Captain Samuel HübbePrint Page

The plaque commemorates Captain Samuel Grau Hübbe who was killed in action at Ottoshoop in September 1900 during the South African (Boer) War. 

In 1899 the Colonies in Australia committed troops to the war in South Africa in which the British were in conflict with the Dutch Boers. The South Australian Government had already sent two contingents when in January 1900 the citizens of Sydney decided to raise a Bushmen’s Corps and asked the Mayor of Adelaide to support the venture. A selection of prominent gentlemen were gathered and they voted to raise a force but due to the Government being reluctant to fund such a force, a committee was established to raise the funds from the community through public subscription. Within a short few weeks enough money was raised to enlist, equip, feed, transport and pay the force for South Africa. It was also the responsibility of the committee to purchase the horses and select the men. One of the most important selections was to be that of the Commanding Officer. With his well established skills set Samuel was nominated and widely accepted, despite some murmurings due to his German name.

By 7 March Hübbe boarded the Maplemore with his force of 100 men and 120 horses at Port Adelaide and sailed for South Africa as the 3rd Contingent South Australians Bushmen’s Corps. They landed on 11 April and began patrolling around the areas of Mafeking and Elands River District. Their first major action came at the battle of Buffelshoek in mid August, in which the British troops including the Bushmen took a Boer position equipped with a Maxim machine gun after riding up to the position, dismounting their horses and charging the Boers with bayonets fixed. A month later on 12th September the 3rd Bushmen were again in action, this time at Ottoshoop. It was here the Captain Hübbe lost his life to a Mauser bullet.

The death of their Commanding Officer was felt hard in the unit, his body was left on the battlefield where he fell that night and recovered the next morning, where he was wrapped in his blanket and buried in the town cemetery. His possessions were collected and in an old soldiers tradition they were auctioned off  amongst the unigt and raising £75 to be sent to his widow. Captain Hübbe was later to be awarded a Mentioned in Despatches by Lord Roberts for ‘Meritorious Services Performed’. After the war his body was re-interred in the Zeerust Cemetery and a headstone of marble was sent from South Australia to furnish his final resting place.
Virtual War Memorial, http://www.vwma.org.au/

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