The Australian Boer War Memorial
Anzac Parade Canberra

 
 
Private Thomas Davie

Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: Thomas Matthew Davie

Ancestor's date of birth: 27/08/1871

Ancestor's date of death: 06/01/1953

Cause of Death: He died of old age at age 81 on the 6th of Jan 1963 in Elwood, VIC.

Service Number: 346

Colony or State of enlistment: VIC, Place of Enlistment: Unknown

UnitV 4th Victorian (Imperial Bushmen) Mounted rifles

Rank attained in Boer War: PTE, Date Effective: Detail not provided

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): Detail not provided

Murray 268

Contingent: 4th Victorian

Ship: Victorian, Date of Sailing: 01/05/1900

Memorial details: He was buried on 9 Jan 1953 in Brighton Cemetery, Vic.

Decorations: QSA

Personal Characteristics: An adventurer, traveller and successful businessman. He travelled extensively around the world and Australia. People who knew him said he was a true gentleman.

Reasons to go and fight: To quote a poem in my grandfathers Boer War diary "we came not here for money, but just the world to show, the kangaroo would follow, where the lion dares to go."

Details of service in war: Many details are listed in my Grandfathers Boer War Diary, but the best detail by far is a list of ladies names and addresses with comments next to them ie. "A Darling", "Such a Love", "Not too Bad", etc. Also spent most of 1901 with Methuen's column. I also have a photograph of my grandfather and two of his comrades in uniform after the war it appears below.

Service and life after the Boer War: Post War he established a tool merchant and hardware store at 133 - 137 Exhibition Street Melbourne importing high grade English and American tools. Travelled with his brother for 4 months in 1925 to the Gulf of Carpentaria in two Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts (they still exist). Eventually married at age 56 in 1927 to my grandmother who was 31 years his junior. Their only child, my father was born in 1937 and I was born in 1968 which probably makes me the youngest person to have a grandfather in the Boer War.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Thomas Matthew Davie, East Malvern VIC
Relationship to Ancestor: Grandson


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