Chaplain John Boardman

Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: John Boardman
Ancestor's date of birth: 21/05/1863
Ancestor's date of death: 03/04/1948
Cause of Death: age related
Service and Life Before the Boer War: Born Berrima, NSW. St Pauls College University of Sydney 1890-93. He had been ordained in 1898 and was curate at St Paul's Redfern when he was appointed Church of England chaplain to the New South Wales Contingent of Citizens' Bushmen.Was heavily involved in poor relief and social welfare in what was a depressed area of Sydney
Service Number: Officer (Chaplain) no number.
Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Sydney
Unit: NSW Citizens Bushmen
Rank attained in Boer War: CAPT (Chaplain), Date Effective: 1900
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): CAPT (Chaplain), Date Effective: 1909
Murray Page: 73 and 75
Contingent:Third New South Wales
Ship: Atlantian, Date of Sailing: 28/02/1900
Memorial details: Detail not provided
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medla with Relief of Mafeking, Rhodesia, and South Africa 1901 clasps. British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Personal Characteristics: A man dedicated to service of people
Reasons to go and fight: Saw a need to look after the spiritual welfare of troops
Details of service in war: Service: April 1900 - April 1901 in Rhodesia, west Transvaal including relief of Elands River Post (4-16 August 1900), and under Plumer in northern Transvaal, great De Wet hunt (February - March 1901) and advance on Petersburg. Was with 'A' Squadron at the relief of Mafeking and in the attempt to break through to Elands River in August 1900.
PRESENTATIONS TO THE REV.JOHN BOARDMAN.
There was a large gathering of the parishioners of St. Paul's Anglican Church, Redfern, held in the local schoolroom on Tuesday evening, to bid farewell to the Rev. John Boardman, curate of the parish, who has been appointed Anglican chaplain to the Bushman's Contingent. The rector (the Rev. F. B. Boyre) presided, and among those present were The Rev. George Brown (rector of St. David's, Surry Hills), the Rev. George Brown, jun, (curate of St. David's, Surry Hills), the Rev. Hi. D. Holliday (Pyrmont), the Rev J. G. Southby (St. Simon and St. Jude's), Mr. J. S. M'Gowan, M.L.A., and others.
The Chairman delivered a short address and presented Mr. Boardman with an illuminated address conveying the best wishes of the congregation. The address was accompanied with a purse of 23 sovereigns. Mr. W. Johnson, on behalf of the mission hall workers, then presented to Mr. Boardman an address and a solid silver pocket-communion service. Mr. R. W. Grierson, on behalf of the Redfern mid Darlington Relief Society, of which Mr. Boardman was an active worker, presented the guest of the evening with a handsome fitted dressing case suitably inscribed. Short farewell addresses having been delivered by a number of the gentleman on the platform, Mr. Boardman responded. On rising to do so he was warmly applauded.
During the evening, patriotic songs were rendered by Messrs. Clarke and C. Bock. The company sang the hymn " With the Sweet Word of Peace. We bid Our Brethren Go." A pleasant re-union was brought to a close by the singing of the National Anthem, after which Mr. Boardman took an affectionate farewell by shaking hands with the audience as they retired. 26 Feb 1900 WELCOME TO THE REV.JOHN BOARDMAN.
For the purpose of according a welcome home from the war in South Africa to The Rev. John Boardman, Anglican chaplain to the Bushmen's Contingent, the parishioners of St Paul's Church, Redfern, invited the gentleman to meet them, on Wednesday evening in St. Paul's hall, Cleveland street There was a large attendance .The Rev. Canon Boyce (rector) presided. Addresses of welcome were delivered by the chairman and by Messrs. W B Johnson, T Arnold, N Wolfenden, and David Walker (general secretary, Young Men's Christian Association) Mr Boardman, in response, delivered an address, which occupied over an hour, and in which he outlined in a graphic manner, scenes he had witnessed at three engagements. His duty on the battlefield, being to care for the wounded and the dying, he had received special commendation for the work performed by chaplains in this direction from Lord Methuen. His experience of the Boers as a nation led him to realise that they were a misguided people, and were in the hands of a small ring of men who tried to serve their own interest. He was present when Major-General Baden-Powell spoke of the good work done by the Bushmen's Contingent, Baden-Powell said, if the contingent had a fault at all it was that the men man had little too much dash. He (Mr Boardman) thought the war would not end probably for 12 months. He thanked the parishioners of St. Paul for their welcome. 12 June 1901 Departed Capetown for Australia on board the Morayshire 9-5-1901
Service and life after the Boer War: Married Annie. Joined the CMF as a chaplain post Boer War and completed 91/2 years reserve service prior to WW1. Was rector of St Albans Anglican Church, Fivedock on the outbreak of war. Chaplain Captain in WW1 at age of 53, Initially served as a chaplain for boat service only, then appointed Chaplain to AIF HQ AIF Egypt then 1 ALH BDE HQ attached 3ALH Regt. Was at Beersheba and conducted burials afterwards. Contracted Dysentry in early 1918 and was seriously ill. Due to his age and severity of his condition he was invalided home arriving in September 1918 and discharged medically unfit for further service.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Ann Fieldhouse, Bundanoon NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Great Niece

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