Ancestor Details
Name of Ancestor: William Thomas Deacon
Ancestor's date of birth: 10/07/1850
Ancestor's date of death: 04/05/1916
Cause of Death: Dengue Fever
Service and Life Before the Boer War: He was the son of a saddler also named William Deacon who came to Australia in 1849 aboard the emigrant ship 'Fortitude'. After the death of his father and remarriage of his mother William Junior was raised by his grandfather Reverend Thomas Deacon and by two uncles - Thomas Towell and Samuel Shenton. William opened a business and later married a Miss Bugler. Woked as Postmaster, Alderman, Mayor of Ipswich 1896-1897, Director of the Queensland Woollen Manufacturing Company. Captain (17/11/1894) Ipswich 'C' Company of Mounted Infantry.
Service Number: Officer - no number
Colony or State of enlistment: QLD, Place of Enlistment: Ipswich
Unit: 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen
Rank attained in Boer War: MAJ, Date Effective: 19/11/1900
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): COL, Date Effective: 13/01/1912
Murray Page: 479
Contingent: Fourth Queensland
Ship: Manchester Port, Date of Sailing: 18/05/1900
Memorial details: Buried Ipswicch QLD
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Transvaal, Orange Free State, Cape Colony and SA 1901 clasps.
Personal Characteristics: Community Leader, businessman
Reasons to go and fight: Serving soldier.
Details of service in war: June 1900 - July 1901 in the Transvaal, Orange River Colony, Cape Colony including actions at Rhenoster Kop and Zilikat's Nek. Mentioned in Despatches twice, April and May 1901. Awarded the CB. In command of the 4 QIB from 19 November 1900, 'till 7 August 1901.
Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Australia 5 August 1901 on the Britannic. Was Member Ipswich Chamber of Commerce Member Ipswich Pastoral and Agricultural Society Director, Ipswich Woollen Manufacturing Co Treasurer Board of Management, Ipswich Hospital Alderman Ipswich City Council 1891 to 1900 and 1902 to 1915 Mayor of Ipswich again in 1908.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Alan Reeve North, Fisher ACT
Relationship to Ancestor: great nephew
