The Australian Boer War Memorial
Anzac Parade Canberra

 
 
Trooper Bruce May

Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: Bruce Harold May

Ancestor's date of birth: 1880

Ancestor's date of death: 07/09/1901

Cause of Death: Killed by an accidental discharge at Hartbeestefontein South Africa

Service and Life Before the Boer War: Work at May Brothers foundry Gawler, South Australia

Service Number: 375

Colony or State of enlistment: SA, Place of Enlistment: Gawler

Unit: 5th South Australian Imperial Bushmen

Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: 1901

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): Did not survive the Boer War.

Murray Page: 372 and 391

Contingent: Fifth South Australian

Ship: Ormazon, Date of Sailing: 09/02/1901

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Orange Free State clasp.

Personal Characteristics: Well liked by all who knew him.

Reasons to go and fight: Detail not provided

Details of service in war: From March 1901 in Free State including defence of Graspan where five dead (6 June 1901) and charge at Grootvlei (2 August 1901). At Hartbeestefontein during the afternoon of Saturday 7 September 1901, while mounted sports were being held, a rifle was accidentally fired, killing Trooper BH May and wounding another man; it cast quite a gloom over the whole camp as he was well liked by all who knew him. He was buried during the afternoon. It happened during the first event on the program, which after the sad accident was stopped. (TPR Edwards Diary)

Service and life after the Boer War: Did not survive the Boer War.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Andrew Kenneth May, Kingswood SA
Relationship to Ancestor: Cousin

 


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RUSI of NSW Boer War Battlefields