Private William John Dundee
Number: 26204/ 40625
Company: 60th (Belfast) Company (New), 17th Battalion, Second Contingent/ 175th (Irish Horse) Company, 29th Battalion, Third Contingent
ENLISTMENT
Date: 11 February 1901/ 13 January 1902
Place: Belfast/ Belfast
Age: 21 years 6 months (in February 1901)
Trade or calling: Grocer's assistant
Place of birth: In the Parish of Ballyclare, in or near the Town of Ballyclare, in the County of Antrim
Family: Single. Father James Dundee, mother Ellen Jane (nee Blair) (dec.), of Straidnahanna, Ballyclare.
Previous military service: No/ 60th Company Imperial Yeomanry
Description: Height 5' 10 1/4". Complexion sallow/ fresh, eyes blue, hair black/ dark brown. Scar first finger left hand. Slight degree of knock knees.
Religion: Presbyterian
ACTIVE SERVICE
Date to South Africa: 12 March 1901/ 10 May 1902
Date home: 11 November 1901/ __
Service medal, clasps and other awards: Queen's South Africa Medal. Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, 1901, 1902 clasps.
DISCHARGE
Date: 11 December 1901/ 26 September 1902
Place: Shorncliffe/ Stellenbosch
Reason for discharge: At his own request/ At own request
Intended place of residence: Straidnahanna, Ballyclare/ Cape Police, Cape Town
Conduct: No documents/ Very good
Special qualifications: Grocer's assistant
While in South Africa with the 60th Company Dundee fell ill, having contracted enteric fever from contaminated water. He was invalided to England, sailing from Cape Town on 11 October 1901.
The following year he re-enlisted in the 175th (Irish Horse) Company. He was promoted to corporal on 28 February and sergeant on 21 March 1902.
Dundee and his four brothers served in the First World War, three of them in the North Irish Horse - Albert Edward, Alexander, and Robert (see image below).
Another image of Dundee appears in a group photo here.
Belfast Weekly Telegraph, 13 February 1915
"Five sons of the late Mr. James Dundee, Beechfield, Ballynure, and brothers of Mr. James Dundee, chemist, University Road, Belfast. (1) Sergeant W. J. Dundee, of the Cape Dominion Defence Force. He served through the South African war, going out with the Yeomanry and returning threw in his lot with the Irish Horse, and again went to the front. On the cessation of hostilities he obtained a good position with the Commissioner of Police in Johannesburg. When the present war broke out he volunteered for service with General Botha's forces, and has since been engaged in the difficult task of rounding up rebels. He is at present in East Africa. Two brothers-in-law are serving in the (same?) Forces. (2) Troopers Robert and Albert and Corporal Alexander Dundee, of A Squadron North Irish Horse. All three joined together, and at present are training in England. (3) Private Charles Dundee, 14th Batt. (Y.C.V.) Royal Irish Rifles, is training at Randalstown."
This page last updated 22 April 2026.