Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: Walter Leslie Macfarlane

Ancestor's date of birth: 02/04/1881

Ancestor's date of death: 18/08/1961

Cause of Death: age related

Service and Life Before the Boer War: He was born in Melbourne and was an upholsterer by trade. He had spent some time in the Victorian Scottish Regiment before joining. Not being selected for a Victorian contingent he took himself to South Africa and joined the Scottish Horse. Recruiters for this unit were extremely active in Victoria and the Victorian Government treated the Scottish Horse as almost a defacto local unit.

Service Number: 31865

Colony or State of enlistment: Not Australia, Place of Enlistment: Capetown, South Africa

Unit: 2^nd Scottish Horse

Rank attained in Boer War: SGT, Date Effective: 17/11/1901

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

Murray Page: Not applicable, did not serve in an Australian unit

Contingent: Not applicable

Ship: SS Orient, Date of Sailing: Not known

Memorial details: Melbourne General cemetery

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

Personal Characteristics: His service record shows exemplary conduct

Reasons to go and fight: detail not provided

Details of service in war: Walter enlisted on 16 February 1901. 'The second regiment started in Colonel Benson's column in the Eastern Transvaal, under Major Murray, Black Watch, and, thanks to Colonel Benson's good guidance, speedily became one of the best corps in the country, and never degenerated, even after his death. Their first serious skirmish was at Roodekrantz, on 30 April 1901, when one man was killed, 4 officers and one man wounded. Their next (on 3 July 1901) at Eland's Hoek [Kloof in the despatches, see Mentions], when three men were killed and nine wounded'. The officers wounded at Roodekrantz were Captains MWH Linday and AM Creagh, and Lieutenants Oscar Hamilton and CS Long-Innes. The despatches report Colonel Benson's operations in some detail, and the Scottish Horse are invariably mentioned in terms of credit. On 9th and 10th July 1901, near Dullstroom, north of the Delagoa Bay Railway, they are said to have pursued the enemy in a northerly direction, and to have captured some waggons. On the 11th the regiment was detached on a wide detour, during which they successfully located and captured 6 prisoners, 40 horses, and 24 vehicles belonging to Viljoen's commando, which were hidden in a kloof in the Tautesberg. On 15th July, at Wagen Drift, Lieutenants O W Kelly and M'Letchie and 4 men were wounded. In August, September, and October Benson operated south of the Delagoa Railway, and was most successful in rushing laagers after long night marches, taking a large number of armed Boers and immense quantities of cattle and transport. For their fine work Lord Kitchener bestowed on the column and its gifted leader the highest praise. But to few soldiers is it given to know nothing but unqualified success. At the end of September 1901 a great concentration of Boers was reported in the Vryheid district. After making most determined but unsuccessful! attacks on Forts Itala and Prospect, the enemy was driven from the south-east corner of the Transvaal.

Lord Tullibardine said: 'The next fight was the big one at Brakenlaagte, when Colonel Benson and Major Murray were both killed. The men did magnificently trying to save the guns. Only 96 [actually fewer] were engaged at this point, and they stuck it out until only 6 were left unhit. Their casualties were 5 officers and 28 men killed, and 4 officers and 36 men wounded; total, 73 killed and wounded out of 96 engaged, all the officers engaged being hit. I do not think I ever heard of better or more determined fighting, and although we lost the guns the camp was saved by the delay, and the men really did cover themselves with glory'. After October the 2^nd Scottish Horse continued to operate in the Eastern Transvaal in the column of Colonel Mackenzie. There was often severe fighting, and on 20th December 1901 Major Jennings Bramley (19th Hussars), who had succeeded Major Murray in the command of the 2nd Scottish Horse, and Lieutenant John Dow were killed at Lake Banagher. In February the regiment made some smart captures of influential Boers about Carolina.

Walter was discharged 29 April 1902

Service and life after the Boer War: After return to Australia he continued his trade as an upholsterer and continued service for a time with the Victorian Scottish Regiment.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Carol Whittingslow, Northcote VIC
Relationship to Ancestor: Grand Daughter

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