Western Australian Militia

Perth Volunteer Rifles

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. 26 – 29:

Perth Volunteer Rifles

A meeting of citizens held on 13/9/1861 decided to seek authority to raise a corps of Infantry volunteers of a nominal strength of 100 all ranks, to be designated the "Perth Volunteer Rifles". Authority was given, enrolment commenced, muskets were borrowed from the Colonial Store, and training and organization took shape under the personal supervision of Lt-Col. Bruce. By-laws were approved on 5/10/1861, revised in June 1862, and finally, under the direction of the Military Commandant, amalgamated with those of other corps in one general code.

There was no difficulty in raising and maintaining the designed strength of 100. Civil servants and ex-members of the British Army enrolled freely.

The Gazette of 6/8/1862 which created the corps also carried the appointment of Mr F. S. Leake as Captain Commanding and a few days later Mr M. Dyett was appointed Lieutenant and Mr J. B. Roe Ensign. On the day of gazettal the roll bore the names of three officers, 95 other ranks, 13 bandsmen, 12 honorary members, and 20 cadets. 100 new Enfield muzzle-loading percussion rifles recently sent from England were issued on 1/6/1862, and by means not recorded the corps became possessed of a Regimental Colour. A sketch drawn in 1863 depicts the members wearing long tunics, white trousers, and shakoes-a similar uniform to that worn at the time by Infantry of the British Army.

As early as March 1862 it was found that Government assistance was necessary in connection with administration and cost of providing uniform, as well as an allowance for a drill instructor. Government agreed to assist to the extent of ten shillings per annum for each efficient Volunteer. Good progress was made. Drills were frequent and the corps paraded in conjunction with the Fremantle corps on such occasions as the Presentation of Colours at Fremantle in 1862, the Presentation of Officers Commissions at Government House in 1863, and a Birthday Review in May 1864. At Mount Eliza in 1864 the corps participated in the first annual rifle meeting held in the Colony (incidentally the prizes were donated by private citizens).

Then trouble arose in 1872. On top of the chronic shortage of public funds a form of financial depression prevailed. Among the drastic economies proposed by the Executive Council was the withholding of the annual grant then due to the Volunteer corps. The original grant of ten shillings had been increased to fifteen shillings and the prospect of losing this was most unpalatable to the Volunteers. Captain Leake vainly protested against the Executive Council's proposal and as a result resigned his commission on 9/2/1872. Lieut. Roe declined promotion to the vacant position whereupon the Governor appointed Capt. B. H. Burke, Staff Officer for Enrolled Pensioners, to Command. The corps elected committee then took over conduct of the battle, the Secretary calling a mass meeting of members for the night of 21/2/1872. An invitation was sent to Capt. Burke to attend and occupy a seat on the platform - he attended but refused the platform seat. During the course of the meeting several speakers violently berated the Executive Council, the most violent being a member of the Civil Service. The whole proceedings were extremely subversive and an immediate report thereon was made to the Military Commandant, who early next morning conferred with the Governor. On the same day, i.e., 22nd February, 1872, the Government Gazette carried an Extraordinary Proclamation disbanding the corps for "Insubordination."

The result was not due to any lack of loyalty to the Crown. It was due to the ultra-democratic nature of the Rules and By-laws which permitted soldiers with a grievance to meet and openly criticize their superior officers, the presumed authors of their discomfiture. The self-same Bylaws etc. soon were made inoperative.

The Fremantle corps having been disbanded at an earlier date, the Volunteer Force now consisted solely of two small mounted corps with a total strength of well under 100 all ranks.

Officers of Perth Volunteer Rifles

Captain S Leake - 6 August 1862

Captain M Dyett - 15 August 1862

Lieutenant JB Roe - 15 August 1862

Ensign WH Knight - 7 June 1864

Previous:  The Plan in Operation

Next: Fremantle Volunteer Rifles

Further Reading:

Western Australian Militia, Light Horse

Western Australian Militia, Infantry

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 14 August 2009 12:07 PM EADT

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Western Australian Militia

Pinjarrah Mounted Volunteers, Nominal Roll

41 Trooper James ARCHDEACON

 

13 Trooper Bernard BEDINGFELD

 

42 Trooper John CHAMBERS

25 Trooper Henry CLARKSON

43 Trooper Waller CLIFTON

20 Trooper James COOPER

19 Trooper Joseph COOPER, and appointed Farrier

14 Trooper Thomas COOPER

12 Trooper Andrew CORNISH, and appointed Trumpeter

33 Trooper Hamlet CORNISH

11 Trooper William CORNISH

 

45 Trooper Joseph EACOTT

44 Trooper William EACOTT

 

40 Trooper Tom FARMER, and appointed Troop Sergeant Major

1 Captain Theodore FAWCETT, and appointed Captain

 

Trooper William HAINES

16 Trooper Henry HALL, and appointed Sergeant

34 Trooper John HAMMOND

27 Trooper William HUMUS

28 Trooper John HYDE

 

35 Trooper Tommy JENKINS

24 Trooper Joseph JOHNSTONE

 

47 Trooper P. KEEN

 

48 Trooper B. LANE

18 Trooper Joseph LOGUE

7 Trooper Thomson LOGUE, and appointed Sergeant

26 Trooper William LOGUE

 

9 Trooper Edward McLARTY

31 Trooper Hector McLARTY

8 Trooper John McLARTY, and appointed Corporal

4 Trooper David MURRAY

36 Trooper George MURRAY

3 Trooper John G. MURRAY, and appointed Lieut.

 

2 Sergeant Tom OAKLEY

 

23 Trooper Charles PATERSON

22 Trooper George PATERSON

21 Trooper William PATERSON

37 Trooper John POLLARD

10 Trooper Michael POLLARD

15 Trooper Stewart PRICE

38 Trooper Joseph PUMPHREY

 

30 Trooper Alfred ROBINSON

 

46 Trooper William SPRATT

50 Trooper George STINTON

17 Trooper Henry SUTTON

39 Trooper James SWEENEY, who was not elected

Trooper Alexander SWEENY, who subsequently resigned)

 

5 Trooper Frederick THOMAS, and appointed Corporal

49 Trooper George THOMAS

6 Trooper Joseph THOMAS

32 Trooper Alexander THOMSON

 

29 Trooper William WALDECK, who subsequently left the district

Previous: Pinjarrah Mounted Volunteers

Next: Union Troop of W.A. Mounted Volunteers 

Further Reading:

Western Australian Militia, Light Horse

Western Australian Militia, Infantry

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 14 August 2009 12:12 PM EADT

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Australian Light Horse

Roles within the Regiment

Marching Reliefs

The following entries dealing with the roles and duties within the hierarchy of a light horse regiment are extracted from a very informative handbook called The Bushman’s Military Guide, 1898. While written in 1898, the information contained in the entries held true for the next twenty years with only minor modifications with the principles remaining as current then as now.

Marching Reliefs

 

(1.) A relief will march with supported arms. If it consists of less than four men it will march in line; if of four men or more, in files, etc., according to its strength; but in streets or narrow places reliefs should always be marched in single file or files. When marching in line, the corporal (who will march with shouldered arms) will be on the right; when in fours, sections, etc., on the inner flank of the leading men.

(2.) When the first relief of anew guard is sent out, a corporal of the old guard will accompany it, to bring in the relieved sentries. If the relief moves in line, he will be on the left flank; if in fours, files, etc., on the outer flank of the leading men. When all the sentries are relieved, the corporals will change places, and the corporal of the old guard will take command.

 

Previous: Relieving and Posting a Guard 

Next: Relieving and Posting a Sentry 

Further Reading:

Australian Light Horse

Militia 1899 - 1920

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Wednesday, 2 September 2009 11:24 AM EADT

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Australian Light Horse

Roles within the Regiment

Relieving and Posting

The following entries dealing with the roles and duties within the hierarchy of a light horse regiment are extracted from a very informative handbook called The Bushman’s Military Guide, 1898. While written in 1898, the information contained in the entries held true for the next twenty years with only minor modifications with the principles remaining as current then as now.

Relieving and Posting

 

(1.) On the approach of the relief, a sentry will place himself with shouldered arms in front of his sentry-box. The corporal of the relief will proceed as follows:

 

"Shoulder-Arms."

At about 10 paces from the sentry.

 

"Relief, Halt."

At about 6 paces from the sentry.

 

"Sentries, Port - Arms."

The old sentry, and the man who is to relieve him, will port arms, the latter moving out from the relief and placing himself at 1 pace from the former, facing him; the old sentry will then give over his orders, the corporal referring to the board of orders to see if they are correctly given.

 

"Pass."

The old sentry will take 1 pace to his left, and then move to his place in the relief, turning to the rear, and the new sentry will take 1 pace to his front.

 

"Shoulder-Arms."

"Front."

The sentries will then be ordered to shoulder arms and front.

 

"Relief Quick - March."

"Support - Arms."

The relief will be marched on, and, when it has proceeded about 10 pares, will be ordered to support arms.

(2.) The proper front of a sentry's post, and the extent of his walk, should be pointed out to him when he is posted.

When a sentry is to be posted on a new post, the procedure will be as above described, except that on the command, "Sentry, Port - Arms", the sentry will port arms, move to the post assigned to him, and be ordered to front. The corporal will read the orders to him, and then direct him to shoulder.

(3.) Sentries walking to and fro on their posts must do so in a brisk and soldier-like manner; they must on no account quit their arms, lounge, or converse with anyone; nor must they stand in their sentry boxes in good, or even in moderate weather. Sentries are to walk about with supported arms, but they are permitted to order arms and stand at ease from time to time.

 

Previous: Marching Reliefs 

Next: Sentries Paying Compliments 

Further Reading:

Australian Light Horse

Militia 1899 - 1920

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Wednesday, 2 September 2009 11:21 AM EADT

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Bir el Abd

Sinai, 9 August 1916

AMR Unit History Account

13/112 Sergeant Charles Gordon Nicol, a member of the Auckland Mounted Rifles, a unit which was part of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, wrote an account of this unit called The Story of Two Campains”  Official war history of the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment, 1914 - 1919 in the Battlefields  of Gallipoli, Sinai and Palestine during WWI, in which included a section specifically related to the battle of Beersheba and is extracted below. A copy of this book is available on the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Association website.

Nicol, CG, The story of two campaigns : official war history of the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment, 1914-1919, (Auckland 1921).

There was little rest for the brigade on the night of August 8. Bir El Abd was to be attacked at 6 the following morning, and the lines were awake and busy at 2 a.m., when horses were fed. The brigade moved out at 4.30, and at 5.15 the advance screen supplied by the A.M.R. was in touch with the enemy. (Flow simple it is to say that a screen was in touch with the enemy! How easy to say it, but what of the bullets that whip the morning air and the anxious peering eyes that must miss nothing, and the furrowed brow of the lieutenant who must be certain that the messages he sends back by flag are perfectly true. Yes! it is much easier to say that the screen gained touch). Leaving the horses under the cover of sand dunes the troopers, in open formation, moved forward to the attack, from a point about one and a-half miles west of and overlooking Bir El Abd. Splendid covering fire was provided by the Somerset Battery. The front line of the A.M.R. comprised the 3rd squadron on the left, and two troops of the 11th squadron and one section of machine-guns on the right.

On the Regiment’s left were the C.M.R., with Australians beyond them, and on the right was expected to come the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. The 3rd brigade again failed to get up, and again the Regiment had its right flank “in the air.’ On the left of the hummocky country to be traversed was a ridge running forward from Bir El Abd, and on it were the Turks who, if unmolested, would have made it particularly hot for the attackers, but the moment the advance was started Lieutenant Hinman’s machine-guns sent a deadly sheet of metal along the crest and cleared it. The absence of the brigade on the right soon began to have serious consequences. At 6.45 it was reported that enemy reinforcements were coming over the long ridge south-east of Bir El Abd, and the Regiment had to extent its front to a considerable extent.

Major McCarroll went across to command this section, taking with him two troops of the 4th squadron. Advancing by troops the regiments made steady progress. At 9 a.m. the right flank was reinforced by one squadron of the 5th Light Horse. About 11.20 the C.M.R. and the left flank of the A.M.R.. had to retire a distance owing to enfilade fire and, with the continued pressure against the unprotected right, the situation began to look ugly. Half-an-hour later the Turks counterattacked with two battalions, each numbering 500 or 600 men. Aided by the Somerset Battery, the Regiment was able to hold its ground until the arrival of small reinforcements and a W.M.R. machine-gun section. The enemy then opened up a heavy artillery fire, which continued until 3.30, when he launched a second counter-attack, before which the C.M.R. had to retire.

During the afternoon the Turks sent in three fresh battalions against the left, and although the fighting did not develop into a hand-to-hand affair, it was warm enough for anyone. By 3.15 the A.M.R. reported that it was holding the enemy well, but at 4.15 a retirement was ordered. This presented a problem of difficulty, especially in view of the signs of another counter-attack. It had been observed, however, that the machine-guns used by the enemy were of German make. It was thus known that their field of fire was limited. Accordingly, it was decided to move back slowly to a point where the horses could be brought up, and then rush off the two flanks at a wide angle, which would prevent the machine-guns getting round on them. This was done, leaving only a small body in the centre. When the time came for this section to move, the enemy machine-guns were apparently fixed on the flank routes taken by the others. Instead of going by the flanks the men mounted their horses and galloped straight over the ridge immediately in rear. So successful was the movement that only one casualty occurred among the last section as it got away. Mention should be made of the splendid work of the machine-guns under Lieutenants Hinman and McCarroll in covering the respective withdrawals of the right and left sections. Some delay occurred in starting the final withdrawal on account of the shortage of sand carts for the wounded, but all the wounded were successfully evacuated before it began. The Regiment’s casualties for the day numbered 11 killed and 19 wounded. The A.M.R. lost two particularly fine officers in Captain O. Johnson, who was killed, and Lieutenant A. M. Martin, who died of wounds. Lieutenant Martin had done splendid work in finding and developing water.

This was the last fighting the Regiment engaged in at this period. The Turk, menaced on the southern flank by the Camel Corps, and on the rear by the mounted troops, who had so thoroughly proved themselves, hurried his departure, and within a couple of days patrols had penetrated beyond Salmana without meeting the enemy. For some days the Regiment was bivouacked at Bir El Abd doing patrol duty and helping to bury the dead and the bodies of animals. Plenty of evidence was found of the havoc the guns had caused among the enemy transport camels. Romani was a most decisive victory. Nearly 4,000 prisoners were captured and the Turkish casualties were estimated at no less than 7,000.

Thus, over half the force that had come across the desert was accounted for. The Regiment had its full share of fighting.

During the week the men had little sleep, little water, and only “hard tack” and bully beef for food. The heat had added to their trials, which did not end with the battle, however, for patrol duty beyond Salmana was the usual routine. “It’s a hell of a life,” wrote one man during these days. “We need a spell, and so do the mokes. At Bir we found lots of beer bottles.

Empty, of course. If ever I get out of this don’t talk desert to me. The only shelter from the sun is what we can rig up with our blanket. All manner of insects attack us at night, and at dawn they are relieved by an army corps of vicious flies.

Anyhow we got an onion issue today, and they say the railway is coming on fast. I suppose we are dinkum crusaders, but we don’t look it or feel it. In the next war I’m going to be a rum buyer in Jamaica.” A few days after the last of the fighting, Brigadier-General Chaytor had to go to hospital owing to his Gallipoli wound giving him trouble, and in his absence Lieutenant-Colonel Mackesy took command of the brigade and Major McCarroll of the Regiment.

A week later the brigade moved to Hod Amara, beyond Abd, where it took over the out post line, and made a reconnaissance over the rough ground north of Salmana and the island of El Gaiss, which is separated by a very shallow strip of water which dries up in summer. No traces of recent occupation by the enemy were found. It was a long, rough ride, but most interesting. En route a number of dry salt “lakes” were crossed, the horses’ hoofs not making a mark on the hard crystal bottom. There was good fresh water in the vicinity of El Gaiss, sometimes in proximity to very salt wells.

Patches of water melons and fig trees were found, and the fruit tasted like food of the gods after the fare of the recent hard days, but many suffered terrible pains afterwards. Lieutenants Finlayson and Coates acted as guides to the brigade on this expedition.

A couple of days later an enemy airman dropped three bombs on the Amara Camp, but did no harm. It was at this time that the 3rd squadron commander, Major Schofield, who had been seriously wounded on Gallipoli, broke down in health, and went away for good. He was succeeded by Major Bennett.

The brigade remained at Amara until September 11, the only diversions being provided by enemy ‘planes, which usually appeared overhead at breakfast time, but usually passed on. A shift was then made back to the old camping ground at Bit Etmaler, where a well-earned rest a was enjoyed. Reinforcements were received, and the old hands were sent away on leave to a splendid camp, established for the convenience of leave men, at Sidi Bishr, on the coast at Alexandria. A pleasant month was so spent.

Meantime, the railway was pushed on with remarkable speed, and all that troubled the workers and their protectors was air raids, which, however, rarely did any damage.

On October 22 the New Zealand Mounted Brigade was shifted up to Bir El Abd with camel transport, which was suggestive of further adventures.

Further Reading:

Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment

Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment, Roll of Honour

New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade

Battle of Romani, Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916 

Bir el Abd, Sinai, 9 August 1916

Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Saturday, 19 September 2009 5:14 PM EADT

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