EUGENE DAYLESFORD PATTERSON died before mum married dad and little was said about him other than he was ‘dead’ and the family had experienced tough times prior to and following that event.   What I did know was he had married EADITH MARY PFOHL in South Africa in late 1902 and before long they had three little girls called Edna, Ann and Alice.   In December 1910, after a short time share farming with a brother-in-law, Euie, Eadith and the three girls left South Africa aboard The Persic to make their life in Australia.   My mother, Susan, was born in August 1911 and a brother named George after his grandfather was born in October 1914.  

Mum’s birth certificate which I saw for the first time in 1997 revealed an entry which did not appear on any of her sibling’s certificates.  This sent me on a search for a half-brother which eventually had a successful outcome complete with unexpected surprises, intrigue, brushes with the law and finally the ultimate meeting of families unaware of each other until fate lent us a helping hand.

Late in 2001 after moving house, I unpacked a previously unopened box my mother had given me years earlier.   At the bottom of the box were three medals rattling around on faded, water damaged ribbons, a certified family history of my mother’s maternal descendants going back to the early 1880’s which included a description of their occupations and places of abode and a manuscript written by my grandfather about his time during the Boer War.

Finding his manuscript saw me reading it several times over the coming days.   With each successive reading I gleaned much about the grandfather I never knew.   I got to know the man granny fell in love with and for whom she left her birth family and country to make a new life in Australia.

In his manuscript, my grandfather who goes by the name ‘Euie’, talks about his day to day activities from the time he left Australia in 1899 to his final discharge from duties in mid 1902.   Here is an overview of some of the events he mentions in this wonderful and priceless gift he left behind.

He left Melbourne on the SS Nineveh on the 23^rd December 1899 arriving in Cape Town on 18^th January 1900.   After being kitted out and assigned to Roberts Horse Corps he was given the task of teaching the squadron how to ride a horse.   Food rationing commenced almost immediately without having left the camp, a Johnny Boer sighted or a bullet fired.   The lack of food indicated it was going to be a hard war but despite rationing there always appeared to be some ‘Tickey Beer’ or Cratur (golden nectar) on hand if one knew where to look.

Euie writes of encouraging the men to feed their horses before themselves.   He describes dust storms, flooding of immense proportions and often no food or clean water for several days on end.   They fought on very little sleep as they often rested a mere three or four hours at night before heading off in pursuit of Cronje or some snipers known to be hiding in the bush.   By riding at night they could get in position for an early morning attack with minimal loss to themselves or the horses. 

Their squadron teamed up with General French to begin the great march to the Relief of Kimberley and the Siege of Kimberley.   During this time Euie also notes with humour and admiration the Boer’s method of retreat which involved those still standing after battle fragmenting into small groups.   Each group then took off in a different direction to make for cover in the surrounding Kopjes where they could ‘gather their wits’ before getting back together for the next round.

After many of the battles the townspeople gave the troops a large feed; they sang ‘God Save the Queen’ and celebrated their safety with much ‘Glory to Britain’.   These occasions were relished by the men as they had hot food aplenty, gifts of tobacco from the citizens of London, a drink to warm the heart and sometimes even the Queen’s Chocolate was distributed.   After one battle Lady Roberts presented Euie with a pair of field glasses in recognition of the major part he played in the initial reconnaissance work – a rare gift of significance.

After each of these rests which saw them with good beds and the chance to have a jolly good wash and be fitted out with new kit and boots, the men and their horses would head out again.   This meant collecting extra food to supplement the meagre rations by purchasing what they could from the locals, shooting wild animals or at worst looting if necessary – the latter on occasions unfortunately played a part in the survival of the troops and their horses.

The war was not without its’ social activity – Euie caught up with his brother Charlie on several occasions and on others, although missing Charlie, managed to spend the night with other Victorian mates from the Mounted Rifles who were resting in the area.

During the course of the fighting heavy losses were sustained by his Corp with both man and beast paying the ultimate price.   Many a time Euie’s life was saved by the speed and understanding of his horse Dandy.   He was a Cape pony standing about fifteen hands high, fleet of foot and very calm under fire of battle.   At no time did he carry less than sixteen stone on his back even though Euie’s belt had been pulled in four notches due to the severity of the rationing.   After seven months of hard riding Dandy had to be rested and Euie found himself on a renegade of a horse that was not easy to manage.   Dandy was never forgotten and Euie acknowledges him as one of the best horses he ever rode. 

In lighter moments Euie talks of a sniper attack as ‘a bit of fun’ meaning that everyone was at the ready and tactics and understanding of the land and the Boers themselves became a real challenge.   Over the course of time the men went down with various complaints which included dysentery, toothache, enteric and even corns.   Always the doctor seemed to pull out a No. 9 pill for the ailment; if he had run out of those he resorted to a No. 4 or No. 5.   Good luck and a man’s constitution played a part in their survival.   Euie advises his readers if they ever go to war ‘to eat hearty every chance they get to enable them to stay healthy’.

The blokes had to have their tobacco – it was a ‘great calamity’ when they all ran out which usually meant they had nothing to share between them for three days or more before winning another battle and getting fresh supplies in the town.

Euie mentions CAPTAINS KING, BRAY AND SMITH, a man named Chadwick, Generals Hunter, French and Clements, Lord Kitchener and Lord Roberts together with a fine captain from Canada who ‘looked the other way’ if his men needed to do something they ‘didn’t ought’ to ensure the troop’s safety.   He speaks of Mason who often rode with him ‘up front’ and a young Hilton whose horse was shot from beneath.   Euie was still aboard Dandy on this occasion and was carrying despatches but was able to retrieve the uninjured lad and race on under the cover of darkness amidst a hail of sniper fire.   Once in camp Euie discovered he and Hilton had been chased by young De Wet, son of Christian.   By getting out of that chase alive they felt they had been incredibly lucky – the three lookouts travelling with them were captured by the Boers during the skirmish.

Euie was medically discharged after spending a month in hospital with lumbago and severe fever and resting for a further month.   He was not satisfied with the job he had done and signed up with a local Corp in Cape Colony where he continued to fight on land with the troops before being seconded to a role in Field Intelligence.   After the war he stayed on as part of the Army Surplus department acting in the role of auctioneer.

For his part in the war Euie was awarded the DCM for his efforts when saving Hilton and carrying the despatches, the QSA with eight clasps and the KSA with two clasps.   He stated “that having collected some very valuable curios during the war, the most valuable prize was that of his life and that Australia should be proud of the men who went to war as they are most respected by all”.

After returning to Australia, the family spent most of the time in a lovely old home in Kew.   They also built a cottage in Daylesford, Euie’s birthplace, which was burnt to the ground only weeks after it’s’ completion.   Today a medical centre is being erected on the land he and granny once owned when the times were good.   Following his return to Victoria Euie worked as an accountant for a Company in Melbourne and also had a private office in Daylesford where he acted as a Real Estate Agent and Accountant.

Times changed for the family and Euie died in a rented house in Kew in 1934 at the age of sixty nine years.   The depression and his health finally caught up with him.   Time spent on research has taught me that much was written about him and people like him in local newspapers and bulletins.   I discovered he was an ‘ordinary man’ but his path in life certainly took him on some amazing journeys.