The Australian Boer War Memorial
Anzac Parade Canberra

 
 
Sergeant Alfred Tymms

Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: Alfred Henry Robert Tymms

Ancestor's date of birth: 25/11/1867

Ancestor's date of death: 23/03/1942

Cause of Death: Not known

Service and Life Before the Boer War: A telegraph operator in both Tasmania and Victoria.

Service Number: 1500

Colony or State of enlistment: Not Australia, Place of Enlistment: Cape Town

Unit: Western Province Mounted Rifles

Rank attained in Boer War: SGT, Date Effective: 15/02/1901

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): SGT, Date Effective: 28/05/1906

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

Contingent: Travelled privately to South Africa.

Ship: Wilcannia, Date of Sailing: 01/01/1901?

Memorial details: Not known.

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Cape colony clasp. King's South Africa Medal with SA 1901 and SA 1902 clasps. Natal 1906 Medal.

Personal Characteristics: Militia discharge character report states very good.

Reasons to go and fight: Not sure apart from retrenchments caused by telegraph depression throughout the Australian colonies.

Details of service in war: Attempted to enlist with the 5 VMR, failed than travelled privately to Cape Town where he volunteered, joining the Western Province Mounted Rifles. During January and February 1901 the unit was constantly in action. In a telegram from Clanwilliam, dated 31 January, the Press Association correspondent remarked that a detachment under Lieutenant Hellawell had driven 150 Boers from the Pakhuis Pass.

Throughout 1901 and 1902 the unit did an immense amount of arduous work in the extreme south-west of the Colony. They were often far from support and in a district much favoured by the enemy, and one almost impossible for regular troops. The unit had endless little engagements, frequently involving sharp casualties, and if they had a good many patrols captured this may be attributed to their being more than usually split up into little detachments at the request of the officer who commanded the district. A part of the unit was for a time in Colonel Capper's column. A patrol on 4 August 1901 made a smart capture of 7 prisoners, 70 horses, and 1000 rounds of ammunition.

One of the most notable things done in the western district was the successful defence of Tontelbosch Kolk, the Boer force in the neighbourhood being stated by Lord Kitchener to be about 1000 strong. The garrison, which was partly composed of men of this unit, made use of their cover most expertly, and during the siege the WPMR only lost 2 killed and 3 wounded.

Service and life after the Boer War: After Boer War he returned in 1906 Joined Natal Mounted rifles (special services) he partook in Zulu rebellion Bambaata. Did not get a war pension but finally my grandmother given on 3/- in 1940! But dies 2 years later?

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Wendy Jeanette Louise Coxhead, Garran ACT
Relationship to Ancestor: Grand daughter

 


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RUSI of NSW Boer War Battlefields