Colonial Volunteer Corps
The following information is based on details from "The Volunteer Movement in Western Australia, 1861 - 1903" written by George F Wieck (published in 1962) and other records held by the Army Museum of Western Australia.
The preparation for Britain's withdrawal of military support in Western Australia began in 1859 and the first three volunteer corps were formed in 1862.The Mounted Union Troop was formed later to provide an escort for the Governor at public displays.
Name | Starting date | Disbanded | Type | Approx. numbers |
---|---|---|---|---|
Metropolitan Volunteer Rifles | 6 Aug 1862 | 22 Feb 1872 | Infantry | 100; also known as Perth Volunteer Rifles |
Fremantle Volunteer Rifles | 6 Aug 1862 | 8 Feb 1870 | Infantry | 65 |
Pinjarra Mounted Volunteers | 23 Oct 1862 | 3 Nov 1882 | Cavalry | 17-60 |
Union Troop of WA Mounted Volunteers | 19 Jul 1870 | 1 Jul 1872 | Cavalry | 30 |
The fear of a Russian invasion in 1872 gave an injection of enthusiasm and organisation into the Volunteer Corps. The conditions of enlistment, service, discipline and command were improved.
Name | Starting date | Disbanded | Type | Approx. numbers and comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Perth Company of WA Rifle Volunteers | 17 Jun 1872 | 10 Jun 1899 | Infantry | 100; often still called Metropolitan Rifle Volunteers |
WA Troop of Horse Artillery | 1 Jul 1872 | 31 Mar 1882 | Cavalry | New name for the Union Troop of WA Mounted Volunteers |
Fremantle Rifle Volunteers | 5 Oct 1872 | 10 Jun 1899 | Infantry | 70; new name for Fremantle Volunteer Rifles |
Guildford Rifle Volunteers | 22 Jan 1874 | 10 Jun 1899 | Infantry | 40 |
1st Battalion WA Volunteers | 10 Jun 1874 | 1899 | Infantry | Rifle Volunteers from Perth, Guildford and Fremantle came together for training and competitions under this name but remained separate Corps |
Geraldton Rifle Volunteers | 10 Oct 1876 | 1900 | Infantry | 60 |
Wellington Mounted Infantry | 25 Jun 1877 | 30 Nov 1882 | Infantry | 50; based in Bunbury |
Albany Rifle Volunteers | 26 Jun 1878 | 31 Mar 1885 | Infantry | 55 |
York Rifle Volunteers | 8 Nov 1878 | 20 Sep 1886 | Infantry | 40; disbanded on 20 Sep 1886 and re-raised as York Infantry Volunteers in 1893 |
Naval Artillery Volunteers | 10 Feb 1879 | 17 Dec 1888 | Artillery | 30; protected the Port of Fremantle and restricted to ex-naval men |
Perth Volunteer Artillery | 31 Mar 1882 | 1 Jul 1887 | Artillery | 30; New name for WA Troop of Horse Artillery |
Northampton Rifle Volunteers | 1 Jul 1884 | 21 Jan 1899 | Infantry | 40; part of the Geraldton Rifle Volunteers |
Albany Defence Rifles | 6 May 1885 | 2 May 1888 | Infantry | 70; New name for Albany Rifle Volunteers |
No. 1 Battery, Field Artillery | 1 Jul 1887 | Artillery | New name for Perth Volunteer Artillery | |
Plantagenet Rifle Volunteers | 6 May 1888 | 29 Apr 1897 | Infantry | new name for Albany Defence Rifles |
Fremantle Artillery Volunteers | 17 Dec 1888 | 24 Oct 1892 | Artillery | 38; New name for Naval Artillery Volunteers and now open to all volunteers |
No. 2 Battery, Field Artillery | 24 Oct 1892 | Artillery | new name for the Fremantle Artillery Volunteers | |
Bunbury Rifle Volunteers | 24 Oct 1892 | 8 Oct 1900 | Infantry | |
York Infantry Volunteers | 11 Oct 1893 | 20 Feb 1899 | Infantry | |
Perth Mounted Rifle Volunteers | 15 May 1894 | 30 Jun 1897 | Infantry |
The 2nd Anglo-Boer War was the impetus for the next round of changes and amalgamations of the different Corps.
Name | Starting date | Disbanded | Type | Approx. numbers and comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
York Infantry | 20 Feb 1899 | 27 Mar 1902 | Infantry | 60; new name for the York Infantry Volunteers; became D Company of the 3rd Bttn of WA Infantry Brigade in 1902 |
1st Infantry Regiment | 1 July 1899 | 8 Oct 1900 | Infantry | Perth Company of Rifle Volunteers, Fremantle Rifle Volunteers and Guildford Rifle Volunteers amalgamated for 15 months and then separated again into 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions WA Infantry Brigade in 1900 |
Metropolitan Civil Service Battalion | 7 Dec 1899 | 8 Oct 1900 | Infantry | became 4th Battalion WA Infantry Brigade in 1900 |
Pinjarrah Mounted Infantry | 1 Mar 1900 | 7 Jun 1900 | Mounted Infantry | 30; absorbed into WA Mounted Infantry after a few months |
Goldfields Battalion of Infantry | 7 Jun 1900 | 8 Oct 1900 | Infantry | 250; became 5th Battalion WA Infantry Brigade |
WA Mounted Infantry | 1 Jan 1900 | 1 Jan 1903 | Infantry | made up of 4 companies with 50 soldiers in each; became 18th Light Horse Regiment after Federation |
1st Battalion WA Infantry Brigade | 8 Oct 1900 | 30 Jun 1903 | Infantry | 200; original Perth Company of WA Rifle Volunteers (1872) was part of 1st Infantry Regiment for 1 year and then became 1st Bttn WA Infantry Brigade |
2nd Battalion WA Infantry Brigade | 8 Oct 1900 | 30 Jun 1903 | Infantry | original Fremantle Rifle Volunteers (1872) was part of 1st Infantry Regiment for 1 year and then became 2nd Bttn WA Infantry Brigade |
3rd Battalion WA Infantry Brigade | 8 Oct 1900 | 30 Jun 1903 | Infantry | original Guildford Rifle Volunteers, Geraldton Rifle Volunteers, Bunbury Rifle Volunteers and York Infantry became 3rd Bttn WA Infantry Brigade |
4th Battalion WA Infantry Brigade | 8 Oct 1900 | 30 Jun 1903 | Infantry | new name for Metropolitan Civil Service Battalion |
5th Battalion WA Infantry Brigade | 8 Oct 1900 | 30 Jun 1903 | Infantry | new name for Goldfields Battalion of Infantry |
Albany Volunteer Garrison Artillery | 10 Oct 1899 | Garrison Artillery | 50; became No. 1 Company, Albany Garrison Artillery; | |
No. 1 Battery, Field Artillery | 1 Jul 1887 | Artillery | also called 1st WA Field Battery | |
No. 2 Battery, Field Artillery | 24 Oct 1892 | Artillery | also called 2nd WA Field Battery |
The Official Australian Yearbook, [No 1, 1908, p 1082] gives the following figures for the Colonial Forces in Western Australia in December 1900.
AREA | OFFICERS | SOLDIERS | |
---|---|---|---|
PERMANENT AND PAID | |||
Staff | 2 | 8 | |
Artillery | 2 | 31 | |
Everyone Else | 2 | 2 | |
MILITIA | |||
Mounted Troops | 32 | 799 | WA Mounted Infantry |
Field Artillery | 12 | 174 | No 1 and No 2 WA Field Artillery based in Perth and Fremantle |
Garrison Artillery | 2 | 66 | based in Albany |
Infantry | 71 | 1451 | 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Infantry Battalions |
Everyone else | 12 | 30 | |
TOTAL | 135 | 2561 |
To see how these Units were organised after 1901 click here. CMF Organisation in WA