Ancestor's Name: Thomas William Barrett
Ancestor's date of birth: 01/01/1843
Ancestor's date of death: 22/05/1934
Cause of Death: Coronary thromobosis, acute pulmonary oedema
Service Number: 2701
Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Detail not provided
Unit: 3rd NSW Imperial Bushmen
Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: On enlistment
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): Detail not provided
Murray Page: 149
Contingent: Fifth New South Wales
Ship: Custodian or Maplemore, Date of Sailing: 17/03/1901
Memorial details: Detail not provided
Decorations: Detail not provided
Personal Characteristics: Detail not provided
Reasons to go and fight: Detail not provided
Details of service in war: His unit was formed May 1901 in Klerksdorp around reinforcements intended for Citizen and Imperial Bushmen contingents.
Served May 1901 - May 1902 in west then east Transvaal under Ingouville Williams then west Transvaal under Ian Hamilton.
Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Australia: mid 1902 on Ansonia or 11 August 1902 on Drayton Grange. Unfortunately I don't have any details of his service or his life after the Boer War. I can't even find his service record. His occupation on his death certificate lists him as a retired soldier, and I also know that he was in the NSW Permanent Artillery and the Royal Australian Artillery. I find it very sad that these men fought for our country, but unlike the first World War there does not seem to be a lot of documentation about these soldiers. The only information that I have found is from a list of soldiers names in a book by Murray. My great great grandfather was a professional soldier all his life, he was stationed at Victoria Barracks but I have struck a brick wall trying to gain any more information about him. My mother says that the bravest men that he fought were the NZ Maoris but I know no more than that.
