ... No one felt the humiliation like Lord Cecil"; and again, the evacuation of Zeerust was inexplicable. "Cecil broke down and wept like a child". The son of Britain's great Prime Minister had been one of the noble band who had held Mafeking for seven long months. He doubtless felt what a falling off in spirit was now come. Throughout August the regiment saw a good deal of skirmishing. On the 27th they had several casualties, including Sergeant Major Messenger wounded. After General Carrington had gone home the regiment did excellent service under Lord Methuen and other leaders in the Western Transvaal, and their good work was frequently recognised. On 9th September the 6th had half a dozen men wounded. In Lord Roberts' telegram of 12th September, he said: "Methuen reports that Douglas was attacked yesterday morning when marching on the road from Ottoshoop to Lichtenburg. After some hours' fighting Douglas drove the enemy off and captured a quantity of grain and other stores. His casualties were - wounded, Captain Bryce, Australian Bushmen, severely in shoulder, 2 men severely, 2 slightly"; and on 18 September he wired, "Methuen reports, Douglas came across a body of the enemy on the 12th near Lichtenburg. He captured 39 prisoners, 10 waggons, and some sheep and oxen. His casualties were - Lieutenant R J White, 6th Imperial Bushmen, severely wounded and taken prisoner: a man of the regiment has died of wounds received on same occasion". At Lichtenburg on 28 September the regiment had 7 men wounded, 3 of whom died of their wounds. In Lord Roberts' telegram of 12 November 1900 he spoke of the "excellent work" of both the NSW Bushmen and New Zealanders, then under General Douglas. The corps had several casualties about the 25 and 26 December, including Lieutenant D F Miller wounded. During the first four months of 1901 the 6th Imperial Bushmen, or the greater portion of them, were with Lord Methuen and General Babington in the Western Transvaal, and their work was most highly spoken of in despatches and by the correspondents. During February the corps was frequently engaged, and did many trying marches. Major W E O'Brien, Lieutenants Thomson and Doyle, and many non-commissioned officers and men, gained mention on the 23 and 24 March 1901, when General Babington and Colonel Grey had a most successful action with Delarey, in which they took 3 guns, 6 maxims, and many prisoners. It was very fortunate that the regiment got, and made such a fine use of, this grand opportunity, before their term of service came to an end. Some of the regiment were still in the field in June, and on the 4th of that month Lieutenant A E G King was severely wounded in the north-west of the Transvaal. The appendix to the despatch of 8 July 1901 puts the strength of the 6th Imperial Bushmen with General Babington, in May, at 193: detachments were employed at other parts of the Transvaal at that time. Returned per 'Orient' at Albany WA July.1901.
Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to the New England area and lived at Wandsworth. He was a local contact for the 6th Imperial Bushmen's Association and SASA in the Armidale District in the 1920s and 1930s. 105 veterans of the unit attended a function in Sydney in 1923.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Patricia James, Grafton NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grand Daughter
