Obituaries Australia

Alfred Dufrayer, n.d.

Australian War Memorial, A04542 001110

Captain Alfred Henry Dufrayer, whose death in Tanganyika was announced yesterday, was the holder of a unique decoration – the Queen’s Scarf.

During the South African War Queen Victoria knitted, with her own hands, two scarves: one was to be given to a British soldier who was specially mentioned for gallantry, and the other was to be awarded to a colonial soldier in similar circumstances.

Captain Dufrayer, who was a member of the Australian Bushmen’s Contingent in South Africa, was awarded the scarf allotted to the Colonial forces. The decoration was regarded as distinguished and the regulations provided that it was to rank next to the Victoria Cross.

After the South African War, Captain Dufrayer was commissioned by the authorities in South Africa to return to Australia to purchase cattle, sheep and horses for the restocking of South African farms. He visited various parts of Victoria and secured a large shipment of stock which he took to South Africa. He brought with him the Queen’s Scarf which attracted considerable attention. While in Melbourne he revisited his old school – Brighton Grammar, and presented to the head master (Dr George H. Crowther) a framed photograph of himself wearing the scarf and this picture is highly prized at the school. He was also entertained by the Commercial Travellers’ Association, who presented him with a silver moth-proof box in which to preserve the scarf. Captain Dufrayer delivered his shipment of stock to South Africa, where he made his home.