Topic: Militia - LHW - WA
Western Australian Militia
W.A. Infantry Brigade
The following is an extract from the book written in 1962 by George F. Wieck called The Volunteer Movement in Western Australia 1861-1903, pp. 62 - 63:
W.A. Infantry Brigade
The impact of the war in South Africa and the raising of Contingents for service therein gave a tremendous fillip to the Volunteer Movement in Western Australia. Two new Battalions of Infantry were raised and by regrouping and expanding some of the older corps other Battalions could be formed. General Orders issued on 8 October 1900 gave formal approval for the formation of the West Australian Infantry Brigade existing of five Battalions (to include all the existing Infantry corps), organised on the following lines:Headquarters,Perth.Commandant and Staff.1st Battalion,Perth.Officer Commanding Major J. C. Strickland.2nd Battalion,Fremantle.Officer Commanding Captain J. A. E. Humble.3rd Battalion,Guildford,
York,
Bunbury,
Geraldton.Officer Commanding Captain W. D. Cowan.4th Battalion, (Metropolitan Civil Service Battalion)Perth.Officer Commanding Major H. J. Hunt.5th Battalion, (Goldfields Battalion of Infantry)Kalgoorlie.Officer Commanding Major H. A. Judd.
After the inauguration of the Commonwealth in 1901 the Brigade continued to flourish until 1 July 1903 when it was liquidated by the issue of the new Federal Defence Scheme. Federal troops were divided into two bodies known as Field Force and Garrison Troops, each having a distinctive role. All the corps of the former Brigade (except York) became components, under changed designations, of either of these two bodies, as shown in 1st to 5th Battalions, W.A. Infantry Brigade.
Previous: Goldfields Battalion of Infantry
Next: 1st Battalion, W.A. Infantry Brigade
Further Reading:
Western Australian Militia, Light Horse
Western Australian Militia, Infantry
Citation: The Volunteer Movement in Western Australia, W.A. Infantry Brigade
Posted by Project Leader
at 12:01 AM EADT
Updated: Friday, 4 September 2009 7:58 PM EADT
