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), The Government Gazette of Western Australia, various newspapers and other research undertaken by WAMDL.

The preparation for Britain's withdrawal of military support in Western Australia began in 1859 and the Volunteer Force Ordinance, 1861 was passed by the Legislative Council on the 18th November 1861. The Metroplolitan Rifle Volunteers was already in training and the two more 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 and comments
Metropolitan Volunteer Rifles	13 Sep 1861	22 Feb 1872	Infantry	100; also known as Perth Volunteer Rifles; notices in WA Govt Gazettes 12 Aug 1862, 19 Aug 1862; disbandment notice in WA Govt Gazette 22 Feb 1872
Fremantle Volunteer Rifles	6 Aug 1862	8 Feb 1870	Infantry	65; notices in WA Govt Gazettes 12 Aug 1862, 28 Oct 1862, disbandment notice in WA Govt Gazette 8 March 1870
Pinjarra Mounted Volunteers	23 Oct 1862	3 Nov 1882	Cavalry	17-60; notices in WA Govt Gazettes 12 Aug 1862, 28 Oct 1862, 29 Mar 1870
Union Troop of WA Mounted Volunteers	19 Jul 1870	1 Jul 1872	Cavalry	30; notices in WA Govt Gazettes 19 July 1870, 4 Oct 1870, 25 June 1872, name sometimes reversed as WA Union Troop Mounted Volunteers

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	Nov 1893	Infantry	100; often still called Metropolitan Rifle Volunteers; notices in WA Govt Gazettes 18 June 1872, 8 Oct 1872, 27 Jan 1874, 6 Oct 1874, 8 Aug 1882, 19 Sep 1882, Became 1st Infantry Regiment(Perth Detachment) in 1893
WA Troop of Horse Artillery	1 Jul 1872	21 Mar 1882	Mounted Artillery	New name for the Union Troop of WA Mounted Volunteers; notice in WA Govt Gazette 12 May 1874, name change notice in WA Govt Gazette 21 Mar 1882
Fremantle Rifle Volunteers	5 Oct 1872	Nov 1893	Infantry	70; new name for Fremantle Volunteer Rifles; notice in WA Govt Gazette 15 Oct 1872, 8 Aug 1882, 20 Oct 1893, Became 1st Infantry Regiment(Fremantle Detachment) in 1893
Guildford Rifle Volunteers	20 Nov 1874	Nov 1893	Infantry	40; Became 1st Infantry Regiment (Guildford Detachment) in 1893; notices in WA Govt Gazettes 27 Nov 1874, 8 Aug 1882, 24 Nov 1893
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; notice in WA Govt Gazette 8 Aug 1882; Renamed Fremantle Artillery Volunteers
Perth Artillery Volunteers	21 Mar 1882	1 Jul 1887	Artillery	30; New name for WA Troop of Horse Artillery; name change notice in WA Govt Gazette 21 Mar 1882, notices in WA Govt Gazette 8 Aug 1882
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; also called No. 1 Battery, Perth Artillery and No.1 (Perth) Battery of Field Artillery
Plantagenet Rifle Volunteers	6 May 1888	29 Apr 1897	Infantry	new name for Albany Defence Rifles; notice in WA Govt Gazette 23 Mar 1893, 30 March 1893,
Fremantle Artillery Volunteers	17 Dec 1888	24 Oct 1892	Artillery	38; New name for Naval Artillery Volunteers and now open to all volunteers, Became No. 2 Battery, Field Artillery in 1892
No. 2 Battery, Field Artillery	24 Oct 1892		Artillery	new name for the Fremantle Artillery Volunteers, notice in WA Govt Gazette 22 June 1893,
Bunbury Rifle Volunteers	24 Oct 1892	8 Oct 1900	Infantry
York Infantry Volunteers	11 Oct 1893	20 Feb 1899	Infantry	notices in WA Govt Gazettes 13 Oct 1893, 24 Nov 1893
Perth Mounted Rifle Volunteers	15 May 1894	30 Jun 1897	Mounted Infantry	also known as Perth Mounted 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	Nov 1893	8 Oct 1900	Infantry	Perth Company of Rifle Volunteers, Fremantle Rifle Volunteers and Guildford Rifle Volunteers amalgamated for 7 years 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
Pinjarra Mounted Infantry	1 Mar 1900	7 Jun 1900	Mounted Infantry	30; disbanded after a few months
South West Mounted Infantry	1 Jan 1900	1 Jan 1903	Mounted Infantry
Victoria District Mounted Infantry	17 Apr 1900	1 Jan 1903	Mounted Infantry	this district included Geraldton and Northampton
Northam and Newcastle Mounted Infantry	1 Jun 1900	1 Jan 1903	Mounted Infantry
Fremantle Mounted Infantry	12 Sep 1900	1 Jan 1903	Mounted Infantry
Cannington Mounted Infantry	18 Jul 1900	1 Jan 1903	Mounted Infantry	notice in WA Govt Gazette 14 Sep 1900
WA Mounted Infantry	1 Jan 1900	1 Jan 1903	Mounted Infantry	collective name for the 5 mounted companies with up to 60 soldiers in each; became 18th Light Horse Regiment in 1903
Goldfields Battalion of Infantry	7 Jun 1900	8 Oct 1900	Infantry	250; became 5th Battalion WA Infantry Brigade
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; notice in WA Govt Gazette 14 Sep 1900
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; notice in WA Govt Gazette 14 Sep 1900
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; notice in WA Govt Gazette 14 Sep 1900
4th Battalion WA Infantry Brigade	8 Oct 1900	30 Jun 1903	Infantry	new name for Metropolitan Civil Service Battalion; notice in WA Govt Gazette 14 Sep 1900
5th Battalion WA Infantry Brigade	8 Oct 1900	30 Jun 1903	Infantry	new name for Goldfields Battalion of Infantry; Goldfields Infantry Regiment (GIR) was sometimes used; notice in WA Govt Gazette 14 Sep 1900
Albany Volunteer Garrison Artillery	10 Oct 1899		Garrison Artillery	50; became No. 1 Company, Albany Garrison Artillery; notice in WA Govt Gazette 14 Sep 1900
No. 1 Battery, Field Artillery	1 Jul 1887		Artillery	also called 1st WA Field Battery or No. 1 (Perth) Battery, Field Artillery
No. 2 Battery, Field Artillery	24 Oct 1892		Artillery	also called 2nd WA Field Battery or No. 2 (Fremantle) Battery, Field Artillery. This was originally Naval Artillery Volunteers,

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