Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: William Alfred Tough

Ancestor's date of birth: 24/06/1874

Ancestor's date of death: 1938

Cause of Death: Natural causes in France

Service Number: 159

Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Wellington

Unit: NSW Citizen's Bushmen, B Squadron

Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: On enlistment

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): WO1, Date Effective: 19/12/1917

Murray Page: 80

Contingent: Third New South Wales

Ship: Atlantian or Maplemore, Date of Sailing: 28/02/1900

Memorial details: Buried in France

Decorations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Clasps, 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.

Personal Characteristics: Height: 1.68 m weight: 68 kg (1914). Fair complexion, brown hair and grey eyes.

Reasons to go and fight: Seeking adventure

Details of service in war: April 1900 - April 1901 in Rhodesia, west Transvaal including defence of Elands River Post (4-16 August 1900), and in northern Transvaal, great De Wet hunt (February - March 1901) and advance on Petersburg.

Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Australia: 11 June 1901. Worked as a railway guard and was married to Ada, living in Auburn NSW. Enlisted in the AIF and appointed Staff Sergeant on 17 September 1914. Served in Gallipoli and France in the 11 Coy AASC, Railway Supply Detachment and 10 Depot Supply Unit, Australian Army Service Corps. Was hospitalised in France. Promoted Warrant Officer 10 March 1916. Warrant Officer Class One 19 December 1917. Arrived back in Australia 1 September 1919 on the Zealandia. He deserted his wife and family and returned to France where he died in 1938.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Joan Kathleen Chesher (nee Tough), Port Macquarie NSW

Relationship to Ancestor: Grand daughter

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