Gunner Thomas Irwin

Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: Thomas Kennedy Irwin
Ancestor's date of birth: 23/03/1856
Ancestor's date of death: 09/05/1930
Cause of Death: chronic bronchitis
Service and Life Before the Boer War: vet (horses)
Service Number: 9 (1QMI), 876 (1ACH)
Colony or State of enlistment: QLD, Place of Enlistment: Brisbane
Unit: MG section 1^st Queensland Mounted Infantry, then 1^st Australian Commonwealth Horse
Rank attained in Boer War: GNR, Date Effective: 1899
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): PTE, Date Effective: 17/01/1917
Murray Page: 456 and 524
Contingent: First Queensland and First Australian.
Ship: Cornwall, Date of Sailing: 01/11/1899
Ship: Custodian, Date of Sailing: 06/02/1902
Other Boer War Service: series B4418
Memorial details: Wollongong cemetery
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal clasps. King's South Africa Medal with SA 1902 clasp. British War Medal.
Personal Characteristics: Height: 179 cm, weight: 69 kg (1917).
Reasons to go and fight: Of Irish origin - National Pride
Details of service in war: Served as a gunner in 1^st Queensland Mounted Infantry; age put to 25 years; December 1899 - December 1900 in northwest Cape Colony including victory over 'rebel' band at Sunnyside (1 January 1900), Free State, and east Transvaal. Returned to Australia, discharged 23 January 1901. Re-enlisted as a private in the 1^st Australian Commonwealth Horse. Served March - May 1902 on Natal border and west Transvaal.
Service and life after the Boer War: Asked by Banjo Paterson to bring horses to Egypt in WW1. Enlisted in the AIF for WW1 on 17 January 1917, put age down to 41 years. Served with 42 Bn in France. Led first Anzac March down Crown Street in Wollongong 1917 had three sons served WW1. I (Edwin Grant) have his death certificate of him and military photos prefer not to send this way. This man is my Great Grandfather his son is my direct Grandfather.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Edwin John Grant, Wollongong NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Great Grandson

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