Farrier Pvt. George BRADFORD, COLESBURG CEMETERY, Northern Cape, South Africa

George Roland Bradford was born in Sussex, England in 1870 and had served in the Grenadier Guards before immigrating to New Zealand in 1895.
Once he was settled, Bradford worked as a labourer and joined the local volunteer unit, the Ohinemuri Rifles, where his prior service was recognised with his appointment as Battalion Sergeant Major. When the Anglo-Boer War began in 1899 Bradford resigned from the Ohinemuri Rifle Volunteers and was enlisted as 44 Farrier Private G R Bradford of No 1 Company, 1st Contingent, New Zealand Mounted Rifles.
Following training in New Zealand, Bradford sailed with the rest of the 1st Contingent aboard the SS Waiwera from Wellington on 21 October, 1899, bound for the war in South Africa.
The New Zealand Army’s first ever overseas combat action took place on 18 December, 1899 at Jasfontein Farm, Cape Colony, and it was here that George Bradford was wounded in action. While riding at full gallop under intense Boer rifle and machine gun fire Bradford was hit and was seen to fall from his horse, strike his head on the ground and then to remain still. It was assumed that George Bradford was dead.
After the British and New Zealand troops withdrew the Boers found Bradford badly wounded, but alive, on the battlefield and he was transported to the Boer field hospital at the Rensburg railway siding.
It was ten days later that George Bradford died of his wounds, thereby becoming the first New Zealand soldier to be killed in action on foreign soil.
Source - National Army Museum.