George Witton
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George Ramsdale Witton (28 June 1874 – 14 August 1942) was a lieutenant in the Bushveldt Carbineers in the
Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...
in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
. He was sentenced to death for murder after the shooting of nine
Boer Boers ( ; af, Boere ()) are the descendants of the Dutch-speaking Free Burghers of the eastern Cape Colony, Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. From 1652 to 1795, the Dutch East India Company controll ...
prisoners. He was subsequently reprieved by Lieutenant-General Viscount Kitchener, although Lieutenants
Peter Handcock Peter Joseph Handcock (17 February 1868 – 27 February 1902) was an Australian-born Veterinary Lieutenant and convicted war criminal who served in the Bushveldt Carbineers during the Boer War in South Africa. After a court martial, Handcock ( ...
and Harry "Breaker" Morant who had been court martialed with him, were executed by firing squad on 27 February 1902.


Early life and involvement in the Boer War

Witton was born into a farming family near
Warrnambool Warrnambool ( Maar: ''Peetoop'' or ''Wheringkernitch'' or ''Warrnambool'') is a city on the south-western coast of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 census, Warrnambool had a population of 35,743. Situated on the Princes Highway, Warrnambool (Al ...
,
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...
, Australia, with at least one brother. He served as a gunner in the
Royal Australian Artillery The Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery, normally referred to as the Royal Australian Artillery (RAA), is a Regiment of the Australian Army descended from the original colonial artillery units prior to Australia's federation. Australia's first ...
, then enlisted in the Victorian Imperial Bushmen for the
Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...
and was promoted from
Corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non ...
to Squadron Quartermaster-Sergeant.
Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
Robert Lenehan then enlisted him into the Bushveldt Carbineers with a commission as
Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
. After the killing of a number of Boer prisoners, Witton was one of four officers charged by the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
with murder, and was convicted.(Witton wrote that he had fired at an escaping Boer to keep him away, although later in "Scapegoats of the Empire," he admitted that he had shot an escaping Boer prisoner who had tried to seize Witton's carbine). However, he strongly protested and secured a legal opinion from
Isaac Isaacs Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs (6 August 1855 – 11 February 1948) was an Australian lawyer, politician, and judge who served as the ninth Governor-General of Australia, in office from 1931 to 1936. He had previously served on the High Court of A ...
KC, an Australian member of parliament, who recommended that he petition HM the King for a pardon. Kitchener indeed commuted Witton's sentence to life imprisonment. After further protests, he was released on 11 August 1904. However, he was not pardoned. He had been ill twice in prison in England, once from
arsenic Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As and atomic number 33. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in combination with sulfur and metals, but also as a pure elemental crystal. Arsenic is a metalloid. It has various allotropes, but ...
fumes in a metal shop and once from
typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...
. He returned to Australia on 12 November 1904, embittered after serving nearly three years at
HMP Lewes His Majesty's Prison Lewes is a local category B prison located in Lewes in East Sussex, England. The term local means that the prison holds people on remand to the local courts, as well as sentenced prisoners. The prison is operated by His Maj ...
, and wrote a book giving his version of the events involving Morant, Handcock and the BVC.


''Scapegoats of the Empire'' book

Witton's book, ''Scapegoats of the Empire'', was originally published in 1907 by D. W. Paterson of
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, but was long unavailable. It is claimed that prior to its reprint in 1982 by the Australian publishing house
Angus & Robertson Angus & Robertson (A&R) is a major Australian bookseller, publisher and printer. As book publishers, A&R has contributed substantially to the promotion and development of Australian literature.Alison, Jennifer (2001). "Publishers and editors: A ...
, only seven copies of the book survived in various Australian state libraries and in the possession of Witton's family. There has been a persistent though unproven allegation that the book was suppressed by the Australian government, and that most copies were destroyed on official instructions; another explanation is that most of the copies were destroyed in an accidental fire at the publisher's warehouse. The 1982 reprinting was inspired by the success of a film based on the book, entitled ''Breaker Morant''. George Witton's cousin, Cecily Adams of
Castlecrag Castlecrag is a suburb on the lower North Shore (Sydney), North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 8 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the Local government in Australia, local government ...
(a Sydney suburb), owned the copyright for ''Scapegoats of the Empire'' following George's death. Cecily was also aware of some additional documentation written by George, which he had always refused to make public. Determined that a further edition, which included this additional material, should be released, Cecily arranged in 1989 for a new edition to be published by Adlib Books of Bath, England, through an arrangement with Angus & Robertson. In this version Cecily Adams was herself identified as the copyright owner. Witton's main assertion, as indicated by the book's provocative title, was that he, Morant, and Handcock were made scapegoats by the British authorities in South Africa. In the book, he argued that the trio were unfairly arrested and put on trial, and the subsequent court-martial and executions were carried out for political reasons; partly to cover up a controversial and secret "no prisoners" policy promulgated by Lord Kitchener and partly to appease the Boer government over the killing of Afrikaner prisoners of war in order to facilitate a peace treaty (the
Treaty of Vereeniging The Treaty of Vereeniging was a peace treaty, signed on 31 May 1902, that ended the Second Boer War between the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, on the one side, and the United Kingdom on the other. This settlement provided f ...
as signed on 31 May 1902). Witton also claimed that many of the accusations about them, which led to their arrest and trial, were made by disaffected members of their regiment whose rebellious behaviour had been suppressed by Morant and Handcock.


Later life

When
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
broke out, an embittered Witton did not rush to enlist. After former and future
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Andrew Fisher Andrew Fisher (29 August 186222 October 1928) was an Australian politician who served three terms as prime minister of Australia – from 1908 to 1909, from 1910 to 1913, and from 1914 to 1915. He was the leader of the Australian Labor Party ...
pledged during the 1914 general election that Australia would defend Britain " to the last man and last shilling," Witton intimated that he would be that last man. He lived in
Gippsland Gippsland is a rural region that makes up the southeastern part of Victoria, Australia, mostly comprising the coastal plains to the rainward (southern) side of the Victorian Alps (the southernmost section of the Great Dividing Range). It covers ...
,
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...
and in
Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...
where he was a dairy farmer at 'Dundarrah' property, Coalstoun Lakes, and by 1928, director of the
Biggenden Biggenden is a rural town and locality in the North Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Biggenden had a population of 845 people. Geography Biggenden is on the Isis Highway north-west of the state capital Brisbane, and west of ...
cheese factory. Some of Witton's correspondence was cited in the 1932 Queensland royal commission into the butter industry and commissions paid to butter company managers. Dundarrah was sold in September 1936. He was involved as the secretary and treasurer of the Biggenden Golf Club, and a cup was in his name; and involved in competitive rifle shooting. George married Mary Louisa Humphrey in September 1913. She died in March 1931, aged 56 years, and was buried at the
Lutwyche Cemetery Lutwyche Cemetery is a cemetery located at Kedron, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It opened in 1878 and saw its first burial in the same year. It is located at the corner of Gympie and Kitchener Roads, approximately ten kilometres north of B ...
, Brisbane. In September 1932, he married Carolen Ellen Stranger. He did not have any children, although he and Mary by 1928 sought to adopt an orphan, only to be denied as Witton was 'a disgraced soldier'. He had a heart attack while cranking his car engine, and died in hospital on 14 August 1942, at the age of 68. He was buried with his first wife Mary in Brisbane's
Lutwyche Cemetery Lutwyche Cemetery is a cemetery located at Kedron, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It opened in 1878 and saw its first burial in the same year. It is located at the corner of Gympie and Kitchener Roads, approximately ten kilometres north of B ...
which, coincidentally, is located on the corner of Gympie and Kitchener Roads. His will indicated he was a retired estate agent, late of 41 Maling Road,
Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. ...
, Melbourne, Victoria, the executor being his nephew. File:AU-Qld-Kedron-Lutwyche-Cemetery-George WITTON grave-2021.jpg, Grave plot (2021). File:AU-Qld-Kedron-Lutwyche-Cemetery-George WITTON headstone 2-2021.jpg, Grave headstone (2021).


2009 petitions for review of court martial

In 2009, an Australian lawyer and naval reservist, Commander Jim Unkles, submitted personal
petition A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer called supplication. In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to some offici ...
s, requesting a review of the convictions for Morant, Handcock and Witton, to
The Crown The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different ...
, in the form of: *
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
personally * the Australian government, in the form of the
Australian House of Representatives The House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the upper house being the Senate. Its composition and powers are established in Chapter I of the Constitution of Australia. The term of members of the ...
Petitions Committee The petitions committee considered Unkles' petition on 15 March 2010. He appeared before it, along with others including historian Craig Wilcox. Committee member
Alex Hawke Alexander George Hawke (born 9 July 1977) is an Australian politician who served as Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs from 2020 to 2022 in the Morrison Government. Hawke has served as Member of ...
MP stated: "there is in my view serious and compelling evidence that some form of redress should be given, all these years later, to those men executed by the British".''Hansard'' "House of Representatives Grievance Debate", 15 March 2010. The then
Attorney-General of Australia The Attorney-GeneralThe title is officially "Attorney-General". For the purposes of distinguishing the office from other attorneys-general, and in accordance with usual practice in the United Kingdom and other common law jurisdictions, the Aust ...
, Robert McLelland referred the petition to the UK government. On behalf of the Crown, Unkles' petition was rejected by UK
Defence Secretary A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...
Liam Fox Liam Fox (born 22 September 1961) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for International Trade from 2016 to 2019 and Secretary of State for Defence from 2010 to 2011. A member of the Conservative Party, Fox has served as t ...
, in November 2010.


Footnotes


References

*''The Bushveldt Carbineers and the Pietersburg Light Horse'' by William (Bill) Woolmore (2002, Slouch Hat Publications Australia)
Copeland, H., "A Tragic memory of the Boer War", ''The Argus Week-end Magazine'', (Saturday, 11 June 1938), p.6.
* Denton, Kit. ''The Breaker'', Angus and Robertson, 1973. (a novel) * George, David C. ''Carving From the Veldt: Rifle Carvings from the Anglo-Boer War, 1899–1902'',Northern Rivers, 2004. (photo of Witton's carved rifle as described in ''Scapegoats of the Empire'') * O'Brien, Antony. ''Bye-Bye Dolly Gray'', Artillery Publishing, Hartwell, 2005. (an historical novel) * Unkles, James, ''Ready, Aim, Fire : Major James Francis Thomas, the Fourth Victim in the Execution of Lieutenant Harry "Breaker" Morant'', Sid Harta Publishers, (Glen Waverley), 2018. * Wallace, R. L. Australians at the Boer War, Australian War Memorial, 1976. (a history) * Wilcox, Craig. Australia's Boer War: The War in South Africa, 1899–1902, Oxford, 2002, Ch. 14. (a comprehensive academic history) * Witton G. R. ''Scapegoats of the Empire'', (1907) Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1982. Clock & Rose Press, (August, 2003) , * Woolmore, William (Bill). ''The Bushveldt Carbineers and the Pietersburg Light Horse'' (2002), Slouch Hat Publications, Australia


External links


Witton memorial at Australian Boer War memorialWitton memorial at Australian War memorialText of ''Scapegoats of the Empire'' at Project Gutenberg of Australia



''Opinion of the Hon. Isaac A. Isaacs, K.C., M.P., re the case of Lieutenant Witton''
1902, Melbourne : .n./nowiki>
NAA: A1336, 227: Copyright Application by George Ramsdale Whitton for ''Scapegoats of the Empire'', dated 7 August 1907, ''National Archives of Australia'', (contains photographs of each of the book's 240 pages).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Witton, George 1874 births 1942 deaths Australian military personnel of the Second Boer War Australian people convicted of war crimes Australian prisoners sentenced to death Australian mass murderers Australian Army soldiers Australian people convicted of murder British colonial army officers People convicted of murder by the British military People who were court-martialed People from Victoria (Australia) Prisoners sentenced to death by the British military Burials at Lutwyche Cemetery