Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: William Trantum

Ancestor's date of birth: 01/07/1877

Ancestor's date of death: 01/10/1926

Cause of Death: Died suddenly in 3-4 days after illness located in his lungs, possibly pneumonia.

Service and Life Before the Boer War: Youngest of 8 children born to Henry and Jane Trantum of Melbourne. Orphaned at an early age. Trained by his guardian, who was a former partner of his father, in the jewellery trade.

Service Number: 2012

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

Unit: Roberts' Horse

Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: 18/12/1899

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

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

Contingent: Not applicable did not serve in an Australian unit.

Ship: Travelled privately to South Africa.

Memorial details: Buried at Woronora Cemetery Sydney NSW, not a soldier's grave.

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Transvaal, Orange Free State, Wittebergen, Diamond Hill, Johannesburg, Cape Colony and South Africa 1901 clasps.

Personal Characteristics: Hard working, 'straight laced' and community minded.

Reasons to go and fight: A jeweller trying his luck in South Africa who found himself in a war.

Details of service in war: Served in Roberts' Horse enlisted 18 December 1899 and discharged 2 January 1901; in Orange Free State, Wittebergen, Diamond Hill, Johannesburg, and Cape Colony.

Service and life after the Boer War: Married Edith Malinda Daley in Townsville Queeensland 12 September 1906. One son George Trantum born 26/04/1909. Grandson Warwick Trantum and grand daughter Miriam Schmidt. Was a manufacturing Jeweller in Townsville. He later became insolvent possibly due to a fire in the premises. He relocated his family to Sydney and established a Jewellery shop in King Street, Newtown which he ran successfully until his sudden death in 1926.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Miriam Schmidt, Winston Hills NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grand daughter

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