Herbert and Harold Waddell and the Boer War

Recently when undertaking research for another project I found references to the  involvement of members of the Waddell family from Singleton, New South Wales, in the Boer War.

Both Herbert William Waddell and Harold Henry Waddell were the grandsons of William Waddell who brought his family from Scotland to Australia in 1839. Herbert's father, Daniel Munro Waddell, was born in New South Wales in 1843 while his brother, William, Harold's father, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1836. Herbert was born in 1873 and Harold was born in 1876. Both families lived in Patrick Plains (Singleton).

When searching in Trove for information regarding the Waddell family I found an article containing a copy of a letter, written by Harold, published in the Singleton Argus 6 February 1900 recounting experiences in South Africa. The letter was written on 2 January 1900 from Rendsburg and recounts an encounter against the Boers where a number of the horses were killed or wounded but only three of the one hundred Australian and one hundred English involved in the incident were wounded. The letter ends with the words "It is wonderful how our men escape".

The Australian War Memorial provides a useful overview article on Australia and the Boer War (1899-1902).

 Harold was a member of the New South Wales Lancers while Herbert was a member of the New South Wales Citizen Bushmen. Information about these and other units can be found on the Australian War Memorial website in the War History section by selecting Units then name of the war or conflict - eg  South Africa 1899-1902 (Boer War).

Always check the links in the side bar. For example the Heraldry link in the New South Lancers page includes images of uniforms and medals for that unit.

Another useful Boer War website is Australian Boer War Memorial website of the National Australian Boer War Memorial Association.

The Australian War Memorial in their People section allows the searching for names of Australians who served during various wars and conflicts.

Searching the nominal rolls for the name Waddell and selecting South Africa 1899-1902 in the drop down list provides four names including the names of the two cousins.

Summary information is provided along with links to any digitised records.

Herbert Waddell was killed at Piennaar's River on 22 September 1900. A search in the Roll of Honor provides similar information and, in this case, a photograph of Herbert (photographs are not available for all records).

Trove provides additional information about Herbert William Waddell. The Australian Town and Country Journal 17 February 1900 contains an article listing the men from the Bushmen's Contingent about to leave for South Africa.

The Sydney Morning Herald for Tuesday 2 October 1900 reports the death of Herbert Waddell in South Africa on the previous Thursday. The Singleton Argus for the same date provided additional detail:

Word was received yesterday that Private Herbert Waddell, of Singleton, a member of the Bushmen's Contingent, was killed in a battle at Pienaars River. The deceased, who was a son of Mr D. R. Waddell, of Sedgfield, was a native of this district, and is the first Singletonian to lose his life at the front. Hitherto our local men have been attended with marvellous luck, but it has now come to this unfortunate young fellow's lot to lose his life for Queen and country, and he now fills a soldier's grave in South Africa. The family will be accorded the sympathies of every resident of the district in their sad bereavement.

A number of other newspapers also carried the news of the death of Herbert William Waddell and the effect of his death on the local community. The final intimation of the death of Herbert William Waddell was received by his father from Captain Eckford the previous day according to the Evening News 8 May 1901.

The Evening News 14 April 1901 reported on plans to build a memorial in the memory of Trooper Waddell.

Memorial in Burdekin Park

Unfortunately the erection and the unveiling of the memorial caused much controversy over the following years. Money for the project was collected by public subscription.  Trove contains a series of articles about the delay in erecting the memorial in memory of Trooper Waddell. The memorial was finally erected on 27 September 1903, three years after his death. The Singleton Argus 29 September 1903 provides a scathing article on the events leading up to the unveiling of the monument.

The Register of War Memorials in New South Wales website provides photos and details of the memorial. Additional information about the memorial is available on Dossier 48 website and also Singleton - Boer War and Herbert Waddell on Terry Callaghan's history & genealogy website.

The money left over from the public subscription to erect the monument was used to unveil a memorial tablet in St Andrew's Presbyterian Church (now Singleton Uniting Church) on 24 May 1903 (Singleton Argus 26 May 1903).

Harold Waddell's association with the Lancers did not end when he returned home from the Boer War as he remained a member of the Singleton section of the Hunter River Lancers (4th Australian Light Horse). An article in the Singleton Argus 13 December 1904 mentioned that he was to be a lieutenant (actually 2nd lieutenant). Another article in the Musswellbrook Chonicle 14 March 1906 announced his promotion to lieutenant. The Desert Column website lists him as being a captain on 21 January 1908.

Clive Condor Weston

Clive Condor Weston, born at Coonamble in 1875, was the youngest son of William Clifton Weston and Jane Cox. Clive worked as a clerk in the Petty Sessions office at a number of locations in New South Wales including Lithgow, Balmain and Newcastle.

In January 1900 he enlisted in the NSW Citizen's Bushmen and was in C squadron. The men were stationed at a training camp at Kensington before marching through Sydney on 28 February to board the ship to South Africa.

Image originally in Sydney Mail 3 March 1900

Clive was with the same group of soldiers as Arthur Hutton. They would have known each other as Clive's sister, Annie, had married Arhur's brother, George. Clive was one of six sergeants in C squadron. Clive's service number was 256.

The NSW Citizen's Bushmen contingent consisting of 30 officers and 495 other ranks, with 570 horses arrived at Cape Town on 2 April 1900. They disembarked at Biera on 12 April and then continued on to Bulawayo in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). C Squadron was involved in a battle at Koster's River on 22 July while attempting to relieve the Eland River Garrison. They continued to operate in the Transvaal and the advance on Pietersburg before returning to Cape Town to embark on ships returning to Australia. They arrived back in Australia on 9 May 1901 disembarking in Sydney on 11 May.

The NSW Citizen's Bushmen contingent had several name changes to Australian Bushmen Contingent and then to 1st Bushmen Regiment.
For information about the NSW Citizens' Bushmen:
Australian War Memorial
Australian Military History of the Early Twentieth Century  

Back in Australia Clive was CPS first in Raymond Terrace and then in Bourke from 1902 until 1905.  He appears then to have made a carer change as when he enlisted in the army in 1914 his occupation was listed as Stock and Station Agent.

Clive was 39 when he enlisted in the AIF on 24 August 1914 at Coonabarabran, however most of his military records give his age as being 34 when he enlisted. His next of kin was listed as his sister, Mary Balcombe, at Coradgery Station, Parkes. The description on the attestation papers was that Clive was 5 foot 9 inches tall, weighed 12 stone 2 pounds, had a ruddy complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. He was a private in the 1st Light Horse Regiment, C Squadron, and his service number was 536. On 20 October 1914 the men embarked on the HMAT A16 Star of Victoria for Egypt.

On 9 May 1915 the troops, without their horses, were transferred to Gallipoli. During the next three months Clive received a number of temporary promotions first to corporal and then sergeant as men holding these positions were killed or wounded. Clive Condor Weston received head and hand injuries on 7 August. His records do not specify the battle but the date coincides with the diversionary action by Australian and other forces to allow British forces to land safely. Details of the battle were published in Australian newspapers - Gallant Australians - Charge of the Light Horse part 1 and part 2.

The papers relating to Quarter Master Sergeant Clive Condor Weston in Discovering Anzacs show that for the next two years Clive served at various locations in the Middle East including Romani and Tel-el-Kebir, however for much of the time he was in hospital having treatment, particularly for his hand. A medical report made on 25 April 1916 stated ' anchylosis 1st & 2nd joints 2nd finger right hand & failing memory and headaches'.  The report continued 'RH quite stiff - making hand unfit for rifle shooting. Occasional giddiness, headaches and loss of memory.' On previous occasions bone fragments had been removed and work done on the tendons but hand was not responding. The doctor recommended that Clive Weston should be discharged as unfit, as did the Medical Board, however he was returned to his unit. The records give details of another medical report dated 4 September 1917.

patient states he was wounded in the right hand at Gallipoli. Since then the hand has steadily been getting more useless. Admitted into No. 14 AGH on July 3 1917. Examination of r. hand showed ankylosis of middle finger in all its articulations, and very little power in the other fingers. Middle finger amputated: adhesions in the other fingers forcibly broken down. Has received no benefit from massage and hot air treatment.

This time the recommendation was that Clive Condor Weston should be discharged to Australia for six months. The Medical Board agreed and also noted that his ability for earning a full livelihood in the general labour market had been lessened by one half.  At Suez on 12 November 1917 Clive embarked on the SS Wiltshire to return to Sydney where he arrived on 20 December.

By the middle of 1917 it would appear that Clive was using alcohol to resolve his problems. Before leaving Cairo, Clive had been arrested on 28 July 1917 for being drunk and disorderly. At his trial on 2 November he received a reprimand for his behaviour. In Sydney on 22 February 1918 Clive was admitted to No. 13 AAH (Australian Auxiliary Hospital). Unfortunately the writing is difficult to read but he was committed to the hospital suffering from the effects of drinking. 'He was noisy, abusive & threatening. He was sent to the cottage'. The next note dated 4 March 1918 reads, 'Is now well & in his normal condition.  He wishes to be discharged and this is recommended.'

Clive was  discharged from the army as medically unfit on 20 March 1918 and from 21 March received a pension of 71 shillings a fortnight.

On 17 October 1922 Clive Condon Weston committed suicide in his room at Central Australian Hotel, Bourke, New South Wales. The Raymond Terrace Examiner and Lower Hunter and Port Stephens Advertiser on Friday 20 October 1922 provided the following report.

Death. Mr. Clive C. Weston, who about 20 years ago, was C.P.S at Raymond Terrace, was found on Tuesday morning in an hotel at Bourke with a cut in his throat and his wrists bleeding. Medical aid was summoned but he died in about ten minutes. He had been to the war, and was badly gassed, and was more or less a physical wreck. Before evil days came upon him he was a fine type, and his passing thus is a sad one.

The statement about Clive having been gassed was incorrect however the sentiment expressed probably summed up the situation. A sad story.

Walter John Hutton

Walter John Hutton was born in Bath, England, on 1 July 1861, the third son in a family of eleven children. His father, William Forbes Hutton, was an officer with the 34th Light Infantry in India. Walter was living in Leckhampton, Gloucestershire when the 1871 census was taken. On 6 May 1874, when he was 12, Walter arrived in Australia, aboard the Northumberland, with his mother and family members not already in the country. His father had retired from the Army and had decided to settle in Victoria having purchased a property at Lilydale. Initially Walter and his family lived in a large house, Blythswood, in Kew. He would have initially attended school. His youngest brother, Maurice, later atttended Melbourne Grammar School but it is not known which school Walter and the next brother, William, attended. Walter would have helped on his father's property. The family appear to have lived at Cooring Yering from 1885.  When his father died in 1896, most of Cooring Yering was bequeathed to Walter's mother except for 150 acres, on which the vineyard was established, which was inherited by Walter and Maurice.

When the Victorian Mounted Rifles established a Lilydale attachment in 1891 Walter would have joined his brothers, William and Maurice, as members of this group. During the Boer War in 1899 some of the members volunteered to travel to South Africa to fight.

Private Walter John Hutton (No. 137) joined the 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles which was part of the second contingent of Australians to leave for South Africa. Two hundred and sixty-four men with 305 horses left aboard the Euryalus on the 13 January, 1900, and arrived at Cape Town on 5 February. This number was made up of 14 officers, 12 sergeants, 10 artificers (servicemen who looked after the horses), 4 buglers and 224 rank and file. Three horses died during the voyage.

Once in South Africa they proceeded to the Maitland Camp and from there travelled to Naauwpoort. During their tour of duty they were involved with the action, initially going on patrols and then fighting in a number of encounters including Colesberg, Kuilfontein, Bloemfontein, Houdenbeck, Vet River, Zand River, Black Reef Mine, Pretoria and Doornkop. In October they returned to Pretoria and from there to Cape Town. A summary of their time in South Africa is provided on the Australian Light Horse website.

On 7 November the Victorians embarked on the Harlech Castle ultimately reaching Melbourne on 4 December. The Argus newspaper on Wednesday 5 December 1900 provided graphic descriptions of the return of the soldiers of the Victorian Mounted Riflemen and the crowds that welcomed them home.

Walter's brother, Arthur William Hutton, left Sydney for Cape Town in  April 1900 as part of the NSW Citizen's Bushmen. Another brother, William Lidderdale Hutton left Melbourne for Cape Town on 15 February 1901.

After his time in South Africa, Walter appears not to have returned to Lilydale to live. He did spend time in the Parkes area at the beginning of the twentieth century as he was on the committee of the Parkes Jockey Club in 1901. In the electoral roll for 1914 he is listed as being a landowner at Arcadia near Shepparton. William and his wife were farming also at Arcadia. Five years later the electoral roll shows Walter living at Rosedale in Pasley Street, South Yarra. In 1924 he was listed as a landowner in Croydon. In the 1930s Walter was living in Toorak Road, South Yarra while in 1943 his address was listed as Kooyong Road, Armadale. Walter John Hutton died 18 September 1943 aged 82.

Arthur William Hutton

Arthur William Hutton, the second son of William Forbes Hutton and Eleonora Mackillop, was born on 14 July 1857 in Ootacumund, India where his father was a Captain in the 34th Light Infantry. On 20 April 1858 he left India with his mother, sister Alice and one servant to travel to England. The 1861 English census showed him living at Bath in England while the 1871 census showed the family living at Leckhampton in Gloucestershire.

In 1871 Arthur's father travelled to Australia where he purchased land at Lilydale in Victoria. He travelled back to England in 1873 and when he returned to Australia in February 1874 he brought two of his children, Arthur and Jean, with him. Arthur was 16 when he arrived in Victoria and would have initially helped his father establishing their new property. Once the rest of the family arrived to join them, the eldest son, George, who had come to Australia in 1869, decided to travel north initially to Queensland.

In the 1883 George and Arthur, with the financial assistance of their father, formed a partnership - the Messrs Hutton Brothers - and purchased a property, The Troffs, west of Parkes in New South Wales. They ran the property together until the partnership was formally dissolved on 1 April 1898. George then managed The Troffs on his own while Arthur looked to purchase property of his own and further pursue his racing interests. Arthur was very involved with the Parkes Jockey Club holding a number of positions over the years including vice president and secretary. He also owned and raced horses. Another brother, Walter John Hutton, lived in the same region and was also on the Parkes Jockey Club Committee for a number of years.

During the Boer War it was decided to raise a regiment consisting of men from the country who were familiar with living in the bush and were good shots, good riders and had good physiques.  Public subscription funded the raising of the regiment initially known as the New South Wales Citizens' Bushmen. Arthur Hutton certainly knew about horses and had experience living in the bush so he enlisted.Four mounted rifle squadrons - A to D - were stationed at Kensington during January 1900. Arthur Hutton was in C Squadron, initially as a Trooper but before the ships sailed he had been promoted to second lieutenant. There were two second lieutenants in each squadron. The Western Champion 26 January 1900 included the announcement that 'the keen and capable secretary of the Parkes Jockey Club has obtained leave of absence as he is "off to the war".'

On 28 February the men of the NSW Citizens' Bushmen marched from Kensington to the ships that were take them to South Africa. A large crowd turned out to view the procession and dignitaries including the Lieutenant Governor and the Premier addressed the men before they boarded the ship. Arthur Hutton was 42 when left Sydney for South Africa.

Image originally in Sydney Mail 3 March 1900

The contingent consisting of 30 officers and 495 other ranks, with 570 horses arrived at Cape Town on 2 April 1900. They disembarked at Biera on 12 April and then continued on to Bulawayo in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). C Squadron was involved in a battle at Koster's River on 22 July while attempting to relieve the Eland River Garrison. They continued to operate in the Transvaal and the advance on Pietersburg before returning to Cape Town to embark on ships returning to Australia. They arrived back in Australia on 9 May 1901 disembarking in Sydney on 11 May.

Back in Australia, Arthur returned to his previous life in the Parkes region. In December 1902 Arthur Hutton was appointed, with two other gentlemen, by the Australian Jockey Club as stipendiary stewards in the metropolitan area on a salary of £500 a year. The term of the contract lasted until 1 August 1904. He continued his association with Parkes Jockey Club but was also involved with other racing clubs in the region. The Western Champion 7 December 1906 reported that 'Mr Arthur Hutton, of Coradgery, who has been appointed handicapper for Peak Hill Jockey Club, is a keen sport and is regarded as being " as straight as a gun barrel".' From January 1909 Arthur held the position of stipendiary steward of the Western District Racing Association before resigning to take up a similar position in Queensland in 1912. He only stayed in the Queensland position for three or four months. 

Arthur Hutton married Florence Hamilton in Sydney on 23 June 1915. They appear to have then lived in Sydney as a report in a newspaper in 1922 recorded that Arthur's sister, Katherine, visited them in Sydney when travelling to Queensland. Arthur William Hutton died in Sydney on 19 January 1930. He was 72.

For information about the NSW Citizens' Bushmen:
Australian War Memorial
Australian Military History of the Early Twentieth Century 

NSW Citizens' Bushmen

 On 28 February 1900 members of the New South Wales Citizen's Bushmen marched from their base at Kensington to the ship that was to take them to South Africa. A description of the procession and the reaction of the crowd is described in the following article from the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate Thursday 1 March 1900.

The Bushmen's Contingent. A MAGNIFICENT SEND OFF SYDNEY, Wednesday. 

The departure of the New South Wales portion of the Bushmen's Contingent this afternoon was brilliantly successful in every respect. The enthusiasm displayed on the occasions of the departure of the other contingents was fully sustained, and the men were accorded a splendid reception. The excursion train service arranged by the railway authorities enabled many thousands of country visitors who under other circumstances would have been unable to visit Sydney to witness the demonstration. The line of the procession was crowded, and every vantage point was packed. A very pretty effect was secured in several places by lines of streamers and flags being suspended across the streets. The weather was very dull during the morning, with strong indications of rain, but notwithstanding these unfavourable conditions the numbers of people who gathered to assist in the send-off were as large as the great concourse which assembled to say farewell to the last contingent. 

Leaving the Kensington camp at 1 o'clock, headed by Colonel Airey, and amidst the cheers of the general staff and the crowd at the gates, the Bushmen's Contingent proceeded along the Randwick-road and arrived at the Moore Park rendezvous in good time. The scene from the balcony of the Captain Cook Hotel, a fine point of vantage, was a most imposing one. The brilliant uniforms of the Lancers mingled with the spotless white of the men of the Royal Navy, of whom there were about 250 present. There was also a great muster of cadets, about 2000 strong, to take part in the procession. The long lines of horse men stretched far down the road until lost to view. Major-General French was early upon the scene, accompanied by Colonel Mackenzie, A.A.G., Lieut. Griffiths, and Lieut. Timothy. Some little time was spent in forming the procession. 

As the bands struck up and the procession moved off the enthusiasm was very great, and the cheering deafening. 

 The public could not crowd in upon the men, as was the case with the Second Contingent on the day of embarkation, as to-day the prancing horses kept the enthusiasts back. Many of the men wore flowers, or some other token of affection from their loved ones. The procession, including the cadets, must have comprised some 4000 persons. Dense crowds thronged the line of route, and as the troops passed along Fitzroy and Bourke streets, and thence onward through the city, the waiting thousands caught up and swelled the volume of cheering with which the citizens bade farewell to their soldiers. 

From Moore Park to Woolloomooloo Bay the march was a triumphant one, the Bush men being cheered from the footways, the windows, balconies, roofs, and fences along the whole line. The men reached the wharf shortly after 3 o'clock, and immediately dismounted, and unsaddled and fastened their horses. The arrangements were all that could be desired, the organisation appearing to be much better than that displayed on former occasions. Before proceeding on board the steamers the Bushmen were drawn up in the form of a square in front of a covered platform, which was occupied by Sir Frederick Darley, the Lieutenant-Governor, the Premier, the Chief Secretary, and other members of the Ministry; Major-General French, and a small number of visitors. Sir Frederick, who was received with cheers, read a telegram he had received from Sir Alfred Milner, High Commissioner of South Africa, dated 27th February, to the following effect: "Cronje surrendered. Delighted to congratulate you upon the noble share taken by the troops of your colony."

[The Lieutenant-Governor then made a speech encouraging the men in their endeavours. This was followed by a speech by the Premier.]

The Premier, who was received with great cheers, said that when the news arrived the night before last that the reverses which hitherto had met the British arms in South Africa were changed, he was asked whether the Bushmen would now go. Of course he answered that they would go. That news had caused the greatest enthusiasm in Australia and throughout the world, but it was not good to anticipate that there would be no further trouble and opposition in South Africa. He believed there would be further opposition, and further fighting, but if there were to be no further fighting after they arrived they (the Bushmen) deserved as much credit as if they had gone with the first lot. (Cheers.) They volunteered at a time when they anticipated very severe fighting, and their courage in volunteering at such a time to support the honour of the Empire was deserving of the greatest credit. The misfortune had been that the Government could not accept all the volunteers who wanted to enlist. They had to reject many good men. They were no idle words that he (Mr. Lyne) had spoken on the last occasion, such as this, when he said a generous Government and a generous public would look after their loved ones. (Cheers.) Already, as Parliament was not in session, he had taken the necessary steps to look after those dependent upon the men who had fallen already at the front. (Cheers.) He made these remarks on an occasion of great solemnity, which he believed Parliament and the country would support to the fullest extent. He felt extremely proud of this brigade, who were somewhat different from the others who had gone. (Cheers.) He advised them to follow the advice of the Lieutenant-Governor, and not be too reckless. They would give a good account of themselves. He knew they could sit firm and ride straight, and the colonies of the Empire were sitting firm and riding straight. He knew they would reflect credit on this country, and on themselves. He hoped they would return and they would be received back with proud and open hearts, and if any should die they would receive a fitting memorial The Governor had sent him a message asking him to say good-bye, and to thank them for their courage and loyalty.

[Following some additional speeches, the men boarded the troopships Atlantian and  Maplemore to sail to South Africa].

William Lidderdale Hutton

William Lidderdale Hutton was born in Torquay, Devon, England on 18 August 1865. He was the son of William Forbes Hutton and Eleonora Mackillop and was the ninth of eleven children - the fourth born of six sons. When the 1871 census was taken William was living at Hill House, Leckhampton, with his mother and seven of his brothers and sisters. His father was in India serving as an officer in the Army but was about to leave India for Australia to join his eldest son, George, who arrived in Victoria in 1869.

On 6 May 1874, William and the members of his family who were not already in Australia arrived in Melbourne aboard the ship, Northumberland. Initially the family lived in Kew in a large house named Blytheswood. In 1871 William Forbes Hutton had purchased Cooring Yering at Lilydale and the family lived in Kew while a large house was built on the new property and farming on the property was established. William was eight when he arrived in Australia and would have attended school in Melbourne. The family officially moved to Cooring Yering in 1883 when William was 18. The boys would certainly have spent some of the time prior to this helping on the property. Among other skills he would certainly have learned to ride and work with horses.

In 1884 at Farrell's Hotel, Yarra Flats, a meeting was held to discuss the formation of a local cavalry corps. The Victorian Mounted Rifles were formed in 1885 but there were more applications to join than places available so there was need for a restructure in February 1891 as noted in the Camperdown Chronicle 14 February 1891:

VICTORIAN MOUNTED RIFLES. The following order in connexion with the Victorian Mounted Rifles has been issued from headquarters:—" The Governor-in-Council has been pleased to approve of the following -Formation of companies into battalions in the Victorian Rifles, A, C, D, E, and F Companies to be designated Ist Battalion Victorian Mounted Rifles, with head quarters at Melbourne; B, G, H, and I Companies to be designated 2nd Battalion Victorian Mounted Rifles, with headquarters at Ballarat."

A Lilydale attachment was subsequently organised as part of 'A' Company of the 1st Battalion. At a meeting on 24 April 1891 at the Lilydale Athenaeum Hall sixteen men signed up and by the end of May there were 48 members. Infantry drills were held on Tuesday and Friday evenings and by July the members had completed a course in musketry and later also compulsory drills at Williamstown.

As well as supplying their own horses, an example of what was expected of members of the Victorian Mounted Rifles is outlined in this notice in the Alexander and Yea Standard 24 April 1891:

We have been requested to notify those gentlemen who recently applied to be admitted members of the Victorian Mounted Rifles that they have been taken on the strength of the regiment, and should attend the drill of the local detachment on this day fortnight, by which time it is hoped uniforms will be ready for them. All efficient members of the local detachment of the Mounted Rifles are expected to attend parade this afternoon, when the   musketry course must be completed. Any member failing to attend will be struck off the strength of the regiment, and will not be taken on again, in addition to which each man failing to complete the musketry course entails a loss of £3 on the company. Every member is requested to bring with him all articles of kit belonging to Government in his possession, so that all losses may be made good and each man's equipment made perfect.  

It is probably not surprising, with the military background of their family, that William Hutton and his brother, Maurice, were among the early members of Victorian Mounted Rifles at Lilydale.  Twenty-five men from Lilydale were chosen to be part of the Victorian Mounted Rifles escort of the Governor, the Earl of Hopetoun, from Government House to the opening of Parliament on Tuesday 23 June. William and Maurice were part of the contingent. Anthony J McAleer in his book, The Shire of Lillydale and its military history suggests that the men were 'chosen for the uniformity of their horses rather than any special ability' (p18). Later in the year men from Lilydale were also included in the escort of the Governor to the Melbourne Cup.

By the mid 1890s membership in the Victorian Mountain Rifles in the Lilydale area dwindled but a recruitment drive in 1897, including a Military Ball in the Athenaeum Hall, proved to be effective in attracting new members.

During the Boer War 1899-1902 a number of men from Lilydale, including William Lidderdale Hutton, left with the Victorian Mountain Rifles contingent for South Africa.

According to Forces War Records, William L Hutton (service number 1551) was a Corporal in the 5th Contingent Victorian Mounted Rifles. The website Desert Column (Australian Lighthorse Studies Centre) provides a nominal roll of those in the 5th Contingent Victorian Mounted Rifles as well as an outline of the formation and their service. The 5th Mounted Rifles Contingent enrolled on 1 February 1901 and preference was given to single men who were members of a Victorian military force, who weighed less than 12 stone and were capable of passing riding, shooting and physical tests. The men enlisted for a period of 12 months unless the war ended sooner. Each man was provided with a full kit including a uniform in kharki cloth consisting of pants puttees, hat and f s (foreign service) jacket and cap, greatcoat and boots. Rifles and bayonets were issued when they arrived in Cape Town though they received their cartridge belts in Victoria. Horses and necessary saddlery were also provided.

The contingent departed from Melbourne on 15 February 1901 aboard the Orient. Two other ships, the Argus and the City of Lincoln, carried horses and supplies. The men disembarked at Port Elizabeth before travelling to Pretoria where they mobilized between 24 March and 4 April. The Australians in South Africa were under the command of the British officers so on 10 April they travelled to Middelburg to join General Beatson's column. Some days later at Leeuwfontein they captured a convoy of 21 wagons and 16 prisoners. On 11 May the Regiment was divided into two wings and were involved in various engagements many of which are recorded in The Official War Records of the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa by Lieutenant Colonel P L Murray. The section relating to the 5th Contingent Victorian Mounted Rifles is available online as a pdf. 

On 11 March 1902 members of the 5th Contingent arrived back in Cape Town and on 27 March two companies embarked on the St Andrew - 6 officers and 153 men - for Melbourne, via Albany, arriving on 25 April 1902. The remainder of the 5th Contingent - 23 officers and 460 men - embarked on the Montrose  for Durban where they transferred to the Custodian arriving in Melbourne, via Albany, on 26 April.

Records relating to Australia's involvement in the Boer War can be found on the National Archives Australia website including a publication, The Boer War: Australia and the War in South Africa which is available as a book or viewed online.
The Australian War Memorial website includes the nominal roll for Pre First World War Conflicts, including the Boer War.
Forums that may be useful in researching the Boer War include Anglo Boer War forum and Victorian Wars forum.

Queen Victoria died during the Boer War on 22 January 1901. The Queen's South Africa Medal (QSA) ‎was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. William would therefore have been eligible to receive this medal.

After returning from the Boer War William lived on properties in Western Australia for many years. The first property was Moorarrie Station, on the Upper Murchison River, which advertised for sale in the middle of 1902. The Australian electoral rolls confirm that he was living there in 1903. The property was back on the market in November 1905 when William relocated to Jelcobine Estate, another sheep station near Brookton. This property was sold in December 1911 when William and his wife, Violet - who he married on 7 March 1905 - moved back to Victoria. The electoral rolls in 1914 show that they were farming at Arcadia, near Shepparton. They later moved to 104 Drummond Street, Ballarat where William died on 17 June 1929. William's will, dated on the day he married Violet, left all his possessions to his wife. The personal estate was valued at £1906 2/6. The major part of the estate was a share in the deceased estate of his cousin, Georgina Hutton who died in 1928 and was the widow of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Bruce Hutton.