The Australian Boer War Memorial
Anzac Parade Canberra

 
 
Trooper Charles Cawthorn MID

Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: Charles Frederick Rivers Cawthorn

Ancestor's date of birth: 22/02/1875

Ancestor's date of death: 25/07/1966

Cause of Death: AGE 91

Service Number: 268

Colony or State of enlistment: TAS, Place of Enlistment: HOBART

Unit: 2nd Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen No 2 COMPANY

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

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

Murray Page: 566

Contingent: Fourth Tasmanian

Ship: Chicago, Date of Sailing: 27/03/1901

Memorial details: cremated Cornelian Bay, Hobart

Awards/Decorations: Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps, mentioned in despatches 23 June 1902

Personal Characteristics: To Col Gorringe, "Sir This is to certify that No 268 C Cawthorn served with me for 15 months and gave every satisfaction. He was one of the GFC Scouts and assisted Capt Brown out at near Reynsberg when shot by the Boers, also distinguished himself on other occasions. I can confidently recommend him for any position of trust. ET Watchorn Lt Col." (see below)

Reasons to go and fight: Detail not provided.

Details of service in war: Served May 1901 - May 1902 in Cape Colony. Cawthorn was with Corporal Orr when he was killed at Reitport. They were scouts riding at the head of the column. The CO 2TIB, Colonel Watchorn said of Orr "He had frequently distinguished himself by capturing Boers, both when single-handed and when with his comrades, the last occasion being when he and No 268 Charles Cawthorn galloped up and captured a picket of five armed Boers".

Service and life after the Boer War: He met Jean Cawthorn while working on a farm on Maria Island and married her in Hobart in 1910. He worked on a farm at Pakenham Victoria, then had a wheat carting business in Ardlethan NSW, returning to Tasmania in 1921 and farming at Dover until 1937 when they moved to Hobart and ran a boarding house until the end of the war. They had 6 daughters and retired to Lindisfarne. After the Boer war he copied his letters home into a form of diary which is now deposited at the AWM library in Canberra.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Sally Steel, Toowoomba QLD
Relationship to Ancestor: grand-daughter

Name of Descendant: Deborah Reynolds nee Christian, Eastwood NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: granddaughter

Name of Descendant: Fenella Anne Christian, Tryphena, Great Barrier Island, New Zealand
Relationship to Ancestor: granddaughter

Name of Descendant: Kenneth George Doughty, Hobart TAS
Relationship to Ancestor: grandson

Name of Descendant: Robyn Grundy, Glenorchy TAS
Relationship to Ancestor: granddaughter

 


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