Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: John George Cheetham

Ancestor's date of birth: 09/12/1871

Ancestor's date of death: 13/01/1948

Cause of Death: Age related

Service and Life Before the Boer War: John was born in the Adelong Tumut area of the Snowy Mountains. He was a Labourer when he enlisted.

Service Number: 1208

Colony or State of enlistment: NSW; Place of Enlistment: Goulburn

Unit: 'B' Squadron 3^rd New South Wales Mounted Rifles

Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: 01/03/1901

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No evidence of post Boer War promotion

Murray Page: 128

Contingent: Fifth New South Wales

Ship: SS Maplemore, Date of Sailing: 17/03/1901

Memorial details: Buried Wollongong area

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Transvaal, Orange Free State and South Africa 1901 clasps. British War Medal.

Personal Characteristics: 178 cm tall dark complexion, grey eyes, dark brown hair.

Reasons to go and fight: Detail not provided

Details of service in war: April 1901 - April 1902 in Free State and East Transvaal including Boer breakthrough at Langverwacht (24 February 1902) He was invalided home arriving 16 September 1901 on the SS Harlech Castle probably suffering from enteric fever (typhoid).

Service and life after the Boer War: After the war John spent 5 years serving in G Company 1st Australian Infantry Regiment and 2 years in the Field Artillery in Wagga. By World War one he was living in Thirroul NSW. He made a number of attempts to enlist in World war one from 1915 to 1917 by understating his age. But his general health led to him being discharged. He died in Bulli NSW.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Kevin Cheetham, Murwillumbah NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: great nephew

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