Elfric Wells Chalmers Kearney
An Australian Hero.
Mutiny of Australian Troops in the Transvaal,
An Australian youths appeal to the King,
Heavy sentence on Victorian Riflemen revoked.
The "British Australasian" of October 31st says :-
One of the most terrible experiences undergone by any body of Australian troops in South Africa was that of the 5th Victorian contingent at Wilmansrust last June.
Surrounded and surprised in the darkness of the night by a commando of over-powering strength, 250 of these men had to sustain for some time a murderous fire from an unseen enemy at very close quarters. Only 50 of the men escaped from that laarger, the rest were either killed or forced to surrender. Mr Bennett Burleigh, the "Daily Telegraph" correspondent estimated the killed at 20 and the wounded at 40, the Officer in command and the whole of the rest of the force being made prisoners and quickly released.
When the escapees were mustered Brigadier-General Beatson to whose force they belonged saw fit to brand them "Australians are fat, round - shouldered, useless crowd of waters and a lot of white livered cuts" an indignity which moved three men to resort in forcible language. For this offence they were promptly court -martialed, and the verdict of the court martial was that the death sentence should be recorded in each instance. This sentence was commuted by Lord Kitchener to penal servitude for 12 years, and the three Australians to be sent to England to undergo this severe punishment. It appears however, that even the reduced sentence was never enforced, nor the men sent to this country.
The incident was noted with sorrowful surprise and considerable indignation by Australians at home and in England, but it does not seem to have occured to anybody representative of Australian opinion - in the acceptable meaning of the phrase that an effort might be made to obtain a further remission of the sentence. The idea occured toMr Elfric W,C, Kearney a young Australian residing in Clapham. Me Kearney who, to judge from his appearance can have hardly gained his majority, believes ongoing to the fountain head when he has a request to make. On reading the account of the sentences imposed on these Australians, he accordingly determined to appeal directly to His Majesty the King.
Finding that his Australian friends approved of his plans, he at once drew up the following petition :-
October 2nd 1901.
To his Majesty the King Edward VII
I, Elfric W, C , Kearney, a loyal and true Australian subject of your Majesty, in the name of 20 other Australians residing in Clapham and District do humbly beg toto bring your Majesty's notice the conduct of Brigadier - General Beatson in calling the members of the 5th Victorian Contingent"white livered curs". The men very naturally resented such words, and three were sentenced to death for mutinous conduct. This sentence has been commuted by Lord Kitchener to 12 years penal servitude. I beg of your Majesty to interest yourself in this case,and humbly beg of you to consider that the men are volunteers and everyone came forward to fight for your Majesty Inthe dreadful war, not when the war - fever possessed everybody but after the excitement of the early days of the struggle had subsided. Your Majesty will doubtless remember that Lord. Kitchener himself referred to the Australians as the most useful section of the Army in South Africa. We Australians are naturally freer than the home born Britisher, and those whom I represent would have resented the language used by Brigadier - General Beatson
. I trust that your Majesty will enquire into the matter and have the three men referred to release as soon as possible. By doing so you will forever earn the gratitude of your Australian subjects , subjects who for loyalty and devotion to their motherland and King are unsurpassed the world over.
I am
Your Majesty's most humble servant
(S) Elfric W. C. Kearney.
This petition Mr Kearney inserted in a complimentary mourning envelope addressed to,
His most Gracious Majesty
King Edward VII
Balmoral Castle.
And in due course had the satisfaction of recieving the following reply :-
War Office Pall Mall October 22nd 1901
Sir - With reference to your petition of the 2nd inst, addressed to the King, praying for the release of three men of the 5th Victorian Rifles, who were tried by court - martial in South Africa on July 11th last,I am directed by the Commander - in - Chief to inform you that the proceedings of the court - martial on these men had been squashed, and instructions have been signed for the immediate release of the prisoners
I am etc,
(Signed) A T M Tarrant.
That is the whole story, and and Mr Kearney himself says nothing could be simpler. He believes in going to the fountain head if he wishes to prefer a request, and in this case his belief has turned to be well founded.
Mr Kearney who was born in Geelong comes from a well known family throughout Victoria. His father the Rev A W Kearney for sometime resided in Adelaide and Geelong. His uncle Me E L Kearney M A at one time presided over educational establishments in Ballarat and hid grandfather Captain Mount (late of the East Kent Regiment) was head of the Treasury department at Geelong for many years. Mr Kearney had no further interest in the case than any other Australian and does not even know the names of the three men who owe their present freedom to his spirited and patriotic action. Up to the present he has heard nothing from them.
The act of Royal clemency towards the Victorian Troopers will not says the Pall Mall Gazette be misunderstood by soldiers who have served in South Africa, though we can fancy a grumble with refrain going to the dogs making itself heard in the older military clubs. No colonial will stand bring called a "white livered cut" by a British Officer or anybody else. General Beatson forgot himself grievously and if the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles were guilty of something like mutiny in consequence they were far from deserving the formal death sentence or the immediately commuted sentence of 12 years penal servitude. They have been under detention since the beginning of July and that punishment should be enough. What would have happened snarls the pro - Boer press if they had been mere Britishers? The suggestion is silly.
Regulars would have earned a stiffer sentence, but not volunteers, whether British or Colonial. The whole point lies in the distinction.
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