The Australian Boer War Memorial
Anzac Parade Canberra

 
 
Trooper George Cronin

Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: George Martin Cronin

Ancestor's date of birth: 23/04/1866

Ancestor's date of death: 20/07/1945

Cause of Death: Old age, I believe.

Service and Life Before the Boer War: Selector, horse breeder.

Service Number: 1430

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

Unit: 3rd New South Wales Mounted Rifles

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

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): PTE, Date Effective: 01/11/1914

Murray Page: 126

Contingent: Fifth New South Wales

Ship: Maplemore, Date of Sailing: 17/03/1901

Memorial details: Buried at Point Claire near Gosford NSW

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa medal with 4 clasps, Orange Free State, Transvaal, SA 1901 and SA 1902. British War Medal, Victory Medal.

Personal Characteristics: Height 167 cm, weight 58 kg (1915), of fair complexion. George Martin Cronin was the son of Irish immigrants. His parents died (within a month and a day of each other) when he was only 10 years old so his early life was hard.

Reasons to go and fight: He was very close to his sister Ellen Gurrin who worked for Sir henry Parkes. Given Parkes involvement in raising the volunteer fighters I wonder if this influenced him to enlist.

Details of service in war: April 1901 - April 1902 in Free State and East Transvaal including Boer breakthrough at Langverwacht (24 February 1902).

Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Australia: 3 June 1902. After the Boer War George Martin Cronin became a farmer at Bangalow. He never married. Served in WW1 Number 4759 Rank private Unit 15 Infantry Battalion AIF 1 to 23 Reinforcements (Dec 1914 - November 1916). Served in Egypt. After WW1 he worked as a Nursey Hand at the State Forest, Gosford. He died in Gosford in his 80th year and is buried at Point Clare. Shortly before his death he entered a Scooter race and was much applauded for his pluck even though he did not complete the race.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Denise Ellen Warren, Riverview NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: gg neice

 


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