The Australian Boer War Memorial
Anzac Parade Canberra

 
 
Private John Swan

Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: John Campbell Duncan McPherson Swan

Ancestor's date of birth: 06/03/1877

Ancestor's date of death: 28/05/1900

Cause of Death: Malaria, Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia)

Service Number: 584

Colony or State of enlistment: VIC, Place of Enlistment: Melbourne Victoria

Unit: 3rd Victorian Bushmen

Rank attained in Boer War: PTE, Date Effective: 01/01/19

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

Murray Page: 250, 336.

Contingent: Third Victorian Bushman

Ship: SS Euryalus, Date of Sailing: 10/03/1900

Memorial details: Interred at Umtali Zimbabwe

Decorations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Rhodesia clasp.

Personal Characteristics: Details not provided

Reasons to go and fight: Difficulties finding farm work - Drought conditions.

Details of service in war: Served from April 1900 in Rhodesia where he contracted malaria. In the unit's history it indicated cause of death at Umtali (in what would have then been Rhodesia) as poisoning; apparently wrong medication used by mistake. It is said while delirious from Malaria he drank Carbolic Acid. Official lists just state Malaria.

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

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Jim Walker, Point Lonsdale VIC
Relationship to Ancestor: Great Nephew

 


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