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Donald Bunn
Private, Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Volunteer Rifles (D.E.O.V.R.)
Gunner, De Beers Maxim Battery.
- Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal with Bechuanaland clasp
- Queen's South Africa Medal with Defence of Kimberley clasp
- Kimberley Star with "a" hallmark
Donald Bunn was born in January 1871 in the Ledbury District of Eastnor in the Hereford Diocese of the County of Herefordshire, England the son of William and Anne Bunn.
Three months later, on 31 March 1871 at the time of the 1871 Census, William, aged 33 and Anne, aged 40, Bunn were living at 40 Hillend Road, Eastnor. Donald wasa baby of 3 months and had an older sister, Alice Louisa (8) as well as three older brothers William Henry (13); John Arthur (6) and Edwin Ernest (4). William Bunn was a Butcher by trade and his wife a Dressmaker.
Ten years later on 31 March 1881 at the time of the 1881 Census, the family had moved house and were resident at 41 Wayned Street, Eastnor. Donald, now aged 10, was at home with Alice Louisa (18) and Edwin Ernest (14)
Donald, at the time of the 1891 census, was a Lodger in the house of Richard and Anne Hughes of 85 Back of Parliament Street, Littleworth in Gloucester. His occupation was given as that of an Engineers Apprentice (Turner)
At some point in 1896 Bunn took passage to South Africa from Southampton docking in Cape Town. Ere long he found employment as a Turner with the Salt River Works section of the South African Railways (Cape Government Railways at the time) in Sir Lowry Road and settled down to life in his new country.
On 21 June 1897, a year after immigrating, Bunn, aged 26 enrolled with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Volunteers Rifles (D.E.O.V.R.) as a Private and with Regimental number 584. A Mrs. Bunn was recorded as his next of kin.
Donald Bunn saw service in the Frontier Wars of the period earning the Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal with the Bechuanaland clasp. (for service between 24 December 1896 and 30 July 1897)
The uprising stemmed from an edict to slaughter native livestock to prevent the spread of virulent cattle disease in April 1896. The revolt rapidly gathered alarming momentum and the local troops under Lt Colonel Dalgety were hard pressed to contain the uprising. A large force was required to subdue the fighting and troops and volunteers were mobilized for the Bechuanaland Field Force. Actions were fought at Gamasep Kloof, Riet Kloof and finally at Langberg on the 30 Jul - 1 Aug 1897 before peace was restored. David Biggins.
What happened to Bunn after his sojourn in the Cape area can only be the subject of conjecture however, he must have set his compass north as, two years on he had enlisted for service in Kimberley in 1899 as a Gunner with the De Beers Maxim Battery attached to the 23rd Royal Garrison Artillery, the only Imperial Artillery involved in the Siege.
The Siege of Kimberley commenced on 6 November 1899 and lasted 124 days before the relief came on 15 February 1900.
Bunn, according to the medal roll, had attained the rank of Corporal although the Queen’s South Africa Medal he was awarded reflects his rank as Private. He also qualified for the Defence of Kimberley clasp to the medal which was issued to him in Kimberley on 24 December 1904. A total of 36 medals were awarded to the Maxim Battery.
Alongside approximately 5000 others, Bunn was also awarded the Kimberley Star, an unofficial medal in silver struck in Birmingham at the behest of Mr. H. Oliver, the Mayor of Kimberley as a “thank you” to all those who had served and endured during the Siege. Bunn’s Star was hallmarked “a” indicating manufacture in 1900.
With the Boer War a thing of the past Donald Bunn returned to civilian life and, at some point,married a Mary Agnes Parker.
On 12 February 1940 Donald Bunn passed away, aged 69 years and 2 months in President Street, Johannesburg, Transvaal. He was survived by his wife and two major daughters, Lorna Alice Williams and Margaret Louisa Hitzenauen. He was described as having been a Turner by occupation. He was resident at 58 Banket Street, Johannesburg at the time.