First Australian Soldier to Die in Imperial Service - Mount Morgan, QLD
Posted by: 
Tuena
S 23° 38.593 E 150° 23.370
56K E 233693 N 7382838
A memorial to Victor S Jones, the first Australian soldier to die on foreign soil, can be found at the southern entrance of a suspension bridge named in his honour.
Waymark Code: WMP012
Location: Queensland, Australia
Date Posted: 06/01/2015
Views: 2
Private Victor S Jones was killed instantly when shot in the head on New Year's Day 1900 at Sunnyside, South Africa during the Boer War. The memorial is a cement block with a large brass plaque outlining his death, regiment & occupation. He enlisted in the 2/14 Light Horse (Queensland Mounted Infantry) & was the Paymaster of the Mount Morgan Gold Mine, the world's richest such mine at the time.
The following description was taken from the website of Australians at War which appears below:
His brother described him as "a very fine young man, aged 27, 6ft in height, who at the first announcement of sending a Queensland contingent to South Africa gave up a good position, home & friends to fight for his Queen and country".
The website also mentions the efforts of the Guild of Loyal Women of South Africa to identify the grave & erect a headstone in 1901. A wreath laying ceremony organised by the owners of Sunnydale Farm took place on 1 January 2000 at Private Jones' grave site with his great-niece present.
FIRST - Classification Variable: Person or Group
Date of FIRST: 01/01/1900
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
|
Visit Instructions:As a suggestion for your visit log, please make every effort to supply a brief-to-detailed note about your experience at the Waymark. If possible also include an image that was taken when you visited the Waymark. Images can be of yourself, a personal Waymarking signature item or just one of general interest that would be of value to others. Sharing your experience helps promote Waymarking and provides a dynamic history of your adventures.