"At a mile distant their thousand hooves were stuttering thunder, coming at a rate that frightened a man - they were an awe inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze - knee to knee and horse to horse - the dying sun glinting on bayonet points..." Trooper Ion Idriess
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The Volunteer Movement in Western Australia, West Australian Mounted Infantry Topic: Militia - LHW - WA
Western Australian Militia
West Australian Mounted Infantry
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. 57 - 60:
West Australian Mounted Infantry
It was the custom for the Infantry corps to form within themselves small bodies of mounted infantry for the purpose of performing certain cavalry duties and records indicate that at least four such bodies were formed i.e. at Perth, Guildford, Geraldton and Bunbury.
There are references to a body of men called the Southern Troop of Volunteer Light Horse: no authority was ever given to form such a corps so it must be presumed that the references are to the mounted infantry of the Bunbury Rifle Volunteers.
A half-company of mounted infantry was officially formed in January 1900 as part of the Bunbury Rifle Volunteers, with Lieutenant N. J. Moore in Command. Detachments were raised at Harvey (9 February 1900), Donnybrook (12 February 1900), and Brunswick Junction (21 February 1900). Total strength was 90 all ranks. On 1 March 1900, Lieutenant Moore was promoted to the rank of Captain. Then a Division was formed at Pinjarrah (1 March 1900) with a detachment at Coolup, and a Division at Busselton (18 October 1900) with a detachment at Capel.
It is clear that the foregoing moves were preliminary to the formation of a mounted Regiment, for on 7 June 1900 these bodies were incorporated as a Company of the West Australian Mounted Infantry Regiment. Orders were then issued to raise two Divisions each of 30 all ranks, at Geraldton, Cannington, Northam, Newcastle, and Karridale. On 11 August 1900 authority was given to raise a Division at Fremantle. There were to be four Companies, each of four Divisions, with Regimental Headquarters at Perth. The Establishment of each Company was fixed at 114 all ranks. Company distribution was as follows:
The organization was not completed until 1901. By that time "A" Company had 161 names on its Roll and good progress had been made by the others.
On 1 January 1903 the designation of the corps was changed to "18th Light Horse Regiment (W.A.M.I.) " and the Establishment was altered to 294 all ranks. There were other changes, such as Squadrons instead of Companies and Troops instead of Divisions. The Regiment was re-distributed as follows:
The Volunteer Movement in Western Australia, Pinjarrah Mounted Infantry Topic: Militia - LHW - WA
Western Australian Militia
Pinjarrah Mounted Infantry
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. 60 - 61:
Pinjarrah Mounted Infantry
Sixteen years had passed since the disbandment of the Pinjarrah Mounted Volunteers when Mr A. Purslove submitted a proposal to form a mounted corps at Pinjarrah. The Gazette of 1 March 1900 gave authority to raise the "Pinjarrah Mounted Infantry" at Pinjarrah, with a detachment at Coolup. The Establishment was fixed at three Officers and 60 Other Ranks (precisely the error made in connection with the earlier corps raised there), but before long the total was reduced to 30. Three Officers were appointed on 22 May 1900.
The new corps had an independent existence until 7 June 1900 when it became a Division of "A" Company of the newly created W.A. Mounted Infantry Regiment-later the 18th Light Horse Regiment (W.A.M.I.)
The corps was armed with the Martini-Metford 0.303 rifle.
The Volunteer Movement in Western Australia, Goldfields Battalion of Infantry Topic: Militia - LHW - WA
Western Australian Militia
Goldfields Battalion of Infantry
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. 61 - 62:
Goldfields Battalion of Infantry
The men who flocked to the W.A. Goldfields in the "nineties" were endowed with an adventurous spirit so the wave of military fervour brought about by the war in South Africa naturally had an effect. A proposal to form Volunteer Infantry corps in the area was approved and the Gazette of 7 June 1900 gave authority to form the "Goldfields Battalion of Infantry", with Headquarters at Kalgoorlie and Companies at Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie, Boulder, Kanowna, and Menzies-and a little later at Broad Arrow.
Progress was so rapid that by the middle of September of that year the numbers of men passed in each centre as trained soldiers were Coolgardie 14, Kalgoorlie 60, Boulder 65, Kanowna 42, and Broad Arrow 25, a total of 254.
When the W.A. Infantry Brigade was formed on 3 September 1900, the Goldfields corps became the 5th Battalion of the Brigade, under the Command of Captain H. A. Judd. See: 5th Battalion, W.A. Infantry Brigade.
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