Depicted is Corporal William Greer with his horse Blaze. In 1901,William Greer at 21 years of age, signed up to join the First Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse, to serve in the Boer War in South Africa. He took is own horse Blaze, having been promised by the Recruitment Officer that Blaze would be allowed to return to Australia with him after the war. Only medically fit single men, who were both excellent shots and excellent horsemen were recruited.
This Battalion was composed of Squadrons from different states of Australia, three units from NSW, and one each from Queensland and Tasmania. William Greer with the Queensland company, left Brisbane by rail on the 26th January, and embarked on the transport Custodian with the NSW Contingent. They sailed from Sydney on the 18th February, and disembarked at Durban on 19th March, 1902. They were transported by train to arrive at Klerksdorp on the 13th April. In May they took part in driving operations in the Western Transvaal under Colonel De Lisle’s Column, part of a force consisting of 13 columns under Lieut.-General Sir Ian Hamilton. As a result of their successful operations a telegram was later received from Lord Kitchener:-
“Capital result. Tell troops I highly appreciate their exertions and consider result very satisfactory…”
“… The General Officer Commander-in-Chief is not in the habit of bestowing indiscriminate praise: and that on the contrary the compliment which has been paid this force is a very rare occurrence.”
Later they served in Colonel William’s Column. Although William Greer had been promoted from Lance Corporal to Corporal on the 7th of July 1902, the war was over and it was time to return to Australia.
Alas for Corporal Greer his belief that his beloved Blaze would return with him was dashed. Blaze must stay behind. To save Blaze from abuse, misuse and neglect, William sadly said his last goodbye to Blaze, then shot him. The Company embarked at Durban on the 11th July 1902, in the transport Drayton Grange, and Corporal William Greer landed in Brisbane on the 13th August. However William Greer never got over his tragic loss of Blaze, and he would relate to his youngest son the joy of his favourite moments when Blaze’s white nose would come nuzzling over his shoulder from behind.
OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MILITARY CONTINGENTS TO THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA
COMPILED AND EDITED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE BY LIEUT.-COLONEL P.L. MURRAY, R.A.A. (Ret.)
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