SCAPEGOAT OR KILLER? It’s beEN 109 YEARS SINCE RENMARK HORSEMAN BREAKER MORANT WAS EXECUTED BUT THERE’s A NEW FIGHT TO CLEAR HIS NAME WORDS TANALEE SMITH Edward Woodward as Breaker Morant in the 1980 film. saweekend_april 09 history 13 HARRY Morant wouldn’t recognise Renmark these Morant would never have been heard of much again. But days, especially the pub. The trendy Renmark Hotel of he became friends with some of the local young men and 2011 is a far cry from the rough and ready establishment in 1900 a group of them signed up to help the British into which – legend has it – the Breaker once rode his horse fight the Boers, joining 18,000 other Australians who to order a drink at the bar. Today you can order lunch or a headed to South Africa between 1899 and 1902. He would coffee on the balcony overlooking a trimmed lawn leading never see the town, or Australia, again. Morant joined a to the high Murray River, where a paddleboat waits for regiment known as the Bushveldt Carbineers, made up its daily tour of the locks. In Morant’s time, early last Breaker Morant mostly of Australians. A close friend of his, Capt. Percy century, the outlook from the old stone building would Hunt, was part of this regiment. During leave from the have been more rugged and swampy. fighting, Morant and Hunt had gone to Devon, England, Even so, riding a horse into the pub would still have and become engaged to sisters. But back in South Africa, been wildly uncouth behaviour. Did he really do that? relatives, including Cathy Morant of Canberra – from Hunt was soon captured, tortured and executed by Boers. “With Morant working over the river, this was the only his pursuit for what he claims is true justice. Unkles Morant is said to have vowed revenge. hotel in the area so he and the boys would come over to became interested in Morant’s case about four years ago Accounts vary as to what happened next, but it is clear have a drink and play up,” says historian Y.M. “Johnny” after seeing the film for the umpteenth time. He says it that some members of the Carbineers were responsible Gurr, a former ABC journalist who has spent 40 years in was clear that Morant and his co-accused did not get a for killing several Boer prisoners, as well as a missionary Renmark and wrote a history of the Renmark Hotel. fair trial – and he set out to right that wrong, spending who witnessed the shootings. Within a few weeks, Morant But no, Gurr says, there is no proof to back up the thousands of dollars of his own money and countless and two fellow Australian soldiers – Peter Handcock and story that Morant rode up to the bar on his horse, and hours of his own time. George Witton – were arrested on charges of carrying out no one she interviewed about the hotel’s history could Unkles now says he has uncovered fresh evidence about the killings. In their defence, the Australians claimed substantiate the tale. Nor did he ride up a staircase, as Morant’s innocence that would be embarrassing to Britain commanding officers had ordered the regiment to kill another story has it – there was only one floor. But Gurr’s and one of its former great soldiers, Lord Kitchener. all prisoners as there was not enough food to go around. efforts to debunk the horse myth have proved fruitless. “Even though the case is 109 years old, they’re trying to The British denied this, and Morant and Handcock were Tourists visiting Renmark invariably enter the hotel bar minimise the suggestion that any (inappropriate) orders convicted after a speedy trial and executed on February – named “Breaker’s” in his memory – and ask about the would have been given during the Boer War, much in the 27, 1902. story. No doubt it’s good for business. same way as they would deny any inappropriate action Witton was sentenced to life in prison – later commuted And the story underlines how myth and mystery still in wars in Afghanistan or Iraq,” Unkles says. after 80,000 Australians signed a petition demanding his surround the Breaker, executed in 1902 by a British English-born Morant settled in Renmark sometime release. He returned to Australia and published a memoir military firing squad in South Africa for killing prisoners in the late 1800s, soon after the town was established. of the trial titled, Scapegoats for the Empire, The True during the Boer War. “There was outrage here when he Working as a horse breaker at a station across the River Story of Breaker Morant’s Bushveldt Carbineers. He gave was executed,” says Gurr. “He was a scallywag, but he Murray, Morant would have come to the then brand- a firsthand account of the arrest, trial and sentencing, didn’t deserve that.” The question still being asked today new Renmark Hotel for drinks and to socialise. He may including how the three were denied an appeal or contact is whether he deserves a pardon. also have got some fresh material for the poems he with the Australian government or their relatives. Morant was a horse trainer extraordinaire, a drover, wrote for The Bulletin newspaper, under the penname “Legal errors were made in that trial, significant a poet and probably a womaniser and a conman. But “the Breaker”– much of it about pretty girls and life as errors, not minor ones,” says Unkles, a military lawyer he was also charismatic and dashing, by all accounts, a drover. who has spent nearly 30 years in the Australian Navy which explains why he is still remembered 109 years “We’ve drunk our wine, we’ve kissed our girls, and funds specialising in criminal law, with extensive experience after the controversial court martial and execution. The are sinking low, in military courts martial and civil courts. Unkles says 1980 film Breaker Morant helped solidify his legend, as The horses must be thinking it’s a fair thing now to go; the men were commended during the court martial for did several books and a stage play, and last year the Sling the swags on Condamine and strap the billies fast, their loyal service to the British crown, and several Australian government asked the British government And stuff a bottle in the bags and let’s be off at last. recommendations were made for mercy. In the end, to consider reopening the case to clear Morant’s name. What matter if the creeks are up – the cash, alas, runs down! though, they were given 18 hours’ notice of their Britain rejected the appeal, but that hasn’t deterred A very sure and certain sign we’re long enough in town.” execution, forbidden any contact with their families and military lawyer James Unkles – backed by the Breaker’s If he’d stayed around Renmark, its more than likely denied the right to make a final plea to the King. saweekend_april 09 14 history “The executions were carried out in indecent haste says. “He was certainly talked about a lot in the family. It to prevent any interference from the Australian was always an interesting side of the family.” government,” Unkles says. “In fact, the Australian Cathie Morant joined forces with Unkles not to make government didn’t even know these men had been a mockery of the British court martial but just to find arrested and placed on trial until months later, as the justice for her ancestor, who she believes was treated trial was carried out in secrecy.” unfairly. “Three colonial officers, who had little or no Unkles’ research was recognised by Attorney-General Historian Y. M. Gurr military experience in the field and no understanding Robert McClelland, who last year petitioned Britain in Breaker’s bar of military laws and customs, were held liable while for pardons for Morant, Handcock and Witton. Also, in in Renmark. their British superiors were not prosecuted,” says the March 2010, the Australian House of Representatives’ letter signed by 12 descendants, most of them related Petition Committee held a public inquiry into the to Handcock. “Despite this, we do not wish to engage in petition, marking the first time an Australian institution uncovered new documents that he says strengthen his accusations of scapegoating or sentiments which could had considered Morant’s case. Although it had no case. “I have strong and compelling evidence to push for bring the British military into disrepute. That is not jurisdiction, the committee concluded that the case for a judicial inquiry,” he says. “Late last year I discovered our agenda. We believe there are grounds for pardoning pardons was “strong and compelling”. new evidence that confirms that orders to shoot prisoners Harry Morant, Peter Handcock and George Witton, However, last October the British government rejected had been given by British officers who worked for Lord recognising the mitigating circumstances surrounding the petition on the grounds that there was insufficient Kitchener, who was the supreme commander in South the offences.” evidence to justify a review, saying the records from Africa.” This new evidence includes the written opinion Cathie Morant has high hopes for restoring her 1902 were too scant. McClelland, through a spokesman, of Colonel St. Claire, the most senior British legal officer ancestor’s honour and clearing his name. “I’ve had explained in a statement why the Australian government in South Africa at the time. According to Unkles, the discussions with people in the last couple of years and had become involved.