The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (219) Private Victor Stanley Jones, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, Boer War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (219) Private Victor Stanley Jones, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry, Boer War.

219 Private Victor Stanley Jones, 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry
KIA 1 January 1900

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Victor Stanley Jones.

Victor Jones was born in on Christmas Eve 1872 to Edward and Anna Jones of Rockhampton, Queensland. His father, who emigrated from Ireland to Queensland nearly ten years before Victor was born, worked as an ironmonger and a building contractor. Victor began work as an office boy in the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company’s office in Rockhampton, and was later transferred to Mount Morgan. There he worked as a bookkeeper and timekeeper in the fitting shop at the mine, which was a position of considerable responsibility. Standing at six feet, Jones was an active participant in athletics competitions and a keen rugby supporter. On one occasion he had the chance to show the English team around when they visited the Mount Morgan mine. For two years he was the secretary of the Rockhampton football and cricket clubs.

Jones was also keen member of the local militia, and gave up his military training with the local mounted infantry only when he moved to Mount Morgan. His interest in military matters led him to leave his good job to volunteer for the first Queensland contingent to go to the war in South Africa.

Trooper Jones arrived in South Africa in mid-December 1899. From Cape Town he travelled inland by train. Jones did “not think much of the scenery of South Africa”, which he though was “of the most uninteresting description,” and was not sorry to reach camp in De Aar.
From there the troops rode to Orange River, seeing many British servicemen. Jones was eager to talk to these men and learn about the war. He wrote, “We are not playing at soldiers now, and I fully realise the dangers that will surround us shortly. However, I do not intend to throw my life away and will fight to the bitter end.”

On 1 January 1900 the Queensland Contingent went out on patrol. At the foot of a kopje in a place called Sunnyside, they found a Boer camp, surprising the occupants, who ran up the hill. The Queenslanders quickly organised an attack. Private Jones was part of the initial scouting party that preceded the advance.

Private Thomas later wrote to Jones’s family to tell them what happened:
We found him late in the evening close to a lot of bushes and cover. He had evidently been surprised whilst out reconnoitring. The poor fellow was shot through the heart, and death must have been instantaneous. His horse was also lying dead beside him
Jones was hastily buried near where he fell, but his grave was later lost. He is now commemorated on Sunnyside kopje with a memorial that was formally laid on the centenary of the skirmish. Private Victor Jones is believed to be the first man to die in battle in an Australian military uniform. He was 28 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among 605 Australians who lost their lives in the Boer War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Victor Stanley Jones, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section