Have a Question? Provide Feedback? Submit Search Our Site:
 
         
 
Gunners Tales
 

Gunner Walter Rice

A Field Battery, Boer War, Queens Medal

         

Gunner Walter Rice received the Queens Medal for service with A Battery during the Boer War. A Battery Brigade Division Field Artillery departed Sydney for South Africa  on 30 December 1899. It’s establishment was one Colonel, four subalterns, one Chaplain, one Battery Sergeant Major, one Battery Quartermaster Sergeant, six sergeants, one Farrier Sergeant, four Shoeing Smiths, two collar makers, two Wheelers, six Corporals, six Bombardiers, seventy Gunners, sixty three Drivers and two Trumpeters. Total one hundred and Seventy Six.

On 22 February 1901, Lieutenant King, one Sergeant and forty three other rank proceeded to South Africa as a draft to fill vacancies in A Battery. The Battery embarked from South Africa on 20 August 1901 arriving in Sydney on 15 September. The next day the Lieutenant Governor, Sir Frederick Darley presented the South Africa War Medal to the members of A Battery at Sydney Town Hall.

         
Gunner Walter Rice, QM Gunner Walter Rice's Queens Medal
Gunner Walter Rice
Wearing his Queen Medal
Gunner Walter Rice's Queens Medal
         

The medal and other photographs and documents have been presented to the RAAHC by Ian and Laurice Bondfield, his grandchildren. In all some 16,000 Australians served in the South African (Boer) War of which only 221 served with A Battery. The Regiment is indeed very fortunate to have been donated this rare example of Gunner service.

         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
© Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company - All Rights Reserved
COPYRIGHT | DISCLAIMER | YOUR CONDUCT | PRIVACY
webmaster@artilleryhistory.org
Top