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Gotterson was what could be described as a "naughty boy". What makes him interesting quite apart from his antics during the Boer War when he served with no fewer than 3 outfits and almost a 4th - was the fact that his first wife seems to have mysteriously disappeared and he could well have looked a little too close to home with the choice of his second wife - we will most likely never know. The fact that he was also a deserter from the US Navy also makes him an interesting character

John Thomas Gotterson

Bearer, Imperial Bearer Corps
Private, 4th Battalion, Railway Pioneer Regiment
Trooper, Steinaecker’s Horse (Special Squadron)

- Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps Transvaal and S.A. 1902 to Pte. J.T. Gotterson, Stein. Horse

John Gotterson appears to have been a colourful character who started out life in October of 1853 being born to John and Lydia (maiden name James) Gotterson in Ipswich in the County of Suffolk.

On 31 March 1861 at the time of the England census the Gotterson family comprising John (40) and Lydia (32) together with John Thomas, aged 7, and an Albert Tidey, a Shoeing Smith, were resident at the “Mason’s Arms” in Little London Street Chichester. John Gotterson senior was a Stone Mason and Beer House Keeper by profession.

What happened to John in the intervening years is a matter of conjecture. We do know that he took to the seas as an occupation and was on the Trans – Continental “run” between England and Australia. It was probably here that he met the lady he was destined to marry – Mary Anne Pretty. This marriage was solemnized in the District of Bourke and took place at 11 Belgravia, King Street, Melbourne on 10th July 1875. Mary Anne was a native of Hobart, Tasmania who had moved to 148 Lonsdale Street in Melbourne and John, a Sailor aboard the S.S. Southern Cross.

Further confirmation of his sailing exploits came in the form of the list of Crew and Passengers who arrived in Hobart, Tasmania aboard the ship, Camilla, a 190 tonner which sailed from Adelaide to Sydney in New South Wales arriving on 9 December 1875 – some six months after Gotterson’s marriage. Gotterson was listed as an Able Seaman.

Also around this time he picked up a spot of bother with none other than the United States Navy! The Victoria Reports of Crime, page 27, and under the heading "Deserters from U.S.S. "Swatara" provided a:

"Description of men who have absented themselves from the U.S.S. Swatara. A reward of 3 pounds will be paid for each man arrested on or before Monday, 22nd instant:-

John T. Gotterson, C. mizen top, native of England, aged 21, dark brown hair, hazel eyes, sallow complexion, 5 feet 7 inches high."



Whether or not he was ever "nabbed" is anyone's guess but, in 1883 he was a Crew member aboard the steam ship “Nizam” (2 726 tons) of Glasgow which sailed from London to Sydney on 26 February of that year. He was then listed twice in the year 1885 as an Able Seaman on both occasions aboard the “Carthage” – arriving in Sydney on 9 July and again on 11 December.

What happened to the fair Mary Anne is a mystery for when Gotterson re-appeared during the 1891 England census he was a 37 year old Seaman resident at 33 Athol Street, Bromley, Middlesex, married to Alice James. This marriage had taken place in 1883 at Westhampnett in Sussex and she had borne him a son, Harry aged 7 and a daughter, Elsie aged 5. It is also strange that Alice’s maiden name was the same as that of his mother Lydia. Could it be that he married a cousin?

In 1892 his son, Harry, passed away at the young age of 7 in Poplar, Middlesex. This would have had a devastating effect on John Gotterson and, in all probability, shaped the decisions and actions he was to make in the years ahead.

The seafaring way of life was over for John when he answered the call to arms in the Anglo Boer War. The 21st March 1900 saw him in service in South Africa employed as a Bearer with the Imperial Hospital Corps. He was discharged from this unit on 24 December 1900 with the comment on the roll that stated “forfeited - to have medal and clasps earned in SH.”

After his time with the Imperial Bearer Corps Gotterson enlisted at Pietermaritzburg on 4 January 1901 for service with the 4th Battalion, Railway Pioneer Regiment as a Private with No. 2412. The Attestation Form he completed revealed that he had served in the I.B.C. and that he was a Rigger with the Nigel Gold Mining Company on the Witwatersrand. He was now 42 years of age and a member of the Church of England. Physically he was 5 feet 7 inches in height, had brown eyes, grey hair and a dark complexion. He provided his next of kin as his daughter, Miss Elsie Gotterson of Rose Cottage, London Road, Portfield, Chichester, Sussex.

His service here was to last longer than a year but ended in controversy when he deserted from the unit on 27 January 1902 and was given no clasps for his service. As an ominous portent of things to come he had already been found guilty of “Irregular Conduct” on 1 October 1901 for which he was given 10 days Confinement to Barracks and on 24 November of that year when he was Absent without Leave for 168 hours for which indiscretion he was docked 4 days pay.

Back in England at the time of the 1901 census, Gotterson’s remaining child, Elsie (15), was resident with her mother’s brother, Harry James and his wife Ellen, at 24 South Street, Cuckfield, Sussex. Of her mother there was no sign.

Within the space of a month after deserting from the Railway Pioneer Regiment he had enlisted at Johannesburg on 4 February 1902 as a Trooper with the Special Squadron, Steinaecker’s Horse with whom he was to see out the remainder of the war with this unit being discharged on disbandment of the Squadron in Pretoria on 15 July 1902.

Recruiting for the Special Squadron of Steinaecker’s Horse, raised for service in the Zoutpansberg area of the Northern Transvaal, had commenced in January 1902 under the command of Captain James McQueen after the Boer leader C.F. Beyers had renewed his offensive in the Northern Transvaal following the withdrawal of the Bushveldt Carbineers from the Spelonken. The Squadron was at all times isolated from Steinaecker’s headquarters at Komatipoort and they served in a variety of composite fighting groups mainly under Colonel Johan Colenbrander.

The first action in which they were engaged was the battle of Vliegenpan, the attempted relief of Fort Edward which was garrisoned by a detachment of Pietersburg Light Horse. This was in late March 1902 and 115 men of the Special Squadron were involved. On the opposing side were 400 men of Beyer’s Commando. The Special Squadron suffered no casualties in the battle although the force they were part of was repulsed by the Boers and the relief was not accomplished.

On 5 April 1902 Colenbrander despatched two parties, both 400 strong, south to close off Beyer’s escape routes. One party he put under the command of Captain MacQueen of Steinaecker’s Horse.

On 7 April 1902 Colenbrander moved out of Pietersburg to attack the Boer position. With him were 100 Steinaecker’s Horse. The action that took place thereafter effectively ended the Boer resistance with many of them being wounded or obliged to surrender Beyer’s however, was able to escape to Haenertsburg whence Colenbrander now headed.

On 16 April the British troops, hard on the heels of Beyers, were drawn into an ambush close to Haenertsburg. Steinaecker’s Horse under Captain McQueen was the most heavily engaged and suffered severely with 4 dead, 12 wounded and 23 including McQueen taken prisoner. Five men were missing but later rejoined.

Shortly after 23 April all available men of Steinaecker’s Horse left to join Colenbrander in the Haenertsburg district but a temporary armistice with Beyers had forced any plans to pursue the Boers to be put on hold.

The final engagement that the Special Squadron was involved in was at Pylkop where part of Beyer’s commando had headed after the cessation of the armistice. The men were sent to Chuniespoort on the night of 3 May. In three days of relentless fighting through gorges and thickets they took many prisoners but didn’t succeed in capturing Beyers. On 13 May Steinaecker’s Horse returned to Pietersburg.

For his efforts Gotterson was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps S.A. 1902 and Transvaal. He qualified for the claps O.F.S. and Laings Nek but these, along with his Kings South Africa Medal, were forfeit as a result of his past indiscretions.

He does appear on the roll for the 1st Scottish Horse with the accompanying comment – “This man did not serve in Scottish Horse. He enlisted in 4th R.P.R.on the same day he enlisted in Scottish Horse but served in 4th R.P.R.”

Almost as a postscript to Gotterson’s story a message appeared in the Shipping List from South Africa Magazine, dated August 22nd, 1903 and entitled “MISSING RELATIVES” - John T. GOTTERSON sailed for Cape Town as Quartermaster on the Dunottar Castle. His mother enquires….

That his mother was hell-bent on finding him was confirmed by not only the above advertisement but also by two additional ones that she placed in Australian publications on the same day as the aforementioned. he first appeared in the Adelaide Observer and read, "Gotterson, John T. last wrote from Madeira in June 1891 when quartermaster on R.M.S. Dunnotar Castle, going to Cape Town, Mother asks."

The second appeared in the Daily Telegraph (Sydney) and read, "Gotterson John T. who was quartermaster on the S.S. Dunottar Castle in 1891 and may be in Sydney, is sought by his mother."

John Thomas Gotterson, a Rigger on the mines in Johannesburg, passed away at the Rietfontein Chronic Sick Home in Germiston on 16 July 1923 at the age of 69. He had suffered with Apoplexia for 16 years and 10 days and that, together with Pneumonia, is what occasioned his death. He was recorded as a Widower.

Thank You Rory..... He was certainly not very consistent ....... Mike

A bit of a rotter Mike

Rory wrote: A bit of a rotter Mike

Thank God I went from a Sailor to a Soldier and then got smart and went back to a Sailor......

Mike