1st NSW Mounted Rifles, A Squadron , Private No. 43 1st Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse (NSW), Sergeant-Major No.54 Born on 19 May 1876, the ninth of George and Elizabeth (née Sladen) Hopkins’ eleven children. He married Eva Gertrude Aspinall and they had three children, Doris, Elma and Frank.
Later he married his cousin, Gladys Hopkins and they had two children.
He volunteered for service on 1 November 1899 and was interviewed by Captain Antill. He enlisted as James Hopkins Private No. 43 in “A” Squadron NSW Mounted Rifles.
The Queanbeyan Age 28 April 1900 published the following letter from James, forwarded from Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, dated 17 March 1900:
“’Just a few lines to let you know that I am still alive and kicking, although many thousands of miles from the old home. I am in the city of Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange Free State.
Long before this letter reaches you, you will know, by the papers, how Generals French and Roberts captured it. It was a wonderful piece of a work, and done in such a short time. The Boers seem to have lost all heart, for they will not stand against our artillery. If they gain a good position they cannot hold it, for once our artillery begins to play they leave their - guns and supplies and everything, bar their horses, and go like hunted deers to the next cover.
If it was not for the Boers leaving their supplies behind them we would very nearly starve, for we capture all their supplies when, they leave them. The rations we get are 1lb dry biscuits, 6 to the lb, 1lb of beef, 1oz. of tea, 1oz. of sugar, and a bit of rice and jam occasionally. For the last month we have been on half rations; on account of our forced march, our transports could not keep up with us, but today we are on full rations again.
Since the 1st February the Mounted Rifles have been constantly on the go. They have been in about 12 engagements, 5 of which are big affairs and worthy of a bar. I was in the battle, of Raham, Paardeburg (that is where General Cronje surrendered along with 4000 Boers), the Relief of Kimberley; and the capture of Bloemfontein. It is of no use telling you every little incident that happened during that time, because if I did I would have to start a book, but I have seen some very trying scenes that I will not forget until my dying day.
I suppose you read in the papers about the capture of Cronje in the laager on the Modder River - well, I must say that the Mounted Rifles took a particular part in that affair. It was in this way, The Mounted Rifles were the advance party for General Roberts’ columns that day; we were about 4 miles in advance of the other troops, and we rode right on to Cronje’s camp before we were aware of it. The Boers opened fire on us from all quarters from 100yds range up to 2,000. Of course we retired, and, marvelous to say, only one of our men got shot through the thigh--but all the rest got clean away without a scratch either to themselves or horses, but for all that the bullets fell like hail around us, and the shells bursted in amongst us. Well, after that, the artillery came up and started shelling the camp. The British then completely surrounded them, and shelled them with shrapnel and lyddite day and night for a week. At the end of that time Cronje surrendered, and the Mounted Rifles had to go to the Boer camp to see if everything was right. When we got there the Boers were just filing out with their little bundles on their shoulders and a stick and a water bag in their hands. They put me in mind of the unemployed that hangs around Sydney. When we got to the camp a frightful sight met our eyes- dead and dying Boers, dead horses and mules lay around in all directions, and piles of rifles and ammunition lay in heaps all over the ground. The Boers burnt everything they had before they left, so when we went in there was only a mass of ruins and filth.”
The Queanbeyan Age 7 January 1900 reported that after returning to Sydney from South Africa James Hopkins along with Robert Swan, was given a big welcome reception at Byrnes’ Royal Hotel, Queanbeyan, by the people of Queanbeyan. He brought with him a Boer Mauser rifle which had belonged to Captain F.B. Wessels of Strachan’s Scouts who was later sentenced to death for shooting prisoners.
On 1 June 1901, he joined a No. of other men from the Queanbeyan-Braidwood region at Government House in Sydney’ to receive the Queen’s Medal with six Clasps from the Duke of York.
He later re-enlisted with the 1st Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse, leaving Sydney on 19 February 1902 as a Sergeant-Major for a second term of duty. At that time, he was twenty-four years and seven months, employed as a soldier and living at Victoria Barracks in Sydney. In that instance he nominated his father, George Hopkins of Hoskinstown, as his next-of-kin. His Service Record indicated that he had previously served for 15 months in the 1st Mounted Rifles in South Africa. The AWM Nominal Roll for No. 54 records the name of James William Hopkins.
NSW Births Deaths and Marriages records the death of James Wells Hopkins as 70273/1971, being the son of George Wells and Elizabeth A and was registered in Blacktown, Sydney. In this matter it is therefore assumed that the recording of Hopkins name as James William and not James Wells on the AWM Nominal Roll is incorrect.
Notes:
1. It is suggested that James Hopkins is not the Hopkins J. commemorated on the Bungendore Great War Roll of Honour.
2. James Hopkins’ son, Stanley James by his second marriage, died in Thailand as a Prisoner-of-War during World War II. He is commemorated on the Bungendore Memorial Roll of Honour as Hopkins S.J. +.
See also: BUNGENDORE & DISTRICT WAR MEMORIAL SOUTH AFRICAN (BOER) WAR 1899-1902 ROLL OF HONOUR ISBN: 978-0-646-55612-3 Peter John Hugonnet 2011
