Ancestor Details
Ancestor's Name: Julius Bernhard Reinhold (known as Bernard) Wegener
Ancestor's date of birth: 27/02/1879
Ancestor's date of death: 29/06/1954
Cause of Death: Myocardial ifarction - momentary Arteriosclarotic heart disease. Angina pectoris, Congestive cardiac failure, Emphysema - years.
Service and Life Before the Boer War: Born in Berlin 27 February 1879. From the Inward Passenger Lists 1852-1899, arrived on the Habsurg 1888 with Emma his mother, sisters Helene 9, Bernhard 8, Martha 7, and brother Max 3 (not recorded) They settled in Richmond, Victoria Australia. Left Australia as a young man to work in South Africa and was employed as a shunter on the Natal Government Railways in Ladysmith.
Service Number: Not known
Colony or State of enlistment: Not Australia, Place of Enlistment: South Africa
Unit: Natal Government Railways (Note: Not found in Natal Govt. Railways roll, only WEGNER D)
Rank attained in Boer War: PTE, Date Effective: 1899
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No evidence of post Boer War military service.
Murray Page: Not applicable did not serve in an Australian unit.
Contingent: Not applicable
Ship: Travelled privately to South Africa.
Memorial details: Buried near Northcote, Victoria.
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Natal and Siege of Ladysmith clasps.
Personal Characteristics: Detail not provided
Reasons to go and fight: Was there when it happened around him.
Details of service in war: Bernard was in South Africa, he had been working for 7 years for the Natal Government Railways as a shunter stationed in Ladysmith. When it was besieged by the Boer Army, he was pressed to serve in the British Army during the seige. A war diary was written by Mr Bernard Wegener 21 yrs. Bernard served with General Sir George White's staff as a Telegraph Messenger/despatch Rider. Bernard carried out this task using a bicycle delivering messages within the British line as requested. He was there until the siege concluded.
Service and life after the Boer War: It was in Ladysmith where he met his future wife Dorothy, (she was 17, almost). On their marriage certificate it states Bernhard Wagner aged 24 married Dorothy Uppink aged 17. They lived in Richmond, Victoria, Australia settled in Northcote and subsequently had 4 other children. Bernard was Naturlised on the 6 August 1914. During World War 2 Bernard and some of the other family omitted the second E from WEGENER (This was not done by Deed Poll) Bernard and Dorothy lived at 11 Kelso Street Richmond, then at 23 Spencer St. Northcote, Victoria. Bernhard sometimes called Bernard was A refrigeration Machanic and worked for Eckersleys, Victoria, Australia.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Dianne Wegener, East Ballina NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Granddaughter in law
