CAIRNS, James Alfred
| Service Number: | 93 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry |
| Born: | Walgett, New South Wales, Australia, 5 January 1864 |
| Home Town: | Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Saddler |
| Died: | Natural Causes, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 26 October 1954, aged 90 years |
| Cemetery: |
Lutwyche Cemetery, Brisbane, Qld Plot: ANZ-Portion 8-Section 11-Grave 35 - UNMARKED GRAVE |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 93, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 93, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 463 notes 3rd QMI embarked 1 Mar 1900 aboard Duke of Portland arriving Cape Town 2 Apr 1900. | |
| 1 Jun 1900: | Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 469 notes promoted to Corporal. | |
| 21 Jun 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Corporal, 93, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 465 notes 3rd QMI embarked 9 May 1901 at Cape Town returning to Australia aboard Morayshire arriving Sydney 7 Jun 1901 (rail to Brisbane), disbanded 21 Jun 1901. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
James Alfred Cairns appears to have served in both the South African (Boer) War and in WW1. It appears that his middle names have either been transcribed incorrectly or different used at various junctures in his life. These changes and service coroborated by the Bio provided for him on the Australian Boer War Memorial database.
When he first served in 1900 as a Private (rising in rank to Corporal) S.N. 93 in the 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, Boer War, he was lidted on the nominal roll as James Alfred Cairns. This matches with his name on registration of his marriage to Eliza Jane Isaacs on 19 Feb 1900 in Queensland prior to embarking to the Boer War.
In 1915 while living at Coorparoo, Brisbane with his wife, Eliza Jane Cairns, he enlisted for WW1 under the name of James Arthur Cairns as a Sergeant Saddler S.N. 9 in the 11th Light Horse Regiment, Headquaters AIF. On the birth of his son Frederick in 1914 he was recorded as father, James Alford Raymond Cairns, with mother Eliza Jane Isaacs. When he passed away in 1954 his funeral notice noted him as James Arthur Cairns (Boer War veteran) yet his death registration has him recorded as James Alfred Raymond Cairns. His WW1 service records Attestation Form shows that he noted his previous service in the 3rd QMI Boer War which provides the link.
(sources- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 469; Australian Boer War Memorial Database; ADFA- AIF Project database; National Archives Australia- WW1 service records).
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