Index, ill, p.333.non-fictionA history of the regiments and uniforms of the British army with illustrations in colourgreat britain - army - history, great britain - army - uniforms

This glass plate photograph shows good detail of members of the Warrnambool Garrison posing for their photograph in front of a young township. There are other well-dressed citizens behind them. The three men with frogging on their sleeves were commanders were likely to be commanders. The men are facing north with Cannon Hill and the fortification area in the background. It dates from the 1860s. The firearms held appear to be 1853 pattern Lee Enfield muskets used by the British army in Crimea at this time and in Australia, rather than the later Martini Henry cartridge rifles. The uniforms match other photos of the Warrnambool Garrison Militia and Band in our Collection, taken up until the 1880s. The three storey building in the photograph is likely to be the Manifold & Bostock flour mill, built in 1854 near the ‘cutting’ in Merri Street, which was one of the main streets at the time; if one faced the building’s front from a vantage point and looked south to south-east, the hills around Flagstaff Hill and Cannon Hill would be behind that mill, and the Harbour behind the hills. This is the area of the Fortifications. The glass plate method of photography was widely used during the mid-19th to early-20th century. The donor and maker of the photograph are unknown. Around this time the citizens of Victoria were prospering from the gold rush but felt isolated and uneasy about their security in the colony. In 1854 the Volunteer Act was passed to provide some military defence. In 1858 the Warrnambool Volunteer Rifle Corps was established, disbanded in 1863, then a new Warrnambool Detachment was formed in September 1866. Legislation was passed in 1884 that replaced the volunteers’ corps with a partly paid, permanent Militia Defence Force. The batteries manning the coastal forts of Victoria were termed Garrison Artillery Companies. When the Army was federated in 1901 there were eight Militia Companies in Victoria. Warrnambool and Port Fairy together were known as 8 Coy AGA (Australian Garrison Artillery). Changes to formation and name continued into the 20th century.This photograph is a record of the very early local defence force, circa 1866. The photograph signifies the connection of the colony in Victoria to the growing need for security due to the unrest in Europe at that time. The photograph is also locally significant to the industry of the young township of Warrnambool, showing what is likely to be one of the first flour mills in the town. The photograph is also the only example of the early methods of glass plate photography in our collection. Photograph, rectangular glass plate, positive sepia image. Photograph has brass framed edges that fold over to the back, with mitred corners. The front edges are pressed with a decorative floral pattern. The photograph shows a group of thirty military men, standing or kneeling, in dark uniforms with pillbox forage caps, round-collared jackets with light buttons, light sashes worn from top left shoulder to bottom right side of waist belt, and long, straight-legged trousers. Three of these men have light braid around the buttons on the front of their jackets, light frogging on their sleeve cuffs and stripes on the outside seams of their trousers. The other twenty-seven men have plain uniforms and are holding firearms in their right hands, steadied with their left hands. Other figures are standing behind this group of soldiers, including three or four men wearing top hats, jackets and ties. In the background is a row of buildings. The central building is three stories high. Bare hills are in the far background. The foreground is uneven ground with patches of short grass. Photographer looking towards the south east and Cannon Hill, with the Warrnambool Garrison facing north, ca.1860s.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, glass plate, photography 19th century, colonial forces, military defence, volunteer act 1854, volunteer rifle, garrison artillery, volunteer corps, militia, militia garrison band, pillbox forage caps, helpmann, manifold and bostock, 1853 lee enfield musket, tintype, warrnambool garrison, 1860s, cannon hill, manifold & bostock, flour mill, 3-storey building

The subject leather leggings are associated with mounted troops known as the Australian Light Horse that served in the South African War from 1899 to 1902. After the war, Britain wanted to use fewer mounted troops and restructured its force around a style of combat that needed more infantry. But the defence of Australia still relied upon mounted military units as these were more mobile than infantry and could travel faster over long distances. Light Horse brigades in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) mostly contained recruits who served in the Light Horse regiments of the Citizen Forces. Many young men from rural areas of Australia volunteered for the Light Horse regiments. They had to pass a riding test to join, this test was easier for men from the bush because horses were still the main method of transport on farms and in country towns. The army did not officially accept First Australians into the AIF until May 1917 when enlistment standards were relaxed to include 'half-castes' with a parent of European origin. Indigenous soldiers served as valuable members of the Light Horse and many possessed excellent horse handling skills and specialist tracking knowledge.The subject items are part of the uniform for the Light Horse Units that served in the Australian army from 1899 until 1918. These leggings were worn by soldiers on horseback and are significant as they represent a noteworthy time in Australia's early military history. It was a time when many young men gave their lives during the South African and First World Wars in the defence of the then British Empire as part of the Imperial Forces that were gathered from many British-controlled Colonial countries.A pair of two Leather Leggings used by Mounted Australian soldiers during the first world war. The leggings are dark tan in colour with stitching to attach buckles and fastener straps. The strap buckles are made of brass and the leather legging straps are of same leather as leggings. Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, leggings, leather leggings, protective leggings, protective clothing, australian mounted light horse units, military equipment

The subject leather leggings are associated with mounted troops known as the Australian Light Horse that served in the South African War from 1899 to 1902. After the war, Britain wanted to use fewer mounted troops and restructured its force around a style of combat that needed more infantry. But the defence of Australia still relied upon mounted military units as these were more mobile than infantry and could travel faster over long distances. Light Horse brigades in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) mostly contained recruits who served in the Light Horse regiments of the Citizen Forces. Many young men from rural areas of Australia volunteered for the Light Horse regiments. They had to pass a riding test to join, this test was easier for men from the bush because horses were still the main method of transport on farms and in country towns. The army did not officially accept First Australians into the AIF until May 1917 when enlistment standards were relaxed to include 'half-castes' with a parent of European origin. Indigenous soldiers served as valuable members of the Light Horse and many possessed excellent horse handling skills and specialist tracking knowledge.The subject items are part of the uniform for the Light Horse Units that served in the Australian army from 1899 until 1918. These leggings were worn by soldiers on horseback and are significant as they represent a noteworthy time in Australia's early military history. It was a time when many young men gave their lives during the South African and First World Wars in the defence of the then British Empire as part of the Imperial Forces that were gathered from many British-controlled Colonial countries.A pair of two Leather Leggings used by Mounted Australian soldiers during the first world war. The leggings are dark tan in colour with stitching to attach buckles and fastener straps. The strap buckles are made of brass and the leather legging straps are of same leather as leggings. Noneflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, leggings, leather leggings, protective leggings, protective clothing, australian mounted light horse units, military equipment

World War Two Army uniform|Worn by Captain Noel WestWorld War two|Australian War Graves UnitOne khaki woolen army great coat, wide lapels wide cuffs, double breasted, four sets of medal buttons. Wide pocket cuffs on two external pockets. Epaulets on each shoulder with Australian badge and 3 pips and one button. Badge on right hand shoulder- blue with crown '' British Commonwealth Forces''. Collar with neck flaps with four bakelite buttons. Pleat on top of coat with belt with three metal buttons. Vent on skirt of coat with two bakelite buttons.Back of coat is lined to the vent, sides are fully lined with cotton fabric, sleeves are fully lined. One deep pocket on left side with one bakelite button. Fabric hook on back of collar''MTS'' N.WEST. British Commonwealth Forcescostume, male uniform, military