TOPIC:

Francis O'Sullivan was born on 14 Apr 1877 at Ipswich, a son to Patrick O'Sullivan and Mary O'Sullivan (nee Real). He also attended Ipswich Grammar School. He served in the South African War and again in WW1. First service was as a Private S.N. 316 in the 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen and Queensland Mounted Rifles, in the Boer War. Second service was as a Second Lieutenant in the 9th Infantry Battalion AIF, WW1. He joined the Queensland Defence Force in January 1900 at the age of 25, enlisting in the 4th Queensland Contingent. Embarking on the 18th May, 1900, he departed for South Africa on the “Manchester Port” arriving at Cape Town on the 23rd June.

The 4th QLD Contingent joined General Hamilton’s force after travelling to Pretoria by train. He was performing policing duties in Garsfontein, occupied Pretoria when he was wounded in a pursuit of guerrillas on the 13th March, 1901. He was wounded and later invalided home with 6 weeks pay. He was operated on for varicocele after discharging from the army in Ipswich, which he may have had as a result of long periods of time in the saddle. He later lived at 25 Tank St, Brisbane City and later in Bulimba.

On the 5th July, 1915 he volunteered with the AIF and joined the 9th Battalion, (now 9RQR) and served as an LT embarking on the Wandilla from Brisbane on 31st January, 1916. He died in 1956 aged 79 and is buried at Lutwyche Cemetery.


I feel he should have a much bigger story than what I have managed to find so far. Any information on the Queensland Mounted Rifles in the 4th Contingent is much appreciated.

(Note: I have edited the above to include some details that have come to light including his mother, schooling and WWI service)

Sapper97
Your man "316 Pte F. O'Sullivan" served with the 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen and not the QMR. The mismatch is understandable as many Victorian Colonial Imperial Bushmen received QSAs named to the VMR and only a search can tell their actual unit. It looks like the same may have applied to medals to Queensland contingents. Which can be confusing.
The medal roll for 4QIB shows your man as "invalided 12/01" and the Palmer casualty roll does not list him as being wounded.
The OZ Boer website has a little on your chap; NOK etc.
Murray (Australian Contingents" has a good writeup on 4th QIB's activities and so does Stirling.
Regards
IL.

Hi Linneyl,

I knew something was up but couldn't figure it out. So I knew he was in the 4QIB, while the medal was impressed as QLD Mounted Rifles. I assumed he was in the QMR and simply seconded in some capacity to the 4QIB - that was not the case? In the photo I attached he is wearing the emu feathers of a cavalryman too which makes it even more confusing if he was just a bushman. The WIA part was a bit contentious too as I was provided research on it but could not verify it myself. He was according to what I was provided at sale wounded in Garsfontein, a suburb of Pretoria, which makes sense as a Queensland newspaper makes mention of him "last being known to be performing police duties in Pretoria" or something to that effect. The medical report makes mention of his "embarrassing injury" but also makes reference to a previous wound that had not healed.

I have come across another soldier in the 4th QLD Imperial Bushmen's contingent who also gives his prior service as Queensland Mounted Infantry. Would be interesting to see if his medal was also QLD MR too. In the Boer War era photo of him he is also wearing the cavalry emu feathers in his slouch hat, like O'Sullivan. I personally don't have the depth of knowledge to explain this but given it is now more than one soldier surely there must be a resource explaining it out there.

"In 1900, Arthur volunteered as part of the 4th Queensland Contingent for the South African War. When he returned to Queensland in 1902, he gave an address in Nanango...A further force, given the designation Tropical Force, was raised in December of 1914 to act as an occupation force in the seized territories. Arthur Gray enlisted in Maryborough on 15th December and was allocated to the 2nd Tropical Force. He gave his age as 38 years and 4 months and advised that he had served for 18 months in the Queensland Mounted Rifles, a forerunner to the Light Horse." Link: vwma.org.au/explore/people/784141

Sapper97
Sorry for the delay in replying to the couple of points you have made in your 954464 and 94459.
Regarding the distinctive headgear worn by the QMR vs the QIB, I cannot answer your query. Whatever the headgear on enlistment, I doubt it would have lasted long on trek! And previous service statements made by men upon WW1 enlistment are sometimes generalized as to units, etc. Regarding your comment about men from the QMR and the 4QIB operating alongside each other, Stirling comments that that actually did occur occur when both served in General Ridley's column.
No matter what a man may have said on re-enlistment, as far as Boer War service is concerned, I would rely on Murray. I know that some regard Murray as incomplete but unless evidence provides otherwise, I would go with him.
To conclude, somewhere I have a long group to a Queenslander who served with 1QMR and was on the relief of Kimberley. I will post a pic of that group when I can.
Regards
IL.