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[diggerdave]

This discussion topic will, from time to time, include media transcriptions and extracts from articles published in the Hunter Valley newspapers from the 1800’s to the present time.

Each of the posted articles will have relevance to the Hunter Valley’s military history.

The first of these ‘snippets’ comes from page 47 of the Newcastle weekly newspaper, ’The Star,’ dated 10 November 2004:

“Historic march

C Company, 2nd/17th Battalion the Royal New South Wales Regiment (City of Newcastle Company) will parade at Newcastle’s original military barracks in Watt Street on Friday to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the formation of the second Australian Infantry (AIF) Battalion in 1914.”


It is very interesting that, and I quote, “the 90th anniversary of the formation of the second Australian Infantry (AIF) Battalion in 1914” is being commemorated in Newcastle on Friday 12 November 2004.

Interesting for the following reasons:

1. ‘Nulli Secundus,’ the official history of the 2nd Infantry Battalion AIF, clearly states that the 2nd Battalion was formed by Lieut-Colonel G.F. Braund on 13 August 1914 at the Randwick racecourse in Sydney.

2. ‘Nulli Secundus’ also states that the 2nd Battalion was moved to the Kensington Racecourse on 31 August 1914 and that the battalion embarked at Sydney on the transport ship A23 ‘Suffolk’ on 18 October 1914, and sailing with the First Division convoy from Albany, Western Australia on 1 November 1914.

3. Only 147 of the original 2nd Battalion men enlisted from the Hunter Valley.

4. What relevance does the Watt Street site have with the 2nd Battalion AIF, when  Fort Scratchley was the fort in operation at the time of World War One, and that the battalion was ‘formed’ at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

And why have a parade on 12 November 2004 to commemorate the 90th anniversary, when ninety years ago on 12 November 1914, the 2nd Infantry Battalion was sailing across the Indian Ocean.

Would it not have been more sensible, and appropriate, if the 90th anniversary of the 2nd Battalion’s formation actually took place at Randwick Racecourse on 13 August 2004, not three months later and 100 kms to the north?

What do you think?

[diggerdave]

In the 'Newcastle Herald' of Saturday, 25 Septmember, 2004 was an interesting article about the inaugural 'Murrurundi Light Horse Games' which was held in Murrurundi on Sunday, 26 September, 2004.

At the top of the article was a photograph of a light horse re-enactor in uniform, and in full gallop, holding the Australian flag in the right hand with the flag sitting in a lance bucket attached to the stirrup. The caption reads: "BATTLE HARDENED: Sam Dhnaram and Dr Peppers flying the flag for the Light Horse games in Murrurundi tomorrow.

The article reads as follows:

"Sam and Dr Peppers lead Light Horse games charge"

By Francis Thompson
Upper Hunter Reporter

Dr Peppers is a high-spirited horse, says his owner Sam Dhnaram.
But the two are an irresistable combination when it comes to leading a parade.
Prizes in competition have so far eluded the pair, but that may change when they take part in the inaugural Murrurundi Light Horse games to be held in the Upper Hunter town tomorrow.
Mr Dhnaram and Dr Peppers, an Australian stock horse, have become popular in Newcastle in recent years for Anzac Day services, Reserve Forces Day parades and other occasions of remembrance.
It seems Australians love looking at re-enactments of the mounted soldiers of yesteryear.
"I've escorted the Prime Minister John Howard and the Governor of NSW in Muswellbrook," Mr Dhnaram said.
"I really enjoy the good fellowship of the Light Horse," he said.
Riders and their mounts are coming from Narromine in western NSW, Armidale, Warialda and Queensland to compete for the Light Horse Challenge Cup.
Competitors will take part in skill at arms, a Beersheba charge, dummy thrusts, tent-pegging and a relay.
Organiser Craig Tanner, of Murrurundi, said the skill at arms event involved cutting off the heads of dummies and stabbing them with swords.
They lose points if the horse baulks, which has been Dr Peppers' problem in the past.
The riders will be in full battle kit of military bridle, bandoliers and plumed hats.
Mr Tanner said several of the old Murrurundi families were in the 12th Light Horse regiment, which was a New England troop.
The 12th saw battle in South Africa from 1899 to 1900, in Egypt from 1915 to 1917 and, with the 4th regiment, it went down in history for its action in the charge of Beersheba, a wide, outflanking move against the Turks in October 1917.
The charge will be re-enacted on the anniversary of the event in Murrurundi on October 30.
There will also be a parade, which will include a World War I Krupp 507, 77 millimetre gun.
The gun was a war trophy, captured in 1918 and placed in a Murrurundi park.
At public events, Mr Dhnaram said he was often approached by direct descendents of the Light Horse fighters."
_______________________________________


A few points need to be cleared up here in regards to the claim that "several of the old Murrurundi families were in the 12th Light Horse regiment."

If Mr Tanner, or anybody else, would care to study the Embarkation Rolls of the 12th Australian Light Horse Regiment, it will be found that the Hunter Valley enlistees in this regiment came from the following towns and villages (numbers from each in brackets). The only 'old Murrurundi' family who could claim having family members in the 12th would be the Haydon family of 'Bloomfield' at Blandford and the Smees having two sons, #1361, John Frederick Smee, a 21 year old married labourer, who enlisted in the 7th Reinforcements on 8 August 1915 and his brother, #1717 William Joseph Smee, transferred to the 12th from the Camel Corps General Reinforcements:

Adamstown - 3
Barrington - 1
Blandford - 2 (Guy and Bernard Haydon, "Bloomfield")
Bolwarra - 1
Boolaroo - 1
Broadmeadow - 1
Bulga - 1
Carrington - 1
Cobark - 1
Cooranbong - 1
Davis Creek - 1
East Maitland - 6
Ellalong - 2
Gloucester - 1
Greta - 2
Gundy - 1
Hinton - 1
Islington - 1
Kars Spring - 1
Kurri Kurri - 2
Lambton - 2
Lower Belford - 1
Luskintyre - 1
Martindale - 1
Mayfield - 1
Medowie - 1
Merewether - 3
Merriwa - 1
Morpeth - 1
Murrurundi - 1 (#1361, John Frederick Smee and #1717 William Joseph Smee)
Muscle Creek - 1
Muswellbrook - 4
Neath - 1
Nelson Bay - 1
Nelson Plains - 2
Newcastle - 5
Pelaw Main - 1
Rhondda - 1
Scone - 5
Singleton - 3
Singleton - 1
Speers Point - 1
Stanhope - 1
Stewarts Brook - 1
Stroud - 1
Tea Gardens - 1
Underbank - 2
Upper Barrington - 1
Upper Rouchel - 1
Wards River - 1
Warkworth - 1
West Maitland - 3
Wickham - 1
Wingen - 1

There was a similar claim in the Scone Horse Week promotional brochure a few years ago saying that the 12th Light Horse Regiment was made up of men mainly from the Hunter Valley. Now we are being told that the 12th was a 'New England troop.' Where do these people obtain their information?

The AWM web site gives the following details about the 12th 's formation:

"The 12th Light Horse Regiment was raised, as part of the 4th Light Horse Brigade, at Liverpool, New South Wales, on 1 March 1915. It sailed from Australia in two contingents in June 1915. The first contingent put in at Aden on 12 July to reinforce the British garrison there against a predicted enemy attack; they only left their ship for a single route march, and sailed again on 18 July without having seen action."

Readers may also recall the 'inaccuracies' about Arch 'Bung' McInnes which were contained in the 'King of the Ranges Stockman Challenge' promotional material some time ago.  

Where does this 'misinformation' come from?

The book, 'War Trophies From the First World War 1914-1918' by Major R S Billett, lists two captured German field guns as being allotted to Murrurundi. The first is a 75mm gun, number 57, captured by the 25(sic) ALH, and the other is a 77mm gun, number 570, captured by the 33rd Infantry Battalion on 31 August, 1918.

Now, the 33rd Battalion, as we all know, was a New England raised battalion, so I really cannot for the like of me see the relevance of including the "World War 1 Krupp 507, 77 millimetre gun" in the parade to commemorate the anniversary of the Beersheba charge.

And, why is the anniversary of the charge at Beersheba being commemorated on 30th October when the actual recorded date, again as we all know, is 31st October 1917?

 

[diggerdave]

From ‘The (Newcastle) Herald’ newspaper’s ‘Your Letters’ page, Saturday 4 December 2004 the following letter extract, titled ‘Australia’s Day, Dec 3’:

“The 150th anniversary of the Eureka rebellion on December 3 raises again the question of whether it better represents our nation than Anzac Day (April 25), Proclamationj Day (January 1) or Australia Day (January 26).

Gallipoli has been represented as the birth of the nnation because of the heroism, endurance and mateship displayed in the war against Turkey. They were not fighting aggression against Australia; Australian soldiers were there because England called and we responded – losing thousands of Australian lives in what was really a British military stuff-up.

There has been a history of Australia feeding soldiers to “the front” when a major power called; witness Vietnam and Iraq.

Should we celebrate subservience to foreign powers? Eureka, on the other hand, arose out of abhorrence for injustice, corruption and oppression. ……….

Surely we should celebrate this demonstration of independence. Who is for Australia Day on December 3?”

                                  …………………………………………………………

The author of this letter says that, and I quote, “They were not fighting aggression against Australia; Australian soldiers were there because England called and we responded ……….”

I have read newspaper journalism published on 8 August 1914, under the heading “The War - Australian Contingent - Offer Accepted”, which states that Australia actually offered a division of 20,000 men and this offer was accepted by Britain, not that Australia was asked by Britain to provide troops to fight Germany and her allies.

Let us not lose sight that Germany already had colonies in the Pacific (German New Guinea and Samoa) right on Australia and New Zealand’s doorstep. Had Germany won the First World War, Australia and New Zealand would have been the jewels in the German crown.
 

[diggerdave]

From 'The Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners Advocate,' 1st January 1913:

"It was thought that the firing of the 1 o'clock gun at Fort Scratchley caused a grass fire that put the surrounding houses in considerable danger. Fire fighters rushed to the scene to put the fire out."


 

[diggerdave]

From ‘The Newcastle Star’ weekly newspaper, 26th January 2005, under heading
“Defence Recruits”:

Eighteen Hunter people have joined the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA).

The induction and appointment ceremony was held at the Capri Plaza recently with the new recruits appointed officer cadets in the army and the Royal Australian Air Force.

The new recruits came from Charlestown, Eleebana, Lambton Heights, Wallsend and Weston.”
 

[diggerdave]

PM to attend Gallipoli dawn service

8:11 PM February 16 2005

The Federal Government has revealed some of its plans to mark the 90th anniversary of Gallipoli and the 60th anniversary of the end of the World War II battle against Japan.

To avoid previous problems with inappropriate behaviour from young people partying at Gallipoli, a 45-minute sound and light show will be held on the night before Anzac Day.

Organisers expect a crowd of up to 18,000 at the dawn service.

Prime Minister John Howard will attend as part of an official party of 350.

Officers from the Veterans Affairs Department have told a Senate estimates hearing that programs are waiting for ministerial approval for the commemoration of VE Day in Paris in May and VP Day in Hawaii in September.

The plans include veterans nominated by ex-service organisations travelling to the two events as Australian representatives.

Source: ABC