NAME: Jack Kelly

DATE: 1899

UNIT: Tenterfield Mounted Rifles

LOCATION: South Africa

Private Jack Kelly, from Tenterfield, NSW, was determined to take part in the Boer War. So keen was he to go that he defied his father's wishes and then "bought himself out" of his Artillery unit because it was not going to the war.

Jack Kelly was the son of Mortimer Kelly, an Irish immigrant who had settled in Tenterfield in 1897 and later became Mayor of the town.

On 5 November 1899, Kelly wrote to his sister Nell from the troop transport Aberdeen to explain why he was running away to the war.

"I expect you got a great surprise when you heard that I was off to the war with the Mtd Rifles, by the Aberdeen which left Sydney on the 3rd instant," he wrote.

"I wrote to father as soon as I knew for certain that I was going but I did not hear from him before leaving. I was expecting to go to South Africa to the war this last month, that is the reason that I did not write to you and when I was certain of going I only had two days notice so I not much time to myself. I had not even time to go to Parramatta."

"Pat was the only one of our family that was down at the boat to see me off. I could not find Maggie the day I was leaving, I had not heard from her for a long time.

"Well Dear Nell you will have to forgive me for not writing to you before running away to the war. But I hope I will be able to write you many a letter yet. I expect that Father was in a great way when he heard that I was going as he was always against soldiering.

"I expected to go with the Field Battery but they would not let the Battery go so I was determined to go with the some of the troops. I bought out of the Artillery to go which cost me ten pounds. It is pretty hard to pay to go and get shot at. I was very much surprised that were not more from Tenterfield volunteered for Transvall, I thought that there would sure to be about twenty. Fancy Charly Lee leaving the bank to go as a Private. Dave McAlister and Charlie Miller two old Tenterfield Mounted Rifles are also on this trip. I seen Captain Thomas also in Sydney, he was very anxious to go he was telling me but they are not letting many officers go.

"We got a great send off on leaving Sydney as you already I expect by the papers. They were hundreds of boats followed us out to the heads then of cause most of us started Europing. I was a bit sick all day on Saturday but I am grand today thank God. We had short service on board today it was read by one of the staff sergeants.

"We arrived in Melbourne about half past seven but were not allowed to go ashore. The Aberdeen is going stay in Melbourne about three days so we will have a good chance of seeing the cup run for. If you write be soon as you get this letter Dear Sister. I may get it in Albany.

"I got my photo taken before leaving Sydney. Pat will send you five which of course you will have to divide. There are two of us in one of the pictures. It is a friend of mind from the Battrey who is going also with the Mtd Rifles you can have one of each for yourself. I will now conclude with love to all except the same to yourself. I remain Affct Brother Jack".

[No changes have been made to the spelling and grammar of the original letter.]

The material for this article was supplied by the Tenterfield Historical Society

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