Topic: BW - NSW - 2NSWMR
2nd NSWMR
2nd New South Wales Mounted Rifles
Return of 2nd NSWMR to Australia, 22 May 1902
Return of 2nd New South Wales Mounted Rifles to Albany, Australia, Thursday, 22 May 1902.
[From: Sydney Morning Herald, Friday, 23 May 1902, p. 5.]
The transcription:
RETURNING SOLDIERS.
THE TRANSPORT AURANIA AT ALBANY.
FIFTEEN HUNDRED TROOPS ON BOARD. 2nd AND 3rd N.S.W. MOUNTED RIFLES.
3rd IMPERIAL BUSHMEN.
ALBANY, Thursday.
The transport Aurania arrived from South Africa at 1 o'clock this morning with by far the largest number of troops on board that has ever come to Australia from Africa in one vessel. The handsome Cunarder was of course specially constructed for passenger traffic across the Atlantic, and thus what for her in ordinary list established an enormous record for this part of the world All told there are on board 42 officers and 1492 non-commissioned officers and men making a grand total of 1534. Apart from the ship's company of troops 421 represent the rank and file of the 2nd New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 532 of the 3rd New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 214 of the 3rd New South Wales Imperial Bushmen and 30 of the New South Wales Army Medical Corps: there are besides the following Australian soldiers:- 67 New Zealand Mounted Rifles, 62 Queensland Imperial Bushmen, 20 Victorian Mounted Rifles, 13 South Australian Imperial Bushmen, and 16 Western Australian Mounted Infantry.
Lieutenant-Colonel H. P. Lassetter in command, and with him are the following officers of the 2nd Mounted R- Lieutenant-Colonel Vandelour Kelly, Majors MacLean and Lydiard, Captains McIntosh and Holman, Adjutant and Lieutenant Griffiths, Lieutenants Tedder, Murray, Coyle, Edie, Molloy, Stewart, Summons, and Shield. The officers of the 3rd Mounted Rifles are Captains Richards, Scobie, Gibson, Stuart, Meechan, Dart, Lieutenants Palmer, Brooke, Thompson, Hill,Thomas, Taylor, Holland, Brees, Hopkinson, Graham, of the 3rd Bushmen, Lieutenants Darcy. Cameron, Clarke, Buchanan, Newland, Kelly, and Drausfield. Captain Muir and Lieutenant Frances of theSouth Australian Imperial Bushmen, Captain Parker of the WA Mounted Infantry, Lieutenant Bell of the Scottish Horse, Lieutenant Hannam of the Bushveldt Carbineers, Lieutenant Halse of the Queensland I B, Lieutenant Christian of the New Zealand Moulded Rifles. In addition to the troops there are a number of ladies, as follows:- Sister Glennie and Mrs Campbell, widow of the late Surgeon-Captain Campbell, for Adelaide, Sister Dillon for Sydney, Mrs Price, Miss Bellin, and Miss Buchanan for Melbourne; and Mrs Parker, wife of Captain Parker
The troopship left Capetown on tho 6th instant, and had a pleasant trip across, although it times it was rather rough. The health of the troops generally was excellent, although there are a number of men on the sick list from wounds and the effects of enteric. Three cases of fever were considered sufficiently serious on arrival here to be put on shore for treatment in hospital. These are Private J. A. Ellis of the New South Wales Army Medical Corps, Private R. Hornby of tho 3rd Mounted Rifles, and Trooper W. E. Hunter, late of the Johannesburg Mounted Rifle. The last-named is en route to Melbourne and the other two to Sydney. Hunter's condition alone is serious.
The Aurania will bunker 1400 tons of coal at Albany, and will probably sail for Sydney direct on Friday morning.
Further Reading:
2nd New South Wales Mounted Rifles
2nd New South Wales Mounted Rifles, Roll of Honour
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Citation: 2nd New South Wales Mounted Rifles, Return of 2nd NSWMR to Australia, 22 May 1902
