Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: John Alexander McCrossin

Ancestor's date of birth: 02/01/1883

Ancestor's date of death: 14/11/1939

Cause of Death: Pneumonia and Heart disease

Service and Life Before the Boer War: John was a farmer at Uralla in Northern NSW

Service Number: 1994

Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Armidale

Unit: 'A' Squadron,3 NSWMR

Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: 1901

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No evidence of post Bore War service

Murray Page: 127

Contingent: Fifth New South Wales

Ship: SS British Princess, Date of Sailing: 21/03/1901

Memorial details: Drtail not provided

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902 clasps.

Personal Characteristics: Detail not provided.

Reasons to go and fight: Patriotic fervor and inspired by his cousin J R McCrossin AKA Robert Rayment NSWIB

Details of service in war: April 1901 - April 1902 in Free State and East Transvaal under Rimington including Boer breakthrough at Langverwacht (24 February 1902) This contingent arrived in South Africa in April 1901. Their strength on sailing was 1086 all ranks. The 3^rd NSW Mounted Rifles joined the column of Colonel Rimington in May 1901. This was one of several columns which worked almost incessantly during the last thirteen months of the war in the north-east of the Orange River Colony, and by the splendid way in which they carried out their task under the faultless leadership of Rimington the column did a great deal towards bringing the war to an end. The district allotted to them was the stronghold of the Free Staters, and was well adapted to their style of warfare. Rundle's V11th Division had marched about in it since May 1900, and Sir Archibald Hunter had there taken 4000 prisoners in July of that year; but it was not until the mobile mounted columns were organised that any impression could be made on the enemy's vigour in this quarter. On 21st July 1901 the column was at Heilbron: it then numbered a little over 2000, of which the NSW Mounted Rifles contributed 800 and the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons 466. A history of the column's work is given in the War Record of the latter regiment, already quoted from under the NSW Lancers. It would be quite impossible to detail here the numberless engagements, marches, and the enormous captures of prisoners, rifles, ammunition, and transport by which the column so ably contributed to wear out the enemy. A few examples from the Inniskilling's record to show what the work was must suffice. It having been decided to attempt to surprise a laager with which it was reported De Wet then was:- "At 7 pm on 14 September 1901 the surprise force, consisting, as usual, of the Inniskillings, NSW Mounted Rifles, Canadian Scouts, and section RHA, under Colonel Rimington, started on a night march. After crossing the Klip River near Parys about 2 am, the column was obliged to halt on account of the intense darkness. The moon had gone-down and heavy rain set in. The troops lay by their horses in bitter cold and rain until dawn, and then pushed on fast and rounded up Brakoog. Ten Boers escaped. Pushing on to Anderkant and towards Sodas, a few Boers were caught, and our convoy was rejoined in the valley below Kat Kop. The night had been against the enterprise. About 46 miles had been covered and De Wet had not been taken, but the capture included 6 Boers, 6 rifles, 300 rounds of SA ammunition, 6 waggons, 9 Cape carts, 350 cattle, 11 mules, and 6 riding-horses". On 24-25 September 95 kilometres were covered in thirty hours in a similar operation. These marches - generally starting at dusk - went on continuously, and, of course, the strain on all was very great. "On 10th October, in passing the eastern spurs of Leeuwkop, a NSW Mounted Rifles Sergeant Major was mortally wounded and 2 horses of the Inniskillings killed by snipers. The Sergeant Major was buried next day under the Sugar Loaf Kopje on the march to Langspruit". About the middle of October an attempt was made to capture General Louis Botha, then living near Amsterdam, in the east of the Transvaal. Rimington's men were chosen to go, and, leaving the Standerton Railway with sixteen days' rations, they set out on their long march. They reached the farm at dawn on the 24^th. The morning was misty, but cleared at 7 am and revealed the column to some Boers, about one hundred. These opened fire and Botha galloped off. His papers were taken, and doubtless were of use to Lord Kitchener. To be selected for this enterprise was the highest compliment the Commander-in-Chief could have paid Rimington's column. On 2 November they were back to Standerton, from which they worked south. In December 1901 and the first four months of 1902 the NSW Mounted Rifles took part in the great drives which it had been decided, on the suggestion of Colonel Rimington, was the only method by which the war could be ended. During these drives the amount of work done by men and horses was incredible. Lieutenant Colonel Watkins-Yardley notes that, on the occasion of a drive in February, the troops were on outpost for eleven consecutive nights. It is generally recognised that outpost duty for three consecutive nights is a most severe strain on all ranks. On the occasion of the most important of these drives the enemy, on the night of 23 February 1902, made a desperate and partially successful attempt to break the line in the Vrede district held by Colonel Garratt (see 7th New Zealand Contingent). In his telegram of 1st March 1902 Lord Kitchener said: "On that occasion, besides the New Zealanders, already mentioned, the 3^rd New South Wales Mounted Rifles, under Colonel Cox, behaved extremely well, bringing heavy fire on the enemy. The cattle that fell into our hands showed the effective nature of that fire, a large proportion being wounded". During these operations the contingent had never very serious casualties. The following extract from Force Orders by Colonel M F Rimington, CB, was truly merited:- Kraal, Monday, 28 April 1902. "The Brigadier in saying good-bye to the Officers, NCO's, and men of 3^rd New South Wales Mounted Rifles, desires to thank all ranks for their good work during the year they have served under his command. They have shown by their dash in attack, steadiness in action, and alert behaviour on outpost duties that they are thorough good soldiers, of whom the Empire may well be proud. Their cheerful conduct under privations and exposure is above praise. He wishes them God-speed, and good luck wherever they go. (Sgd.) G K ANSELL, Major, CSO"

Service and life after the Boer War: He returned to the land in Northern NSW. By the 1930s he was resident in the Wentworth District of NSW.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Patricia James, Grafton NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Great Niece

Return to Descendant Database