The Defending Victoria website was first created in 1997. It is
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Raised predominantly on the Mounted Rifle Regiment,
formed by Lt-Col Tom Price in 1885, and Victorian
Rangers,
militia including the battalions of the Infantry
Brigade and some
from the Royal Australian Artillery.
Colonel Price was initially made CO of the Hanover
Road
Field Force, including one battalion of Lancashire
Militia,
two companies of Prince Albert's Guards and
Tasmanians.
Price was the only Australian Colonial Officer placed
in
command of British units during the Boer
War.
Principal engagements:
Colesberg, Karee Siding, Vet River,
Zand River, Johannesberg, Pretoria, Diamond Hill and
Belfast.
A large number of this unit were invalided back to
Victoria,
having experienced starvation and extreme
exhaustion
on some treks.
SOLDIER PROFILE: Corporal J.
P. Fox
Born: 7 April 1878.
At the outbreak of the Boer War in South Africa, James Peter Fox was
already serving in the Victorian militia as a Corporal (No. 104) in the 5th
Battalion, Infantry Brigade. During the Boer War, he served:
No. 326 Cpl The Second Victoria (Mounted Rifle) Contingent, and
No. 454 Cpl The Second Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse..
Died: 13 January 1907 (of complications caused by enteric
fever--typhoid--contracted during the Boer War.
Corporal James Peter Fox served
with the 2nd Contingent and later
in the 2nd Battalion Australian
Commonwealth Horse. Before
the war, he had served in the 5th
Battalion Infantry Brigade. Photo
provided by his proud great-
nephew David Fox.
J.P. Fox's
Queen's South AFrica Medal
with clasps for Transvaal, Orange Free State and Cape Colony.
[Photograph kindly provided by David Fox].
Treasured by the troops was Queen Victoria's Christmas gift of
chocolate which came in this handsome tin. In the hand-writing of
the Queen were the words: I wish you a happy New Year. Forty
thousand such tins were designed by J. S. Fry & Sons, Bristol.
Later tins were made by Cadbury, and Rowntree. Some soldiers
even kept the chocolates as a memento. This tin belonged to Cpl.
J.P. Fox's
Queen's South AFrica Medal
