AustLit

Australian Colonial Narrative Journalism:

William John Lambie covered the Boer War as correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age, along with AB Banjo Paterson.  Described by Mark Dapin as, ‘talented but luckless’, Lambie travelled with fellow war reporters (Joe) JD Melvin and Alfred ‘Smiler’ Hales (2011: 46).  His report of the war in Sudan from Suakin (1885) is notable for its use of the first person and immersive style.

While Paterson, Hales and Melvin survived their war duties, Lambie was killed. He and Hales were separated from their Australian patrol and surprised by Boer fighters. When they attempted to escape on horseback Lambie was fatally shot, becoming the first recorded Australian war journalist to die in action.

Selected Article:

• “New South Wales Troops in the Soudan”, Sydney Morning Herald, 6 June 1885

Bibliography:

• Dapin Mark (ed) (2011) The Penguin Book of Australian War Writing, Penguin/Viking, Melbourne