Misplaced Pages

#16983

40-698: The Australian Commonwealth Horse (ACH) was a mounted infantry unit of the Australian Army formed for service during the Second Boer War in South Africa in 1902 and was the first expeditionary military unit established by the newly formed Commonwealth of Australia following Federation in 1901. Over 4,400 men enlisted in the ACH in three contingents, with troops and squadrons raised in each state and combined to form battalions . Eight battalions were raised, with

80-438: A high tempo, with Hutton keen to instil professionalism and a high level of discipline in the new force. The first contingent of 1,300 men sailed between 12 and 26 February 1902, with the second of 1,100 departing between 26 March – 8 April and the third contingent of 2,000 men leaving between 16 May – 2 June. Included among them were Brudenell White and Julius Bruche , both of whom would later rise to become Chief of

120-545: A new life after discharge, the bulk of the contingents began to return to Australia by ship between July and August 1902. Misfortune followed them however, and when the SS Drayton Grange arrived in Melbourne on 7 August with 2,043 troops aboard, five men were already dead from measles and influenza , while another 12 died within weeks. Neglect and unsanitary living conditions aboard the vessel were found to be to blame for

160-602: A number of armoured or ceremonial mounted regiments . With the invention of accurate and quick firing repeating pistols and rifles in the mid-19th century, cavalry started to become increasingly vulnerable. Many armies started to use troops which could either fight on horseback or on foot as circumstances dictated. Fighting on horseback with swords and lances would allow rapid movement without cover from enemy fire , whilst fighting on foot with pistols and rifles allowed them to make use of cover and to form defensive lines. The first mounted infantry units were raised during

200-636: A single battalion. Consequently, their employment reflected this lack of mass, with the tactics seeking to harness greater mobility and fire to overcome opposition, rather than echeloned mass attacks. Mounted infantry began to disappear with the shift from horses to motor vehicles in the 1920s and 1930s. Germany deployed a few horse-mounted infantry units on the Russian Front during the Second World War, and cyclist units on both fronts as well, and both Germany and Britain (which had used cyclist battalions in

240-525: A worsening drought, high unemployment and a heat wave which was gripping Australia at the time. Men from the colonial contingents already in South Africa were also encouraged to join. Competition for commissions and battalion commands was also fierce and the decision was made to appoint all officers in Australia in order to avoid some of the previous problems of 'importing officers' to positions of command. Hutton

280-497: Is one of the top wrestling clubs in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Sentraal Rugby Club is one of the top sides in Northern-Natal. Titans Rugby club is a youth rugby team that builds future rugby players (Grassroots). Rhino Women's Rugby Club has constantly produced Sharks Craven week players and have represented Umzinyathi District in the annual Salga games Dundee was a borough in its own right from 1902 to 1996. In October 1951,

320-671: The Australian Light Horse and the Canadian Mounted Rifles ) were MI (mounted infantry), as well as locally raised irregulars like the Imperial Light Horse and South African Light Horse . As artillery was of limited use against scattered Boer guerrilla bands later in the war, the mounted personnel of Royal Artillery units were formed into Royal Artillery Mounted Rifles . As part of the lessons learned from that war, British regular cavalry regiments were armed with

360-693: The Ceylon Mounted Rifles , Cape Mounted Rifles , Natal Carbineers , and Marshall's Horse fought as mounted infantry. In the Second Boer War , the British copied the Boers and raised large forces of their own mounted infantry. Among various ad hoc formations, the Imperial Yeomanry was raised from volunteers in Britain between 1900 and 1901. Many of the contingents from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand (e.g.

400-617: The Mexican–American War (as the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen , but redesignated Third Cavalry Regiment in 1861), and others followed, for example in Australia in the 1880s. Terms such as "mounted rifles" or "Light Horse" were often used. The French Foreign Legion used mule -mounted companies from the 1880s. Each mule was shared by two legionnaires, who took turns in riding it. This arrangement allowed faster and more prolonged marches that could cover 60 mi (97 km) in one day. In

440-715: The Philippine Scouts assisted in the defense of the Philippines at the onset of World War II. The 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army also maintained a mounted reconnaissance troop throughout World War Two, which saw service in Italy and Austria during the war. Countries with entrenched military traditions, such as Switzerland, retained horse-mounted troops well into the Cold War , while Sweden kept much of its infantry on bicycles during

SECTION 10

#1732876764017

480-629: The San people that lived here 4 000 – 5 000 years ago. Evidence of this is to be found in lifestyle and rock paintings in several caves and shelters. Dundee has a subtropical highland climate ( Cwb , according to the Köppen climate classification ), with pleasant summers and cool, dry winters. The average annual precipitation is 684 mm (27 in), with rainfall occurring mainly during summer. The Northern-Natal Rhinos (Noord-Natal Renosters) Wrestling Club in Dundee

520-672: The federation of the Australian colonies into the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901, the new Federal government alone had the power to raise military forces and dispatch them overseas. As such it now took over the military establishments of the States and as a consequence, following an approach by the British government, the Australian Prime Minister Edmund Barton agreed to provide a contingent of 1,000 mounted infantry to

560-444: The phalanx . The early pre- Marian Roman military had units consisting of infantrymen clinging to the saddles of the cavalry to take them to battle and then dismounting to fight. Gallic and Germanic warbands were reported to use double-riders, with a second warrior joining a horseman only for a short distance before dismounting to fight on foot. The Han dynasty also extensively used mounted infantry in their campaigns against

600-557: The 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel. Dragoon regiments were established in most European armies during the late 17th century and early 18th century. The name is possibly derived from a type of firearm (called a dragon ) carried by dragoons of the French Army . There is no distinction between the words dragon and dragoon in French. The title has been retained in modern times by

640-574: The AAMC, the Eighth New Zealand Brigade and Thornycroft's own regular mounted infantry—advanced as part of General Ian Hamilton's force numbering 20,000 men in the great Western Drive. The advance aimed to drive de la Rey back against a chain of blockhouses between Klerksdorp – Ventersdorp and proved to be the last of the war. The drive began on 19 April, but halted soon after, following news that peace negotiations were progressing. On 21 April

680-510: The ACH moved out of camp and turned away from the blockhouse line towards the western railway, with orders to destroy crops and mealie fields and to push the Boers back towards the railway barrier. On 7 May the Australians again advanced, driving forward over four successive days across dry and open country over a large front. Ultimately the drive succeeded with few incidents, significantly diminished

720-453: The ACH showed a level of professionalism perhaps unseen in previous Australian contingents. Negotiations continued, with the Boer leaders again meeting their British counterparts at Vereeniging , between Pretoria and Kroonstad . Meanwhile, at Elandsfontein the second contingent of the ACH was concentrating after having landed at Durban in late April. Elements of the third contingent sailed aboard

760-490: The Boer leaders to re-open peace negotiations. As such with the war all but over the ACH set up camp along the Klerksdorp–Ventersdorp blockhouse line, and although they continued to send out patrols they had little to do but await the inevitable peace. Despite seeing limited combat, Australian conduct in the field was considered to have been of a high standard, both in terms of military efficiency and discipline. Indeed,

800-412: The Boer supplies in the area, and leading to the capture of thousands of head of livestock, nearly 200 wagons and 7,000 rounds of ammunition. Although hundreds escaped, 367 Boers were captured after becoming trapped, although only one was killed. There were no Australian casualties. The continued success of the blockhouse system, coupled with the approaching winter and shortages of food and clothing forced

840-519: The First World War) experimented with motorcycle battalions. Germany also utilized organic horse and bicycle mounted troops within infantry formations throughout World War Two, although bicycle use increased as Germany retreated into its own territory. Japan deployed cyclists to great effect in its 1941 to 1942 campaign in Malaya and drive on Singapore during World War II. A horsed cavalry regiment of

SECTION 20

#1732876764017

880-693: The General Staff . They were the first Australian troops to wear the Rising Sun badge , a design chosen for the unit by Hutton. The 1st and 2nd Battalions, Australian Commonwealth Horse arrived in Durban in March 1902 and together with the AAMC were formed into an Australian Brigade. From Durban the Australians were sent north by train via Ladysmith , Elandslaagte and Dundee to Newcastle . By 22 March over 1,000 Australians moved into camp with another 1,000 New Zealanders in

920-711: The Western Theater of the American Civil War , several infantry regiments were converted to mounted infantry and armed with repeating rifles . The Lightning Brigade at the Battle of Chickamauga was an example of these Union mounted infantry units. In the British Army , infantry units in some parts of the British Empire had a mounted platoon for scouting and skirmishing . In addition, many locally raised units such as

960-634: The Xiongnu confederation . During many of the Han campaigns, the vast majority of the army rode on horseback; either as mounted cavalry or mounted infantry who fought dismounted. The Arabs, during their campaigns in the deserts of Mesopotamia and Syria against the Byzantines and Sassanids , used camels to enhance their mobility, marking a stark contrast to their enemies, especially in the desert environment. The Carolingians under Charlemagne also used horses as transport for

1000-476: The area during the Anglo Zulu War of 1879. The discovery of coal in the area dates from early Voortrekker records of 1838 and later geological surveys in the 1860s. It is named after the hometown of a pioneering Scottish settler , Peter Smith. At first, Dundee was a farm (Dundee farm), the property of Peter Smith, which he had bought from a Voortrekker settler, Mr Dekker. Three other men are also credited with

1040-538: The bulk of their army, and special care was taken to ensure the health, fodder, and availability of horses on-campaign. Other notable infantry to use horses to enhance their mobility include the Genoese crossbowmen , and Viking raiders who would gather all the horses they could find in the vicinity of their landings. Dragoons originally were mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills . However, usage altered over time and during

1080-484: The cavalry charge in the Battle of Beersheba (1917) during World War I are labelled as mounted infantry brigade in popular media; however, they were in fact mounted rifles as were the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade which also took part in this battle. Mounted rifles regiments lack the mass of a mounted infantry battalions, as a light horse brigade could only muster as many rifles in the line as

1120-554: The continuing conflict in South Africa. This commitment was endorsed in the House of Representatives on 14 January 1902 and the size of the contingent grew over the coming months as more volunteers rushed to join the new force, to be known as the Australian Commonwealth Horse. The formation of the ACH was overseen by the newly appointed General Officer Commanding, Australian Military Forces , Major General Edward Hutton , and

1160-659: The council obtained a grant of arms from the Lord Lyon King of Arms in Scotland. It registered the arms at the Bureau of Heraldry in July 1995. The arms, which were based on those of the Scottish burgh of Dundee , were : Azure, a pot with three lilies issuant Argent, charged with a miner's lamp proper and on a chief Or two wildebeest courant in fess, Sable; the shield ensigned of

1200-447: The deaths, following a Royal Commission into the matter. Mounted infantry The origins of mounted infantry go back to at least the beginnings of organised warfare. With the weight of ancient bronze armor , the opposing champions would travel to battle on chariots before dismounting to fight. With the evolution of hoplite warfare, some hoplites would travel to battle on horseback, before dismounting to take their place in

1240-590: The first arriving in Durban in March 1902. The 1st and 2nd battalions saw limited active service, conducting patrols against the Boers during the last great drives that ultimately ended the war. The war ended before the remaining battalions arrived to see action, and by the time peace came on 31 May 1902, the majority of the third contingent, consisting of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Battalions, still remained at sea bound for South Africa. The ACH suffered no fatal casualties in action, although 28 men died from illness. Following

Australian Commonwealth Horse - Misplaced Pages Continue

1280-418: The founding of Dundee; his son William Craighead Smith, son-in-law Dugald McPhail, and close family friend Charles Wilson.<Talana Museum> The town lies nestled in a valley of the picturesque Biggarsberg and is surrounded by historical remarkable mountains of “Indumeni” (where the thunder rolls), “Mpati” (The place of good waters), and “Talana” (The shelf where precious items are kept). Dundee has trails of

1320-525: The mountain passes, while a large column drove the Boers towards a line of blockhouses. Apart from minor skirmishes with unseen Boer snipers the Australians saw little action. The Australians were subsequently sent to western Transvaal , joining Colonel Thornycroft's Field Force at Klerksdorp. The column—which was predominantly Australian and included the Third New South Wales Bushmen, Haslee's Scouts (an irregular unit composed of Australians),

1360-442: The same rifle as the infantry and became well-trained in dismounted tactics. A version of the standard infantry rifle, the shorter-barreled LEC or "Lee-Enfield Cavalry Carbine Mark I" had been introduced in 1896. Many European armies also used bicycle infantry in a similar way that mounted infantry used horses. However they were handicapped by the need for proper roads. The Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade which took part in

1400-571: The snow-free months. Dundee, South Africa The coal mining town of Dundee is situated in a valley of the Biggarsberg mountains in KwaZulu-Natal , South Africa ( 28°10′S 30°14′E  /  28.167°S 30.233°E  / -28.167; 30.233 ). It is part of the Endumeni Municipality , Umzinyathi District . It is very rich in coal deposits. More populous than

1440-468: The town of Dundee is its adjacent township named Sibongile. This township is now being extended with many residing zones, e.g. Lindelani. Dundee was established by Peter Smith, with land contributed by his son in-law, in 1882 after the realisation that the valley was a natural way for travellers into the interior of Africa. Traders, hunters explorers, missionaries and soldiers all made their way through here. A large fort, Fort Jones, housed British troops in

1480-647: The transport Manhattan , departing Australia in late April, and arriving early the following month, while others followed later in May aboard the Manchester Merchant , Custodian , Columbian and St Andrew . They would arrive too late to see combat, though, as on 31 May the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed and the war came to an end, even while elements of the third contingent of the ACH remained at sea, bound for South Africa. Although many men remained in South Africa to start

1520-462: The vicinity of Mount Majuba. The brigade subsequently took part in the great Eastern Drive which aimed to encircle de Wet and Louis Botha in northern Natal , however severe weather allowed the Boers to escape. At any rate the ACH played only a secondary role in the drive, consigned mainly to holding the Drakensberg ranges . During late March and early April the ACH were deployed to outposts to block

1560-715: Was Australia's first expeditionary force. More than 4,400 men ultimately enrolled, and they were formed into troops and squadrons based on their state of origin, before being combined into battalions. Eight battalions were raised in three separate contingents, while a medical team from the Australian Army Medical Corps (AAMC) was also raised. Artillery was not required. Recruits had to pass tests of elementary riding and shooting, as well as medical tests, amid considerable competition for limited places. Most volunteers were young, single and worked with their hands. Motivations for joining varied, with many seeking to escape from

1600-407: Was also keen to reserve positions for senior permanent force officers so that they may get experience in leadership and staff work, and five of the eight battalion commands were initially allocated to permanent force officers. This had its own draw backs with a number of appointments later disputed, and one—Wallack—was later dismissed amid claims of inefficiency and ill discipline. Training commenced at

#16983