The Mafeking Tree and John (Jack) Simpson

Though isolated and few, the Herbert River Valley residents have never escaped being touched by major conflicts, being called upon often to play their part. The Valley provided volunteers, conscripts, machinery and horses for those conflicts. The Mafeking Tree, casting its shade where Lannercost Street divides to become Palm Terrace and Herbert Street, stands as a living reminder of not only a single conflict, but a local family and its contribution and sacrifice.

Stephen Simpson, a former Major in the British Army, arrived in Australia with his family in 1878. In 1882 he took the position of Post and Telegraph Master in Ingham. On his arrival in Australia in 1878 his son John (Jack) was only a baby. As Jack grew up he developed horse riding and bush skills that would stand him in good stead when in 1899 Britain found itself at war and it put out the call for Australian volunteers.

This war was the Boer War. What is now South Africa was formerly made up of the British held territory called Cape Colony and the Boer held Transvaal and Orange Free State. The Boers or Afrikaners were descendants of Dutch settlers. On 11 October, 1899 the Boers declared war on Britain after Britain raided the Boer’s territory in 1896 in order to obtain control of gold mines there.

Horses from the colonial Australia were in demand by the British military. Captain A. Henry, an entrepreneurial Valley resident, bred horses for use by the British Army. With the declaration of war both horses and men were called upon by Britain for the war effort. 16 000 Australians volunteered with 606 casualties in what was described as a “bloody guerrilla war.”

In the Boer War most Australians fought in the mounted units and they were held in great esteem by the British for their riding and shooting skills. Jack served in the Queensland Mounted Infantry and was reputed to be a fine horseman and a tough bushman. He was among those troops besieged in the Town of Mafeking for seven months from October 1899 to May 1900 and was wounded during the relief operations. The British emerged victorious and peace was declared on 31 May 1902. Thereafter the Boer held territory became British territory.

Jack’s father planted the Mafeking Tree, a blackbean tree, on Palm Terrace to commemorate the military relief of Mafeking. Celebrations of a similar sort were held right across Australia simultaneously. Jack returned to Ingham after the Boer War. He died in 1939. Compounding the family’s grief soon after his death his son John James Simpson was a casualty of WW 2.

Jim Simpson, brother of Jack was responsible for the installation of a plaque in 1972 detailing history and significance of the Mafeking Tree. A further installation was erected at the Mafeking Tree in 2000 as part of the Ingham Heritage Trail, on the 100 year anniversary of the planting. The Council has since removed all those signs and the Trail no longer exists. The tree is the only known Mafeking Tree (Boer War ) Memorial in Queensland.

Jack was buried with military honours in an unmarked grave. In 2003 his unmarked grave was finally given a headstone. This only resulted after RSL president Lloyd Greentree located the grave and initiated the construction of the headstone. He endeavoured to ensure that the story of Jack Simpson lives on. However, sadly, an interpretative signage installed over Jack’s grave is now (in 2019) unreadable.

When next you pass the Mafeking tree spare a thought for Stephen, first Telegraph Master, Jack, survivor of “bloody guerrilla war” and John James, a life cut short in the WW 2. While manufactured dedications to these men deteriorate the tree stands as a living reminder of not only past world conflicts, but a local family and its contribution and sacrifice.

Stephen Simpson's grave, Old Ingham Cemetery. Source: Iconicingham

John (Jack) Simpson's grave, Old Ingham Cemetery. (Source: Iconicingham)

Mafeking Tree with both memorial plaques in situe. Source: Monument Australia,http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/conflict/boer/display/91639-mafeking-tree  

Source: Vidonja Balanzategui, Bianka.  The Herbert River Story. Ingham: Hinchinbrook Shire Council, 2011.

But you’re gone, Digger, gone – all your troubles are o’er – May the soft winds of Ingham blow over your rest

Seeing the Celotto/ Sheahan family members proudly riding their horses in the ANZAC parade today reminds us that late in the nineteenth century an Ingham resident, Captain Alfred Henry, bred horses for use by the British Army in India for Australian horses were in high demand by the British military. Australian mounted units too were held in great esteem for their riding and shooting skills.

Further, as the parade files past the Mafeking Tree and turns eyes to the saluting officer it is a moment to reflect on the valour of local servicemen and women, and the heartache of families waiting at home for their return. The story of the Mafeking tree is the story of John (Jack) Simpson.

Jack Simpson volunteered for the Second Boer War which began on October 11 1899 and ended on May 31, 1902. The Boer War took place in what is now South Africa. The area was then divided between the British held territory of Cape Colony and Transvaaland Orange Free State held by the Boers who were descendants of Dutch settlers. The Boers declared war on Britain but the actual reasons for the discord between the two, the Boers and the British, and which of those reasons precipitated the war have been the subject of contention. Certainly, the Boers had reason to wonder about Britain’s interest in Transvaaland as they had already made a raid on the Boers in 1896 for the gold mines in Boer territory. Furthermore the Boers regarded the positioning of British troops on their borders as confrontational.

Jack arrived in Australia as a baby in 1878. His father, Stephen, took the position of Telegraph Master in Ingham in 1882. There was an Army tradition in the family with Stephen having served in the British Army. Along with the other Australian volunteers, Jack served in the Queensland Mounted Infantry and was reputed to be a fine horseman and a tough bushman. He was one of those troops besieged in the town of Mafeking for seven months from October 1899 to May 1900 and was wounded during the relief operations, His father planted the Mafeking Tree, a blackbean tree, on Palm Terrace, to commemorate the military relief of Mafeking. Celebrations of a similar sort were held right across Australia simultaneously.

Given his descendants’ annual presence in the Ingham ANZAC parade, with their horses and uniforms giving us all a real taste of the past, the last word on war here should rightfully be that of Dan Sheahan, our local bard, who’s pen never failed to nail the sentiment. In 1944 he poured out a poem ‘The Death of “Digger” Martin on the death of George “Digger” Martin of Long Pocket. Mourning the loss of a friend and reminiscing about their shared youth and hopes he ended his poem with these stanzas:

And we’ll saddle the ponies and solitude seek

Where the black bream were biting on Broadwater creek –

And there well away from the world’s mad strife

We’d smoke and we’d talk on the problems of life.

But you’re gone, Digger, gone – all your troubles are o’er

And the shade of Broadwater will know you no more –

May the soft winds of Ingham blow over your rest

In peace and in war, you were one of the best.

Soldiers of the Light Horse Brigade 1914, Hinchinbrook Shire Library Photograph Collection

Source:

Sheahan, Dan. “The Death of “Digger” Martin,” in Songs of the Canefields. Ingham: Josephine R. Sheahan, 1972.

Vidonja Balanzategui, The Herbert River Story. Ingham: Hinchinbrook Shire Council, 2011.