The Queensland Defence Force; History & Units 1859-1911

• 1859 - 10th December The first Governor of Queensland, Sir George Bowen arrived to proclaim the creation of the Colony of Queensland. On arrival, he noted that "there is not a single soldier in Queensland".

• 1860 - 1st March- Government accepts services of No.1 Infantry Company and Queensland Mounted Rifles from Ipswich.

• 1863 - 24pdr Carrons arrive

• 1867 - 29th March- Government accepts services of No. 3 Infantry Company - The Spring Hill and Fortitude Valley Rifle Corps.

• 1877 - - Jervois & Scratchly Review Queensland Defence Force. 
  • 11th Aug - 500 Volunteers reviewed at Queen's Park by Major Snelling.

• 1885 - Average Strength - QDF (Land)-2599 total 
  • April. During the "war scare", 50 volunteers from the Moreton Regt are part of a composite unit sent to Ft. Lytton to "strengthen the Fort and protect the river entrance".

• 1891 - Average Strength - QDF (Land)-4575 total - 
  • 26th Mar - 1st Regiment called-out for SHEARER'S STRIKE Left Brisbane by train for Bundaberg; Train left at Yandina (line ended) - troops marched 14kms (Full Order) through torrential rain to Cooran (line resumed). Wire sent from Cooran to Gympie requesting Hot Meal and dry socks. At Gympie, jeered/ jostled by a crowd of 300 to 400 - order given to fix bayonets and to Advance at the Charge.

• 1893 - Average Strength - QDF (Land)-3,967 total

• 1898 - Aug - Queensland Defence Force (A Batt) issued with .303 Martini-Enfields 
  • Nov - Queensland Defence Force directed to "hand in" all Martini-Henry Arms

• 1899 - - First Volunteers from Queensland leave for South Africa

• 1901 - 22nd Jan - Death of Her Majesty Queen Victoria - 
  • Absorption of State Defence Forces into the Commonwealth Military Forces. - 
  • Special Parade for Inauguration of Commonwealth (Melbourne) 
  • 25th May - Duke of York reviews Queensland Defence Force at Ft. Lytton.

• 1902 - - Queensland Defence Force issued with .303 Lee-Enfields 

• 1903 - March - Queensland units absorbed into Commonwealth Defence Force.

• 1910 - - Lord Kitchener reviews Queensland Defence Force at Ft. Lytton.

• 1911- 22nd Jun - Last parade of "Redcoats" held at Exhibition Grounds (Coronation Day Parade). 
  • 1st Jul - New Organisation, Queensland now to have 12 Infantry Battalions.

 LAND BASED UNITS

• Infantry
  • The First Queensland (Moreton) Regiment
    The Second Queensland (Wide Bay and Burnett) Regiment
    The Third Queensland (Kennedy) Regiment
    The Fourth Queensland (Darling Downs) Regiment
    The Fifth Queensland (Port Curtis) Regiment

Volunteers Queensland Volunteer Rifles Queensland Irish Volunteer Corps Queensland Scottish Volunteer Corps Queensland Teacher' Volunteer Corps Cadet Corps

1887; Queensland Scottish Rifle Volunteers; upper left: volunteers wearing kilts, with pipe and drum band outside Government House, upper right: double line of volunteers, wearing kilts and pith helmets, mounted officer behind, lower: large group with pipe and drum band, most wearing kilts, all with pith helmets, mounted officer, two men at left of image wearing trousers

• Engineers
  • Brisbane Engineers
    Submarine Mining Section
    
• Artillery
  • A Battery, Permanent Force
    Brisbane Field Battery
    Moreton Field Battery
    Brisbane Garrison Battery
    Bowen Garrison Battery
    Cairns Garrison Battery
    Townsville Garrison Battery

Bowen Garrison Battery documents

Bowen Garrison taken in 1888  during a training program I think. George Turner is one of the officers in the front, probably the taller one, according to oral history on our family. Beryl Turner

• Mounted Infantry
  • Moreton Mounted Infantry
    Darling Downs Mounted Infantry
    Warrego Mounted Infantry
    Wide Bay Mounted Infantry
    Rockhampton Mounted Infantry
    Charters Towers Mounted Infantry
    
• Medical Services
  • Brisbane Ambulance Corps (detachment at Ipswich)
    Wide Bay Ambulance Corps (detachment at Maryborough)
    Kennedy Ambulance Corps (detachment at Charters Towers)
    

  MARINE BASED UNITS

• Ships

  • Gunboats
    • Spitfire (1859-1860)
      Gayundah (1884-1922)
      Paluma (1884-1916)
      
  • Auxiliary Gunboat
    • Bonito (1887-1963)
      Bream (1887-?)
      Stingaree (1887-?)
      Pumba (1887-?)
      Dolphin (1887-?)
      Otter
      
  • Torpedo Boat
    • Mosquito (1884-1910)
      Midge (1888-1914
      
  • Minelayer
    • Miner (1886-1902)
      
  • Survey Vessel
    • Pearl
      
• Companies
  • Brisbane Naval Brigade
    Townsville Naval Brigade
    Maryborough Naval Brigade
    Rockhampton Naval Brigade
    Cairns Naval Brigade
    

Digger History:  an unofficial history of the Australian & New Zealand Armed Forces