Ancestor Details
Name of Ancestor: John (Jack) Elmer McCance
Ancestor's date of birth: 28/11/1878
Ancestor's date of death: 09/08/1915
Cause of Death: Received shrapnel wound to back (Paraplegia), at Gallipoli.
Service Number: 78
Colony or State of enlistment: VIC Place of Enlistment: Castlemaine, Vic.
Unit: 1st Victorian Mounted Rifles
ank attained in Boer War: PTE, Date Effective: 28/10/1899
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): CPL, Date Effective: 16/09/1914
Murray Page: 227
Contingent: 1st Victorian
Ship: Medic, Date of Sailing: 28/10/1899
Ship: H.M.T. St. Andrew, Date of Sailing: 12/02/1902
Other Boer War Service: Served in South Africa with the 2nd Battalion, Aust. C'wealth Horse (Murray P.312) Regt. No. 534. Enlisted Langwarrin 23.1.1902, discharged Melb. 2.8.1902.
Memorial details: Buried plot J, Grave 131, Chatby War Mem. Cemetery, Alexandria
Decorations: S.A. Medal 1899-1902
Personal Characteristics: Mount Alexander Mail (Castlemaine) Newspaper 19.8.1915 reports his death and describes him as '...a native of Chewton, and was respected and admired by all,being of a bright disposition and gentlemanly demeanor ...'
Reasons to go and fight: To serve Queen and country.
Details of service in war: Seriously wounded in an engagement with the Boers at Hobkirk's Farm near Rensburg on 12.2.1900. Bullet passed through lung and remained in his body. Taken prisoner by the Boers and later released when Lord Robert's column arrived in Pretoria. Invalided to Aust. 6.9.1900. Enlisted with 2nd Aust.C'Wealth Horse and returned to Sth. Africa.
Service and life after the Boer War: Enlisted 4th Aust.L.H. Regt. on 19.8.1914(still with the Boer bullet in his body), promoted Cpl.16.9.1914.Regt. No. 458. Embarked "Wiltshire" 19.10.1914 for Egypt. Embarked Alexandria 20.5.1915 for Gallipoli. Wounded Gallipoli 30.7.1915, transported by Hosp. Ship "Rewa" to Alexandria where he died at 19th Gen. Hosp. on 9.8.1915.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Peter McCance, Rosebud West VIC
Relationship to Ancestor: Nephew
