Wartime hero details early memories of life on Downs - Toowoomba Chronicle

Portrait of General Sir Henry (Harry) George Chauvel. Photo Contributed

THE reflections of one of Australia's most decorated military men give insight into a youth enjoyed on the Darling Downs.

General Sir Henry "Harry" Chauvel went from his schooling at Toowoomba Grammar School to fight in the Boer War and the First World War.

It was on October 31, 1917, that he led the charge of the 4th Light Horse Brigade to victory against Turkish and German forces at the Battle of Beersheba.

In 1926, he contributed memories of his time in Toowoomba for a special jubilee edition of the Toowoomba Grammar School Magazine.

"I have many pleasant recollections of my life at the Toowoomba Grammar School where I became a boarder in March 1880 and stayed for over a year. I expect the life there is rather different nowadays, as conditions have somewhat changed in the neighbourhood of Toowoomba, but we had a very good time in our own way.

Several of us kept our own horses at the school and, some of us, sporting dogs of various kinds. I personally used to ride home, for the long holidays, to Tabulam on the Clarence River, NSW, and back a matter of 150 miles each way, an undertaking thought nothing of in those days.

It took a little longer than going by the train, which after all only took one as far as Warwick, and it kept one in good trim and saved paying agistment for the horse in Toowoomba.

Our weekends were often spent "down the range" when we lived on what we could kill. There was little settlement between Toowoomba and Helidon, the country being either virgin forest or scrub, and game, of sorts, was fairly plentiful. I have a vivid recollection of making my evening meal one wet Saturday night of an opossum, skinned and cleaned in the dark, and half cooked on a fire that would not burn.

A favourite amusement used to be to bring home leaves of the horse-nettle, which abounded in the scrubs, and put them in other fellow's beds."

General Sir Henry "Harry" Chauvel

• Born: April 16, 1865


• Family home was in northern New South Wales


• Boarding student at Toowoomba Grammar School from 1880 to 1882


• Served in the Boer War and First World War


• Was commander of the 1st Light Horse Brigade at Gallipoli


• Led the famous mounted charge by the 4th Light Horse Brigade at Beersheba in 1917


• Was created a Knight Grand Cross of St Michael and St George (GCMG) in the 1919 new year's list


• In 1929 was the first Australian to be promoted to the rank of general


• Died: March 4, 1945