Australian History ~

Aboriginal soldiers who fought in the Boer War deserve greater recognition, according to a Queensland academic. He is calling for more efforts to identify and honour Aboriginal men who served in the Boer War, as it is still unclear how many Indigenous soldiers fought in the Boer War between 1899 and 1902. Academics say many men did not identify themselves as Indigenous or used different names to enlist. Only 12 men have been identified and honoured as Aborihonouredoldiers. Recently, two more men have been identified, and Dale Kerwin from Griffith University is working to find their burial sites and honor them for their service.

One of the men, believed to be from Winton in central-west Queensland, is named Rossiter. Efforts are being made to learn more about his history and to find his descendants around Winton. Another man, who went by the name Jack Bond or John Alick, is believed to be of Aboriginal descent from the Braidwood area just outside Canberra. It is believed that he served in two tours of South Africa.

A military ceremony was held for Aboriginal man George Madigan, who was identified as having served in the war. He is now buried in Ingham Cemetery in north Queensland with a headstone and war graves plaque. Dr. Kerwin believes that there was also a small contingent of Aboriginal men who served in the Boer War and did not make it home. He thinks their fate remains unknown, and efforts should be made to recognize their contributions.

Dr. Kerwin also mentioned that there is little record of the trackers who were sent to South Africa, and he believes that because the men were not officially enlisted, at the end of the war, they were left to find their own way back to Australia. Legislation at the time prevented these men from returning to Australia, which led to the possibility that descendants of these trackers with Aboriginal heritage could still be living in South Africa.

Some researchers, however, are skeptical of this claim. Gary Oakley from the Australian War Memorial doesn’t believe that 50 trackers were sent over. He thinks that if trackers were sent, they would have been enlisted and returned home after the war.

Despite the skepticism, Dr. Kerwin’s research has been praised for its efforts to draw out stories from the community and for helping people understand Indigenous history. Additionally, a Boer War Memorial is being planned for Anzac Parade in Canberra, which will honor all who served in the Boer War, including Indigenous soldiers. However, it has been suggested that a separate memorial is explicitly needed to honour the Indigenous soldiers who served in the Boer War.