John Hutton Bisdee (1869 - 1930) of ''Hutton Park', Melton Mowbray farmed his father's property until April 1900 when he enlisted for service in the South African War as a trooper in the 1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen's Contingent. He was involved in action which led to him being the first Tasmanian awarded the Victoria Cross. After being invalided home, he subsequently recovered and returned to the war in March 1901, this time with a commission as a lieutenant in the third division, No 1 Company, 2nd Tasmanian Imperial Bushmens' Contingent and served until the end of the war. The diaries and letterbook cover this period.

These records are part of the holdings of the Tasmanian Archives