Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: Joseph Arthur Porter

Ancestor's date of birth: 1878

Ancestor's date of death: 1961

Cause of Death: age related

Service and Life Before the Boer War: He was born in Aramac, Queensland and was a kangaroo shooter at the time of enlistment. His next of kin were cited as living at Emu Park, Queensland at the time of his enlistment

Service Number: 273 and 3481

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

Unit: 'C' Squadron, NSW Citizens Bushmen

Rank attained in Boer War: SGT, Date Effective: 01/04/1901

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No record of subsequent military service.

Murray Page: 82, 160

Contingent: Third New South Wales (NSWCB) and Fifth New South Wales (NSWIB)

Ship: SS Maplemore, Date of Sailing: 01/03/1900

Ship: British Princess, Date of Sailing: 05/04/1901

Other Boer War Service: Served as a sergeant in the 3^rd NSW Imperial Bushmen

Memorial details: Detail not provided

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Transvaal, Rhodesia, South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902 (his service was a month or so shy of the award of a King's South Africa Medal).

Personal Characteristics: Detail not provided

Reasons to go and fight: Detail not provided

Details of service in war: Service: From April 1900 in Rhodesia, west Transvaal including the attempted relief of Elands River Post (the fight at Koster River 4-16 August 1900). He was invalided home possibly with Enteric fever arriving 30 August 1900. He returned to South Africa and served again with the 3^rd NSW Imperial Bushmen. Serving May 1901 - May 1902 in west then east Transvaal then west Transvaal.

Service and life after the Boer War: He published an autobiography 'Roll the Summers Back' Jacaranda Press Brisbane 1961. Chapter 20 dealt with his Boer War experiences. He also wrote for the Bulletin under the pseudonym 'Spinifex'.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Margaret Gilfillan, North Sydney NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: First cousin once removed

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