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1871 Trooper Burke Westwood Thompson died at Melbourne Hospital, a victim of the Drayton Grange scandal. He seems to have travelled from Hughenden, in the Shire of Flinders, North-East Queensland, to enlist in Brisbane on two occasions - late February 1901 and January 1902. So far I haven't found a reason for the first attempt not being successful, unless he did enlist twice and returned home in late 1901.
He doesn't seem to be named on the Hughenden memorial, or in Burketown.


....Mr Burke Thompson, of Tarbrax, was here last week.
The North Queensland Register, Monday 2nd October 1899


....Mr B. Thompson proceeds to the South on Monday, en route for South Africa.
The Queenslander [Brisbane], Saturday 2nd March 1901


....I saw Burke Thompson going down. He was saying he was going to the Transvaal. They want good shots and good horsemen over there. Mr Peel is at Mount Emu and will most likely live there.
The Northern Miner [Charters Towers], Saturday 2nd March 1901


....Mr Burke Thompson passed through Townsville en route for Brisbane last Monday.
The North Queensland Register [Townsville], Monday 20th January 1902


....Word has been received that Burke Thompson, of Mount Emu station, who went with the last contingent to South Africa, died in Melbourne last night. He was one of those attacked with illness on the Drayton Grange. The deceased's brother died in Townsville less than a week ago, making the third brother that has died within eighteen months. Much sympathy is extended with Mr. A. M. S. Thompson, of Fairlight Station. ....The death took place last night, at the Melbourne Hospital, of Burke Westwood Thompson, a returned trooper by the transport Drayton Grange. Mr. Edwards, member of the House of Represenatives for Oxley, at once communicated with Thompson's mother, who resides in Sydney, and who has replied, expressing a wish to have her son's body interred in the Waverley Cemetery if possible. The deceased was a son of the late James Thompson, of Mount Emu and Fairlight stations, who was one of the pioneer squatters of Northern Queensland. The name Burke was given to the deceased in commemoration of his being the first white child born in the district.
The Brisbane Courier, Monday 11th August 1902


....Word was received this afternoon that Mr Burke Thompson, who was reported yesterday as seriously ill in Melborne, died last night. Much sympathy was expressed for his brother Alec. Thompson and for Mrs Thompson senior.
The North Queensland Register [Townsville], Monday 11th August 1902


....If Charters Towers people want any flag poles just refer them to Hughenden. Two were erected in town this week (one at Price and Co.'s and one at Goldring, Tolano and Co.'s), which measure 50 and 57 feet respectively. They are cyprus pine, and were obtained on Chudleigh Park, where there are some still higher. Unfortunately, the first flags flown on them were half-mast out of respect to the memory of Burke Thompson, who died in Melbourne on Thursday night.
....Mr Thompson was a brother to J. B. Thompson who died in Townsville last Monday week. Burke went to South Africa with a late contingent, and was on the Drayton Grange, which brought back such a crowd of contingenters, and on which serious sickness occurred. Two brothers dying within a fortnight, and three within eighteen months, is a sad record. Much sympathy is felt for Mr A. M. G. Thompson, of Fairlight, who came into town on receipt of the news that Burke was seriously ill.
The Northern Miner [Charters Towers], Monday 11th August 1902
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....Trooper Burke Westwood Thompson, of the Queensland Horse, died in the Melbourne Hospital on Thursday night, of pneumonia, a few hours after being transferred from the troopship Drayton Grange. Mr. Edwards, M.H.R., of Queensland, who is a family acquaintance, was in Sydney at the time, and at once telegraphed to the military authorities, asking that the body might be sent on to Sydney for interment in the Waverley Cemetery, beside deceased's father, who died in Sydney while on a visit some years ago. This was readily assented to, and the remains, which were brought by train, were taken to Victoria Barracks on Saturday morning.
....Yesterday afternoon the deceased was buried with full military honors at the Waverley Cemetery, the Rev. Dr. Dill Macky officiating. Lieutenant-Colonel J. C. Neild was in command, while Lieutenant Sweetland was the processional officer. Sergeant Colebourne was in charge of the gun carriage, the coffin thereon being enshrouded in a Union Jack. The R.A.A. band, under Bandmaster M'Carthy, supplied the music. Sir William Lyne, who has been a friend of the family for the past 37 years, was amongst those present. Others present included Mr. Edwards, M.H.R., Mr. C. Delohery (member of the Public Service Board), and Mr. Alex. Wilson. The deceased, who was 40 years of age, was a son of the late Mr. James Thompson, of Mount Emu, Fairlight and Tarbrax - during his day one of North Queensland's best known squatters.
....At the present time Mrs. Thompson is seriously ill at the Hotel Metropole. This bereavement is accentuated by the fact that only three weeks ago another son was buried, and one less than 18 months ago, only one out of four now surviving. The late trooper was the first white male child born in the district of Burke, N.Q., in which part his father was one of the early pioneers.
The Daily Telegraph [Sydney], Monday 11th August 1902


THOMPSON. - At Melbourne, after landing from South Africa, Burke Westwood Thompson, late of Mt. Emu Station, Northern Queensland, son of the late James Thompson, of Mt. Emu, Fairlight, and Tarbrax.
Australian Town and Country Journal, Saturday 16th August 1902

He was reportedly 40 years of age when he died, but his Find A Grave entry has him ten years younger.
www.findagrave.com/memorial/218637628/burke-westwood-thompson

A photo of the homestead at Mount Emu Station, Burke Thompson's home. commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:StateLib...Queensland,_1927.jpg

....News has been received of the death of Mrs. James Thompson, relict of the late James Thompson, the original founder of Mount Emu, Tarbrax, and Fairlight stations, in this district. The deceased lady died in Sydney. She was over seventy years of age, and leaves a number of sons and daughters, as follows: Mrs. Voss, Wongalee; Mrs. Crawford, Fairlight; Mrs. J. A. Brodie, Boolcarrol, New South Wales, also Messrs. A, M. S. Thompson, and Stewart Thompson, Fairlight; Sydney Thompson, Boolcarrol, New South Wales. The late J. B., Robert, and Burke Thompson were also sons of the deceased lady. Mr. A. M. S. Thompson left for Sydney to-day.
The Northern Miner, Saturday 30th July 1904

Hi Berenice,
Well done on the article. Hughenden is about 5.5hrs drive from where I live and I have photos of the memorial.
Oddly enough, his name is not on the Memorial to Queenslanders in ANZAC Park in Brisbane.
I’ll email the Hughenden Council and let them know, there is enough room on the memorial to add the name.
You have got me thinking now. I compiled a list of Queensland casualties for the Boer War, must check to see if his name is on it. If not it will be!
Cheers,
Jim

Cheers, Jim. I've added a couple of pieces to my original post, a shame there wasn't more about him. I do hope you can get his name added to the Hughenden memorial.

Have you got Joseph O'Callaghan, Fifth Contingent, of Gympie, on your list? He died at Hobart en route to South Africa, on 1st April 1901.

I’ll have a look over the weekend. Did he die of food poisoning? The list is an excel doc so it may have to be emailed. Leave it with me.

494 Trooper O'Callaghan died from pneumonia, contracted after leaving Adelaide on board the Chicago, and died in Hobart General Hospital. Most reports say he was buried in Queenborough cemetery, although one says Cornelian Bay cemetery.

Hello Berenice,

On the website: Australians in the Boer War, Ox-Boer Database Project ( members.pcug.org.au/~croe/ozb/oz_boer_more.cgi?record=20989 ) they also gave his age of death as 30 years old.

Elmarie