Tilpa War Memorial

Boer War 1899 – 1902

Alfred Allott Kirkpatrick

Son of Alfred K. Kirkpatrick, J.P., storekeeper of Wilcannia and Mary Theresa, nee Quinn.  He was born in 1874, one of ten children.  He became part owner of “Buckanbe” and was a member of the First Australian Horse, second contingent, which departed Sydney 17 January, 1900.  He may well have arrived in South Africa with Harry Morant who used to work on his property.

Hedley John Kirkpatrick, Capt.

Brother of Alfred Kirkpatrick and also part owner of “Buckanbe”.  He served with the NSW Bushmen in the Transvaal and was commissioned in the Field.  On New Year’s Eve 1903 and now a Captain, Hadley Kirkpatrick returned to Australia with his South African Boer bride to visit his parents at Buckanbe.  Both soon returned to South Africa and later in 1903 they accompanied a Boer Delegation to Australia.  Hedley and his wife returned to South Africa where he later attained the rank of Lieut. Colonel in the South African Police.

Harry Harbord Morant, Lieutenant +

Harry Morant was born in Devon, England, and worked in Australia for fifteen years including time working on “Budda”, “Buckanbe’ and “Kallara” properties in the Tilpa district. 

He enlisted in South Australia and sailed for South Africa on the ‘Surrey”, on 25 January, 1900.  He joined the Bush Veldt Carbineers as a Lieutenant on April 1st, 1901.   Less than one year later he was under arrest for shooting Boer prisoners.  He was court marshalled and convicted three times of murder and sentenced three times to death.   On Friday, 27 February, 1902, Harry Harbord Morant was shot by a firing squad of Cameron Highlanders.

Victor Marra Newland, DCM, QM.

Son of Simpson Newland, Manager and part owner of ‘Marra”, and Jane Isabelle, nee Layton.  She was a niece of Edward H. Acres, of ‘Buckanbe”, and they were married there in 1872.  Victor was born at “Marra” station on 18 June 1876, and given his second name after his father’s property, one of the oldest in the Tilpa district.

He joined the Light Horse in the second South Australian contingent and travelled to South Africa on the “Surrey”, along with the “Breaker”.   In that conflict he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Queen’s South Africa Medal with five clasps.   He was present at the execution of Harry Morant.

After the war Victor remarried in Africa, moving north to Kenya where he was one of the first British settlers.  He became a partner in Newland Tarlton & Co. which organised big-game expeditions.  This was one of the first organisations to do so.   Mr Newland also became president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce in Kenya and a member of its Legislative Council.

Source: M. McInerney and C. Middleton, (Tilpa War Memorial Committee), Tilpa Remembers

1899-1973, Tilpa, Tilpa Flood Plain Wool Press, 1999.

(Held by the Cobar Shire & TAFE Library.)