Trooper Samuel McDowell

Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: Samuel Alfred McDowell
Ancestor's date of birth: 19/05/1868
Ancestor's date of death: 14/05/1944
Cause of Death: Cerebral haemorrhage, hyperpyesia
Service Number: 327 (RH), 4582 (CR)
Colony or State of enlistment: Not Applicable, Place of Enlistment: South Africa
Unit: Roberts' Horse and Cattle Rangers
Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: 1900
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No evidence of post Boer War Service.
Murray Page: Not applicable, did not serve in an Australian unit.
Contingent: Not applicable
Ship: Travelled privately to South Africa.
Memorial details: Details not available.
Awards/Decorations: Queen and King's South Africa Medals with clasps.
Personal Characteristics: Not known
Reasons to go and fight: Not known
Details of service in war: Roberts' Horse was formed in February 1900 from men who have found their way to South Africa from various parts of the world. It took part in the relief of Kimberley and the advance on Bloemfontein then Bloemfontein to Pretoria. September 1900 saw them at Krugersdorp. A night march across the hills south of Kaffir's Kraal resulted in the surprise of the Boer camp at dawn of the 14 April 1901, the laager being rushed by the men of Roberts' and Kitchener's Horse. The enemy, numbering some five or six hundred, fled in haste, pursued by our troops. The enemy's losses included 6 killed, 10 wounded, 23 prisoners, 1 12-pounder gun, 1 pom-pom, 2 ammunition waggons", and an immense amount of ammunition. Soon after Samuel McDowell transferred to the Cattle Rangers enlisted 3 June 1901 discharged 21 November 1901 on disbandment of that unit in Pretoria. The Cattle Rangers another unit of men from around the world served in Cape Colony and Transvaal. Troopers in the Cattle Rangers nominally held the rank of "Ranger".
Service and life after the Boer War: Judy Ireland found an old copy of his funeral announcement in the NLA papers and under that was another announcement from the South African Soldier's Association requesting member attend the funeral of their member. He died at the War Veterans Home in Narrabeen on 14 May 1944.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Judy Ireland, Walcha NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Great great niece

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