Obituaries Australia

A scout-soldier, who did splendid service for Australia and the Empire in South Africa, passed away early yesterday morning in Sydney Hospital. Major Dove, D.S.O., was a zealous, hardworking officer, and a brilliant military scout, deservedly popular with all who knew him.

A great many young Australians did good work in the Boer War, especially those mounted men who played and beat the Boers at their own game. But very few Australians knew what a vast amount of daring work Major Dove and his fellow scouts did during the South African crisis. Major Dove was several times publicly thanked by his commanding officer, mentioned in despatches, and awarded the Distinguished Service Order, and the Queen’s Medal, with five clasps, for his brilliant services.

Born on December 20, 1867, Major Dove was 30 years of age before he took to soldiering as a second lieutenant in the volunteers. He became first lieutenant in 1898, and captain in 1899. When the South African war broke out, he was one of the earliest volunteers. He was present at the operations in Cape Colony and the Orange River, including the battle of Colesburg, in February 1900. He took part in the advance on Kimberley, the operations in the Orange Free State from February to May 1900, including the engagements at Houtnek, Viet River, and Zand River. Later in the year he participated in the Transvaal operations, and the battles near Johannesburg, Pretoria, Diamond Hill, on June 11 and 12. He was adjutant of the 3rd Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse, and staff officer to the Australian Brigade in Natal. Several times he was sent out with a few biscuits to last him several days, and with only one or two companions, and often alone did valuable scouting work in locating scattered commandos of the enemy.

Returning to Australia he was promoted brevet-major in 1903, and in 1905 transferred to the unattached list. In 1906, however, he joined the permanent forces, and was appointed to the administrative and instruction staff in New South Wales. For some years he did splendid work in training the cadets in this State, and in 1911 was appointed director of equipment at headquarters, Melbourne, with the rank of major. He was on the instruction staff in Melbourne for the past 18 months; but his health was bad, and for the last year he had been an invalid, unable to move, with paralysis of the spine. He grew steadily worse, and yesterday morning at half past 1 he died.

The funeral will leave Victoria Barracks today at 2 o’clock, for the Waverley Cemetery.