James Christie

Who is James Christie?

James Christie from New Zealand served in the Boer War in South Africa in the Bushveldt Carbineers. He was one of the 15 BVC members who signed a letter of complaint about the actions of BVC officers at Fort Edward in the Spelonken, which led to the court-martial of Breaker Morant, Peter Handcock and George Witton and the execution of Morant and Handcock, see Court martial of Breaker Morant. He claimed that he had refused to shoot a wounded Boer, and escorted Boer men, women and children to camp despite efforts to entice him away so they could all be shot. His account in New Zealand newspapers in 1902 is one of the few published narratives of the BVC.

Christie enlisted in the BVC at Durban on 19 April 1901 as a stockman aged 32; next-of-kin Mrs Christie of Otago, New Zealand. For a short period he was with the BVC at Strydpoort and Chuniespoort, then transferred to the Spelonken. He was in Sergeant Frank Eland’s troop, and was one of three of the troop with Eland during the attack on Viljoen’s commando at Duivelsklook when Eland and Captain Hunt were killed.