Private Charles Grafton Barnes, MiD
4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen
by Robert Simpson
Charles Grafton Barnes was born at Dryaaba Station in the Richmond River district, New South Wales on 24th July 1873. He was one of 11 births to Henry Barnes and Grace Isabella Hindmarsh. They had been married on 3rd August 1857 in New South Wales. Henry was born in England in 1818 and had arrived in New South Wales in 1842. Grace was born in New South Wales in 1837. Charles was their youngest son. Dyraaba was a station near Casino in New South Wales. It appears his Father built up a good property, was eventually a part owner of it and was well respected there. After the partnership dissolved, the station was in the hands of the family from the 1880’s until 1991. He also had other properties, one of which was in Queensland. Henry was also a J.P. He passed way on 17th November 1896 after a long illness and in his obituary, it was noted he was one of the oldest surviving settlers of the Richmond district. It also said he had worked his way up the ladder by industry, perseverance and energy. He was a breeder of cattle and horses.
Photo of Charles as a child
One of his sisters, Susan Isabella Barnes (1868 to 1925) married James Allan Chauvel in 1893. James was awarded an OBE in WW1 as a Major in the Australian Remount Unit. His brother was Sir Henry George Chauvel who had a distinguished service in the Boer War, WW1 and afterwards. Their son, Charles Edward, was a famous film maker. He was awarded an O.B.E. for his work in the film industry.
Charles served in the 4th Queensland Mounted Infantry in the Boer War as Private 159. He enlisted in Brisbane. Apparently, he was a top horseman, an excellent shot and a raconteur. He had joined to go and fight “to be in it”. They left for South Africa on 18th May 1900 on Manchester Port. The ship arrived at the Port of Beira in Portuguese East Africa on 14th June 1900. They were then redirected to Port Elizabeth and then Cape Town, arriving there on 22nd June. They served from June 1900 until June 1901 in Orange Free State, Transvaal, and the battle of Rhenoster Kop (29th November 1900), the great De Wet hunt, and advance on Pietersburg and into east Transvaal under General Plumer. The Australian Bushmen were well suited to match the unorthodox Boer guerrilla war tactics and did so on many occasions. On 2nd April 1901, he was Mentioned in Despatches by Lord Roberts for his good work. The 4th Contingent continued in their pursuit of the Boers until at Piet Retief, where they received orders to prepare to return to Australia. They left for Pretoria on 15th June 1901. The contingent returned to Australia on 5th August 1901 on the Britannic and he was discharged afterwards. He was entitled to the Queens South Africa Medal with Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal and South Africa 1901 clasps.
On 2nd April 1903, Charles married Daisy Rachel Finch Brodie in Queensland. The 1903 Electoral Roll has him living at Blackrock, so they must have married in or near Ingham. They had one daughter in 1904, Beryl Susan. Beryl married Harold Pain in 1920 in Sydney, and they had one child. They must have divorced and Harold moved to London in 1923 as a student. Harold remarried in 1926 in London. Beryl then married Sir Alan James Mansfield in 1933 at Stanthorpe. They had two children. She passed way in 1980. He was Justice of the Supreme Court from May 1940, was a member of the Australian commission of investigation into war crimes and in March 1966 was sworn in as the Governor of Queensland. He was also regularly involved with the University of Queensland including being chancellor.
According to the Electoral Rolls the family was living in Ingham between 1903 and 1913, and he was a grazier. They were living at properties called Blackrock and then Bronte station. The 1920-21 Queensland Brand Directory had him listed with a brand at Bronte, Townsville. By 1922 they had shifted to Southport and he lived there for the rest of his life. His Mother passed away on 17th June 1925 at the age of 87 years and left an estate of nearly 30,000 pounds to her children and grandchildren. He lived in a couple of properties, Heathcote and Bronte in Queen St. Southport from 1925 to 1943 and Eltrick in Edgerton St from 1949 to 1958 as on the Electoral Rolls. He was still a grazier. It also appears on the 1930 Electoral Roll, that he had a property at Stanthorpe named Barelli. How long he owned that property and when he was there is not known.
Charles passed away on 17th October 1958 in Queensland. Daisy passed way in 1968. He was buried in the family grave near the family homestead at Dyraaba Station. Unfortunately, there are no photos of the grave site.
His full entitlement: Queens South Africa Medal with Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal and South Africa 1901 clasps.
ANZAC Biographies
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