“Stirling and Anning were both favourites and very popular among our chaps, and we felt their loss very keenly.”— Trooper Urquhart
“Casualties Among Queenslanders. Two Toowoomba Lads Shot Dead.”
This was the headline that screamed out on the pages of the Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser on Thursday, 15 August 1901.
With ANZAC Day just last Friday, this week we continue to honour many of our Old Boys who gave the ultimate sacrifice including Private Colin Stirling, a TGS Old Boy (1899-1900) and our first former student lost in the Boer War.
The story began with:
“News was received on Tuesday afternoon that in an engagement at Kopjesfontein, on the 6th instant, the following casualties occurred among members of the Fifth Queensland Contingent – Private Colin Stirling (No. 110), son of Mr James Stirling, of Rome Street Toowoomba, was killed.”
Private Stirling was the first Toowoomba Grammar School Old Boy to be killed in the line of duty in any war. Records show he was the youngest member of the Australian Contingents to be deployed to the Second Boer War in South Africa, 1899-1902.
The eldest son of the Stirling family, Colin left TGS in Year 11 in 1900 and was working at the Queensland National Bank in Toowoomba when he enlisted. Management asked him to reconsider and remain working with the bank; however, Colin declined, determined to try his luck on the battlefront.
He joined the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen. According to Naval and Military Press records 2007, the Contingent left Australia on 6 and 10 March 1901, comprising 23 officers, 506 soldiers and 476 horses.
Known affectionately as the “Fighting Fifth”, Private Stirling’s troop was highly regarded and reports showed they “encountered more hot work than perhaps any of the colonial contingents in South Africa at that time.” (Toowoomba Chronicle, 24 December 1901)
On 6 August 1901 the Fifth was ordered to march to Kopperfontein. As they were heading to their destination a herd of cattle was seen on the hills and the troop was ordered to round them up. As they were heading towards the steers they were suddenly fired upon by a body of Boers who had stealthily camouflaged on the ridge with Private Striling and Corporal Anning shot dead.
“We lay there alone owing to the fact that the firing was too hot for them to reach us,” stated Trooper Don Urquhart in the Chronicle report.
“The Boers stripped the dead bodies of Anning and Stirling, captured one of our horses and took off my jacket and shirt while I was lying unconscious,” said Trooper Urquhart.
It was six hours before allies could reach the battalion, but the remaining troops somehow managed to survive the intense fire. The Boers remained on the ridge until dawn when most of them were captured by another troop. The bodies of Private Stirling and Captain Anning were returned to the camp and buried.
Naval and Military Press records show a total of two officers and 33 soldiers from the contingent were killed or died in South Africa.
TGS Old Boy (1899-1900) Private Colin Stirling was just 16 years old. He is now forever remembered on our Honour Board in Old Hall, along with on Toowoomba’s Roll of Honour Boer War monument at Mother’s Memorial.
There has been 1,864 other TGS Old Boys who have fought in various wars from the Sudan War in 1885 to Vietnam 1959-63 with 193 tragically paying the ultimate sacrifice, according to our current School Museum records which are being diligently updated by volunteers, Mrs Ann Hallam and Mrs Sue Palmer.
It is with honour and pride that TGS commemorates these Old Boys, and all the brave servicemen and women at our ANZAC Day Service on Old Boys’ Memorial Oval each year.
Lest We Forget.
TGS Old Boys’ Service
The Sudan War 1885 - three enlisted
The Boxer Rebellion 1900-1901 - eight enlisted
Boer War 1899-1902- 65 enlisted - two Killed In Action (KIA)
WWI 1914-18 - 388 enlisted - 41 KIA/ eight died of disease/ 16 died of wounds/ one in an aircraft accident - total 66
WWII 1939-45 - 1364 enlisted -17 KIA/ 48 in flying battles/ 25 flying accidents / three ground accidents/ 19 died of disease/ one murdered/ three sea battles/ five died of wounds/ one electrocuted – total 122
Korean War 1950-53 - 32 enlisted - one KIA
Vietnam War 1959-63 - four enlisted - one KIA
Peacekeeping - unknown enlisted - one KIA
Latest Blog
Spielberg in the Making...
I first became aware of film making when my brother showed me the behind-the-scenes featurette on our Lord of the Rings DVD. From then on, the process intrigued me, and I eventually got my hands on my dad’s camera and simple editing software. I made a bunch of little movies with my friends which were all pretty bad but I loved doing them anyway. What I liked most was that it was an easy way to share stories and even when the movies were not good, it was still a way of telling stories in a…
The Best Job in the World
Vocational Education and Training (V.E.T) plays a central role in preparing young people for work, developing skills, and responding to the labour-market needs of the economy. As the V.E.T Co-Ordinator at Toowoomba Grammar School, I have an immediate and positive influence on our young men’s skills, employability, and career development. I engage with the most amazing young men to guide their career journeys throughout Years 10, 11 and 12. I also have the privilege to work closely with their…
Inclusive and Exclusive Banter and Behaviour
As the School counsellor, who has been working in a variety of education systems, I would like to address a common and important issue that affects many of our teenage boys: banter, teasing, and bullying. Boys at this age are especially prone to these behaviours, and they can have a significant impact on their mental health and overall well-being. One of the most common mistakes for teenage boys "it's just banter" or "I'm just joking." While banter can be a positive thing and can help build…
I Have Returned to Where it Began and I Feel Right at Home
I have returned to where it all began, and I feel right at home. My parents decided when I was very young that I would attend Toowoomba Grammar School as a boarder. Coming from a property surrounded by a small community, my parents believed that sending me to TGS would provide me with many fundamental skills needed for a young man, as well as an education that I could not get in my hometown.. Starting my journey at TGS in Year 8 as a boarder in Mackintosh, adjusting from a small country high…
Tuning in to TGS Old Boy (1995-99) - Stuart St Vincent Welch
Our Old Boys have such diverse career paths; we are so proud of the good young men they become and how they make meaningful contributions to their communities. Stuart St Vincent Welch describes himself as an average student who had no idea what he wanted to do after school. But drawing on the TGS values of hard work, respect and resilience he is now working as a Sound Engineer for Barking Owl in New York City, rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s most renowned musicians and actors. He…
The TGS Show Cattle Team - On the moooove
The TGS Show Cattle Team commenced in Term 1 2021 under the guidance of Mr Jack Murphy and Mrs Julie Brophy. The concept of the team was to give boys a hands-on, extracurricular opportunity in the agricultural industry. The boys have been competing in the Young Judges’ competitions at a range of shows across Queensland. The Young Judges’ competition is based on the goal of expanding the boys' knowledge of the skills that are a foundation of the animal production industry, helping them as…
The Importance of Routines
Routines are an important part of our daily lives, providing structure and stability. This is especially true for children in their formative years, who benefit from having consistent and predictable routines in both their school and home environments. At Toowoomba Grammar School Junior School, we believe that routines are essential for helping students thrive both inside and outside the classroom. One of the key ways in which routines help students is by providing a sense of security and…
Ten Steps Ahead - Jackie Gallagher
As a high school athlete, Jackie Gallagher had the world at her feet. She was in a unique position where she was excellent at any distance from 100m to 800m. She broke Queensland and National records and was regularly selected for State and National teams. Jackie was selected for the Australian Youth team to compete at the World Youth Championships in Canada as an U18 along with the Australian Junior Commonwealth Games and the Youth Olympics, before making the U20 Australian team to compete at…
The Makings of a Premiership
The 2022 1st V Basketball squad will be forever etched in the pages of Toowoomba Grammar School history as the first TGS team to win a GPS Basketball Premiership since the competition commenced in 1984. Head of Basketball, and 1st V Coach, Mr Kabe Cicolini has been instrumental in the growth and success of not just our leading team, but of the TGS Basketball Program as a whole. Kabe has come from a background of playing GPS sport – cricket, rugby and basketball as a student at Ipswich Grammar…
