Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum > Records

Second Boer War Western Australian Contingent Christmas Card from Sergeant Thomas John COPELAND 118

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1899

Overview

A decorative embossed green card with gold foil ‘Christmas Greeting’ text on cover and crinkle-cut edge and a tied dark green ribbon on the cover. Inside is printed text with handwritten personal message in black ink,

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2019.11.1

Item type

Themes

Material

Width

114 mm

Height or length

77 mm

Depth

3 mm

Weight

11 g

Inscriptions and markings

On cover “Christmas / Greeting” with Second Boer War "XMAS, 1899. / WESTERN AUSTRALIAN CONTINGENT. / Field Force Lord Methuen Column / Eslin Camp South A. / With Best Wishes from / Srgt. Copeland"

Contextual information

Sergeant Thomas John COPELAND 118 was serving as a Bombardier at the Princess Royal Fortress when the Second Beor War commenced. He departed Albany on 1st November 1899 as part of the 1st Western Australian Mounted Infantry. He was one of six (6) men who volunteered to man the Maxim Guns which were part of the defence armament at the Fortress to the war. Upon the completion of his period of service, he returned to Western Australia aboard the HMS Orient on 30 December 1900.
After returning from the war he joined the Western Australian Police Force as Contsable with the No. 0684, but later was discharged to serve once again with the 2nd Battalion (Western Australia) Australian Commonwealth Horse, with the rank of Quarter−Master 1102.
He was awarded the Queens South Africa Medal with the clasps, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen, Cape Colony and South Africa 1902.

Keywords

Second Boer War

Princess Royal Fortress

1st Western Australian Mounted Infantry

Place made

South Africa

Year

1899

Primary significance criteria

Artistic or aesthetic significance

Historic significance

Social or spiritual significance