DUKA, Albert Theophilus
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry |
| Born: | London, England, United Kingdom, 18 April 1866 |
| Home Town: | Mackay, Mackay, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Cheltenham College, Cambridge University |
| Occupation: | Surgeon, Doctor |
| Died: | New Milton, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom, 15 September 1923, aged 57 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Captain, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Captain, 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. | |
| 16 Apr 1901: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, Elands River | |
| 19 Apr 1901: | Honoured Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, Elands River | |
| 21 Jun 1901: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Captain, 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
Albert Theophilis Duka was born on 18 Apr 1866, in London, England, a son to Lt.Col. Theodorus De Duka MD FRCS (H.M. Indian Medical Service, veteran of the Hungarian Revolution, Knight of Iron Crown of Hungary) and Anna Jane Duka (nee Taylor).
Albert was a student at Cheltenham College and later studied for a BA (1888) and MA (1892) Cambridge University and at St. Georges Hospital London L.S.A. (1891), M.R.C.S and L.R.C.P. (1892). He married Amy Maud Storey in England and they had two children including a son named Robin. It appears he may have separated from his wife prior to emigrating to Mackay, Queensland in 1897. He was commissioned in the Queensland Army Medical Corps on 9 Mar 1899 and in 1900 was a Capt. in the AMC.
He volunteered for the Boer War and embarked with the 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry as a Surgeon Captain. He was involved in the 12 day seige at Elands River operating the unit hospital, his actions seeing him Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the DSO. His 10 year old son Robin attended the DSO presentation in Mackay in 1903. In 1903 in Melbourne he married his second wife, Jean Helpman (daughter of Major Walter Helpman and Aunty of Sir Robert Helpman).
They returned to live in England and in Aug 1914 he again rejoined the British Army in the R.A.M.C. as a Lieutenant, rising to Captain in 1915 and Major on 26 Sep 1915. He served in the advance on and retreat from Mons (Belgium/France) and later in charge of the clearing hospital at Eastleigh, England. After the war he served in the Ministries of Pensions department at Southampton until his death in 1923.
(sources- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 467; The British Medical Journal 'Obituary', 27 Oct 1923, p. 788 ; National Boer War Memorial newsletter 'Hero of Elands River', Mar 2013, p.5).
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