The Australian Boer War Memorial
Anzac Parade Canberra

 
 
Private Noel Drury

Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: Noel Harnage Drury

Ancestor's date of birth: 24/01/1877

Ancestor's date of death: 30/09/1923

Cause of Death: Noel Harnage Drury died aged 46 years in Brisbane, from spinal problems resulting from injury suffered after his horse was shot and fell on top of him during battle. He was survived by his 34 year old wife (born Doris Louisa Cardew Simpson, 1889) and three children.

Service and Life Before the Boer War: Noel Harnage Drury was the youngest son of Colonel ER Drury, business man, pastoralist and first CEO of the Queensland National Bank. Noel was one of eight children -- four boys and four girls. The four boys went to the Brisbane Grammar School. Noel then studied law and trained with Flower and Hart, Brisbane solicitors.

Service Number: 131

Colony or State of enlistment: QLD, Place of Enlistment: Brisbane

Unit: 2nd Queensland Mounted Infantry

Rank attained in Boer War: PTE, Date Effective: 1900

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

Murray Page: 462

Contingent: Second Queensland

Ship: Maori King, Date of Sailing: 13/01/1900

Memorial details: Noel Harnage Drury was buried in the Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane.

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps

Personal Characteristics: Height 181 cm, weight 74 kg, of fresh complexion with brown hair and blue eyes. My aunt, Mrs Diana Killen, now (October 2012) the only surviving child of Noel Harnage Drury, mentioned his keen sense of humour.

Reasons to go and fight: Patriotism, and a young man's sense of adventure.

Details of service in war: March 1900 - March 1901 in Free State, west and east Transvaal.

Service and life after the Boer War: Noel Harnage Drury married Doris Louisa Cardew Simpson at St Paul's Church, Ipswich on 19 November, 1909. They had three children -- Edward Nigel Drury (my father), born 15 May 1911; Barbara Grahame Drury, born 6 August 1913; and Diana Grosvenor Drury, born 31 March 1915. Noel Harnage Drury became a country solicitor in Clifton, on the Queensland Darling Downs.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Christopher Mark Nicholas Drury, Elanora QLD
Relationship to Ancestor: grand son

 


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