Captain Alfred George Adie
1st Queensland Mounted Infantry
6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen
By Robert Simpson
Alfred George Adie was born on 1st April 1873 in Staffordshire England to Joseph Adie and Sarah Holloway. They had been married in the 3rd quarter 1871 in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. He was one of five known children to them and he was baptized on 6th July 1873 in Longdon, Staffordshire, England. The family departed London on Scottish Admiral and arrived at Brisbane on 30th October 1878. His father was a farmer at Clifton. Alfred married Agnes Scott Hunter on 20th April 1898 and their home was at Clifton. He was registered on the 1899 Electoral Roll at Cambooya as a farmer on Section 1 and 2, Terra Bella Estate, Plain View, Clifton, registering on 19th November 1898.
Alfred was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Queensland Mounted Infantry, a unit of the Queensland Defense Force on 8th December 1898. On 11th October 1899, the second Anglo-Boer War broke out and the Australian Colonial Governments were quick to offer assistance to Britain. Queensland’s contribution to the Boer War was 2913 men (of which 92 lost their lives) and 3209 horses. The first Queensland Contingent was formed then mainly from men of the Q.M.I. Lieutenant Adie was posted to A Company. His description then was: – English, age 26 ½, height 6 feet, weight 12 stone 12 pounds, chest measurement 36/41 ½ inches, hair dark brown, eyes hazel, complexion fresh, and a long scar 6 inches on the inner side right thigh.
They boarded the SS Cornwall at Pinkenbah on 1st November 1899. The commanding officer was Lieutenant-Colonel Percy Ralph Ricardo. Lieutenant Adie was part of the honour guard that was presented the new colours by the Mayoress of Brisbane (Mrs. Seal). This was a handmade flag made by the women of Brisbane. The Cornwall arrived in Cape Town on 13th December 1899 after an unpleasant voyage for the men, many whom were ill with influenza during the trip. They then proceeded to Orange River in two trains.
British troops, including the 1st Contingent Queensland Mounted Infantry were camped at Belmont on 12th December 1899, a few miles from Sunnyside. Sunnyside is near the western border of the Orange Free State and a report had been received that 180 Boers had a laager (camp) there. Lieutenant Alfred Adie and Troopers Rose, Herman, Butler and Jones were on patrol duty when they came across four Boers on a small kopje (hill) on their right. Lieutenant Adie had no arms and was not sure if they were friend or foe. They all dismounted, the Boers under cover. He ordered them to stop but they fired a short-range volley, which resulted in Jones being shot through the heart, killing him instantly. Another twelve Boers descended from the hill. Lieutenant Adie was shot in the stomach and back but was able to pull back with the others, dodging from bush to bush with the Boers pursuing and keeping up a brisk fire.
As they moved back, Adie’s horse was shot and Butler’s horse broke away. Rose rounded the horse up and made Adie mount it. This enabled him to get away, but terribly wounded. As Rose was about to double mount with Butler a bullet from the Boers hit him in the leg, just below the knee, and another killed the horse. Butler and Rose then ran for it, keeping with Adie, who was covered in blood. After riding for some distance, he fainted and fell off the horse. However, he recovered and struggled on towards the other British forces.
Meanwhile, Herman had come in for the ambulance and Captain Dodds met Adie in the veldt in a very exhausted condition. First aid was given but it did not look good. He had been shot right through the right side of the body, another through the right shoulder and a third went into the back and out the right shoulder. He was in shock and had lost a lot of blood and those who saw poor Adie reckoned his days were over. In three days, however, he was out of danger. Never was there a pluckier soldier. Smashed and wounded as he was, he chaffed and made jokes, and how he managed to struggle across the veldt, is a puzzle to everyone.
When the general advance was made by Colonel Pilcher, the Boers offered stern resistance initially, resulting in the death of Private D. C. McLeod. However, by 2pm the white flag was raised by the Boers and 35 surrendered. The bulk of the enemy fled, abandoning their positions.
The action at Sunnyside may well be regarded as a minor skirmish, but its significance in Australian military history ranks very highly. In this action, Private Victor Stanley Jones was the first Australian volunteer soldier to be killed in action on a foreign battlefield and Lieutenant Adie was the first officer to be wounded.
It is presumed Lieutenant Adie spent considerable time in hospital and convalescing, as he missed the unit’s next six engagements. He returned to action after about 10 weeks, for the battle at Driefontein on 10th March 1900. He was involved in other actions up until November 1900, when orders were received for the First Contingent to return to Australia. It was disbanded on 23rd January 1901. Murray’s records him as an A Company Officer and “Invalided to England, 16.11.00” but that is not right. He served with the 1st QMI from 12th December 1899 to 12th November 1900 and with the 6th QID from 2nd May 1901 to 22nd May 1902.
In the Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser of Saturday 6th January 1900 on page 3 was
“The Wounded.
LIEUTENANT ADIE.
Lieutenant Adie, who is reported to have been seriously wounded at the engagement at Sunnyside, is au officer of the Clifton Company of the Queensland Mounted Infantry and has been in the force but a comparatively short period. He is a wheat farmer at Nobby, Clifton, and is well and favorably known in Toowoomba, where the heartiest wishes are expressed for his speedy recovery; Lieutenant Adie to a fine-looking officer, and a credit to Queensland. His early life was spent with his parents in Laidley, where he went to school, and he was a member of the Anglican choir and a pupil in the Sunday school there. After leaving Laidley he travelled for some time on the Downs with a wheat-threshing machine, and recently took up a farm on the Clifton Estate. During his absence bis father is taking charge of his farm. He is married to a daughter of Mr. Alexander Hunter, J.P., of Burnside (Laidley) and she and her 12 months old infant are at present staying at her father’s residence. The painful news that her husband has been wounded has been communicated to her. It may be mentioned that it was to Lieutenant Adie that the colors of the Queensland contingent were presented prior to their departure for South Africa.”
The West Australian on 4th January 1900 had an article reproduced below-
The Warwick Examiner and Times of Wednesday 10th January 1900 on page 2 had
“LIEUTENANT ADIE.
Word has been received that Lieutenant Adie, who was wounded in the recent engagement at Sunnyside in South Africa, is pronounced out of danger, and is expected to make rapid recovery.” He sent a message to his wife, as published in the Telegraph of Brisbane on Thursday 11th January 1900 in page 2 “LIEUTENANT ADIE. Cablegram to His Wife. We learn that Mrs. Adie received a cablegram this week from her husband, Lieutenant Adie, in which he states that he is out of danger and progressing favourably towards complete recovery. Although cast-down over the losses, he will give a good account of himself to the Laidley boys, as he promised. Lieutenant Adie’s wife, his father and Mrs. Adie’s father, all desire to express their gratitude at the very widespread sympathy manifested towards them”
The Brisbane Courier of Monday 5th March 1900 on page 7 had an article
“PORTRAIT OF’ LIEUTENANT ADIE.
Some little time ago a movement was set on foot by Miss M. Killop to purchase the large portrait of Lieutenant Adie, which was on view at the Tosca Studio, for presentation to Mrs. Adie The necessary amount of money was subscribed by sympathetic friends In Brisbane, and the enlarged photograph of her husband was sent as a gift to Mrs. Adie at Hill Crest, Laidley. The following letter will show how much this gracious act was appreciated Mrs. Adie writes –
Dear Miss M Killop I beg to acknowledge your kind and sisterly letter of the 16th instant, and also the arrival of the enlarged portrait of my husband. Nothing could have, been more acceptable to me than the form in which the sympathy of yourself and the ladies mentioned has been expressed. But while I much appreciate this expression of your sympathy, much more dearly do I value the feelings which promoted the gift, only one who has passed through the anxiety and fear can truly appreciate the warm sympathy which has thus been shown by so many of my fellow-women, and can also realise what consolation it is to me in such an anxious time. It is also very gratifying to know that my husband’s actions have been so highly thought of, and I am sure, if there is one thing he would have asked in return for any little assistance he may have given his country, nothing would have given him greater pleasure than your expression of sympathy to me. While I am personally proud that my husband’s valour should be thought worthy of notice, yet, as a British woman, I am still more proud at his valour as a British soldier, and of the hundreds that are so bravely risking their lives for the welfare of the British flag. I will ask you to convey my heartfelt thanks to all the ladies that have so thoughtfully and in such a practical manner tendered me their sympathies, and assure them that their kind action has enabled me to feel that if some self-denial has been exercised by me, though it is my duty as a soldier’s wife, I have the loving sympathy and affection of so many fellow daughters of Britain. In conclusion, I would also ask of you to forgive me should the foregoing lack anything as an acknowledgment for such kind expressions of sympathy as have been tendered me, under the circumstances words fail to convey to you my feelings, but, feeling sure you wall pardon me under the conditions,
Believe me to be, yours very sincerely, AGNES ADIE.”
In the Brisbane Courier of Saturday 7th April 1900 in page 8 was
“LIEUTENANT ADIE’S SELF DENIAL.
Our Toowoomba correspondent reports that a letter from Captain Bailey to the “Darling Downs Gazette” states that Lieu tenant Adie, who was wounded at the Orange River, states that the Imperial authorities offered Adie six months leave and a free passage to England, but he gallantly declined the offer, and asked to be allowed again to join the First Queensland Contingent at the front. The letter states that the contingent are delighted at Lieutenant’s loyal and gallant behaviour. The letter also states that Colonel Hutchison is at the Modder River.
The Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser of Thursday 24th May 1900 on page 5 had
“LETTER FROM LIEUTENANT ADIE. A letter has been received from Lieutenant Adie, in which he states that four out of the five officers of B company are laid up with fever, and that he is in command of the company. He further states that they are enjoying lovely weather, but that clouds of locusts are hovering over their camps.”
However, it appears Alfred may have had some problems with the wounds or his health as he arrived back in Brisbane on 19th December 1900, upon the transport Sophocles. He was examined by Dr Wray, a medical officer on the 20th and not invalided but was recorded in “good health”. He was given one months’ full pay and his address was given as Clifton.
Alfred served a second term in South Africa, this time as Captain in No. 1 Company, Sixth Contingent Queensland Imperial Bushmen. They embarked on the transport Victoria on 4th April 1901 and arrived at Cape Town on 2nd May. At this stage of the war, the Boers were much less organized as a fighting army than previously, and did not have the ability or strength to engage in large battles. They used ambush and hit and run tactics so the British and Colonial forces changed their operations to suit the conditions. They were involved in numerous skirmishes until the Q.I.B. embarked at Durban on 17th May 1902 on the transport Devon and arrived in Brisbane on 17th June 1902 and were disbanded on the 23rd. Captain Adie took part in all campaigns. The service roll now has him as 27 years and 11 months, 6 feet tall, chest measurements 39/42.5 inches and married. There was a note on his pay for 16 shillings to be paid to his wife; Agnes Adie in the Queensland National Bank, Laidley and a note has been attached saying that “he joined camp on probation as a Captain and was entitled to be paid at that rank”, dated 28th March 1901. He kept 5 shillings for himself. Interestingly, he signs the form with his signature and the rank of Lieutenant.
His actions were – Sunnyside, Johannesburg, Driefontein, Pretoria, Vet River, Reit Vlei, Zand River, and Zuliket’s Nek.
He was entitled to the Queens South Africa medal with clasps Cape Colony, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Orange Free State and Transvaal and the Kings South Africa medal with clasps SA 1901 and SA 1902.
Alfred was noted on a Nominal Roll 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen as a rank of Captain-Adjutant with previous service in 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry Contingent.
He married Agnes Scott Hunter (aged 22) in 1898 and they had 4 children, Harold Clifton b.1899, Alfred Scott Hector b. 1901, Gordon Holloway b. 15th May 1904 and Agnes Jessie Leola b. 1907.
After returning from the Boer War, he owned a few properties in Clifton, Laidley and Beaudesert that he farmed on and is noted in different directories as such and is recorded in them as a farmer. He registered for the Laidley Division on 25th February 1904, a farmer with his residence on Rosewood Estate portion 450.
His younger sister, Gertrude, passed away in 1908.
Harold joined the AIF on 5th February 1917 as 2332 Private in the 18th Reinforcement of 11th Light Horse. He was a farmer. Harold was discharged in Queensland on 29th September 1919.
Alfred served in WW2 as Q71008, enlisting on 1st November 1940 in Grovely Queensland and being discharged on 7th February 1944 as a Sergeant in the 1st Australian Artillery Training Regiment. His records are online, showing he was a tramway employee and he originally joined the 5th Field Brigade on 1st November 1935.
Gordon Holloway Adie served in WW2 as Private QX4992 with the 6th AASC, joining on 1st April 1940. He was a POW. It appears he was captured on 6th April 1943 with a gunshot wound in left hand. He was discharged on 16th January 1944. His service records are not examined yet and are not online and his picture is below.
Captain Alfred George Adie passed away on 29th January 1915 at his home at Innisplain near Beaudesert. He is buried in Tamrookum All Saints Church Cemetery, Beaudesert.
The Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum has The QSA for Alfred (KSA is a replica) and the medals for Harold.
His original gravestone with current gravestone above.
ANZAC Biographies
On our website you will find the biographical details of ANZAC (as well as British) servicemen & women
whose medals or other memorabilia form part of the collection belonging to the
Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum,
Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.