Historical information

Former SMB mining student Alfred Johnston was the son of Charles Johnston of Cork, Ireland, and Elizabeth Jameson, the family owning a large furniture store in Fitzroy. Alfred joined the Fifth Victorian (Mounted Riffles) contingent at the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn.

The October 1901 Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) Students Magazine reported 'Alf. Johnston's gone. The news came as a shock to all of us at the school. He who was with us a few short months ago, in all strength of sturdy manhood, has met a soldier's death in South Africa, and we sincerely mourn his loss…. His heart was in the school, and he did his best to further its interests … His last act on leaving Australian shores was to send a telegram from Albany to Prof. Mica Smith, to whom he was warmly attached, wishing the School and all connected with it "Good-bye". In his short, all to short, life of 29 years, he had more adventure than falls the lot of most men, and possibly the spirit of adventure, and also, of duty, prompted him to throw in his lot with the "colors," and leave for the front. The news of his death comes to us with added weight of sadness when we remember that he was one of the organisers of the School entertainment last year to help swell the fund for the erection of a statue to fallen Victorian soldiers.'


The SMB Annual Report of 1901 recognised the loss of one of their students: 'Mr Johnston was, until the date of his leaving for active military service in South Africa, one of our students. While here besides being regarded as a general favourite for his urbanity and manliness, he was noted as a faithful, diligent, and most successful student. The news of Lieutenant Johnston's death cast quite a gloom over the school and it was early decided that in addition to a letter of condolence sent to his parents a bronze tablet, suitably inscribed, be erected to his memory in some prominent part of the school. On the 4th November last the ceremony of unveiling the memorial tablet was performed by Professor A. Mica Smith in the presence of several members of the late Lieutenant A.G. Johnston's family, the President and Members of Council, the Staff and Students of the School, and a number of prominent citizens.

Physical description

Brass shield used to commemorate the death of former Ballarat School of Mines graduate Alfred G. Johnston who died during the Boer War.

Inscriptions & markings

In memory of Alfred G. Johnston Lieut. Fifth Regt V.M.R., and student of this school who fell at Rhenoster Kop, South Africa May 7th 1901 aged 29 years. An esteemed student and a gallant soldier.