Name of Ancestor: John Nicol Baird
Ancestor's date of birth: 08/04/1878
Ancestor's date of death: 01/01/1952
Cause of Death: Heart condition
Service Number: 548
Colony or State of enlistment: VIC, Place of Enlistment: Geelong
Unit: 3rd Victoria Bushmen
Rank attained in Boer War: PTE (Shoeing Smith), Date Effective: 01/01/1902
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No evidence of post Boer War service
Murray Page: 249
Contingent: Third Victorian
Ship: Euryalus, Date of Sailing: 10/03/1900
Memorial details: VMR Memorial, Melbourne
Decorations: Queen and King's South Africa Medals with clasps.
Personal Characteristics: Detail not provided
Reasons to go and fight: He was a Farrier by Trade, and at the time they were short of Blacksmith.
He was a BAIRD and Proud to fight for his Country.
Details of service in war: April 1900 - April 1901 as part of Vialls’ 3rd Bushmen Regt in Rhodesia, west Transvaal including skirmish at Koster River where six killed (22 July 1900), and in northern Transvaal including battle of Rhenoster Kop (29 November 1900), great De Wet hunt including charge at Wolwekuil (14 February 1901) and advance on Pietersburg.
Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Australia: June 1901 on the Morayshire. Worked as a blacksmith, farrier and salesman
