Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: : George Mansfield Robinson

Ancestor's date of birth: 22/01/1863

Ancestor's date of death: 03/05/1938

Cause of Death: Acute Cycsistis & Enlarged Prostate

Service Number: not listed (would not have had a number once commissioned)

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

Unit: New South Wales imperial Bushmen, and 3^rd New South Wales Imperial Bushmen

Rank attained in Boer War: LT, Date Effective: 22/06/1900

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

Murray Page: 103 and 147

Contingent: Fourth and fifth New South Wales.

Ship: The Armenian, Date of Sailing: 23/04/1900

Other Boer War Service: At one point George was attached to the 2^nd NSW Mounted Rifles as a supernumerary. After he was commissioned, George's New South Wales Imperial Bushmen unit was re-designated the 6^th Imperial Bushmen.

Memorial details: Buried West Terrace Cemetery Adelaide

Decorations: Queen's South Africa medal with two clasps (Rhodesia, Transvaal), King's South Africa Medal with two clasps (SA 01, SA 02).

Personal Characteristics: Prior to the Boer War George had worked for the Governor of South Australia (Sir Fowell Buxton) as a Military Orderly

Reasons to go and fight: I believe he had previous Military experience - his Boer War enrolment lists him as a "Military Instructor"

Details of service in war: Initially as Squadron Sergeant Major of "F Squadron" New South Wales Imperial Bushmen he served from May 1900, commissioned June 1900 he then served until May 1901 in Rhodesia and west Transvaal including capture of de la Rey's convoy and guns at Wildfontein (24 March 1901). He transferred to the 3^rd New South Wales imperial Bushmen at Klerksdorp in May 1901 then served until May 1902 in west then east Transvaal then west Transvaal.

Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Adelaide in September 1902 and applied for a position to work as a Warder in HM Gaols for the Sheriff's Department of SA. I have a copy of his application which reads:
"Sir, Learning that a vacancy exists for a warder under your department I beg leave to submit my testimonial for your consideration. I may state Sir, that I am a retrenched servant of South Australia after a period of 9 years service and a returned soldier of Australia having served with my regiment the Imperial Bushmen as a Senior RM Officer over 2 years. Hoping my application may be successful I am Sir, Your servant GM Robinson."
George's application was successful and he went on to serve as a warder at Wallaroo Gaol in August 1903. In June 1910 he was appointed Senior Warder and transferred to Gladstone Gaol. In 1912 George was appointed Governor of Port Augusta Gaol until 1930. 

Note: At the time of his second marriage to Alice Mary Etheridge, an Irish Catholic to marry her at St Ignatius Church in Norwood he had to be baptised catholic - at this time he took the additional given name of Luke. 

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Helen Robinson, Highgate SA
Relationship to Ancestor: George was my late husband's grandfather

Return to Descendant Database