Category: Colonial Military Force, South Australia

Categories: Colonial Military Forces | Colony of South Australia (1836-1900)

Until federation in 1901, each of the six colonial governments that are now Australian States was responsible for the defence of their own colony. From 1788 until 1870 this was done with British regular forces. Each of the Australian colonies gained responsible government between 1855 and 1890, and while the colonial office in London retained control of some affairs, the Governors of the British colonies were required to raise their own colonial militia. To do this, the colonial Governors had the authority from the British crown to raise military and naval forces, exclusively from 1870 onwards. The separate colonies maintained control over their respective militia forces until 1st March 1901, when the colonial forces were all amalgamated into the Commonwealth Forces. Colonial forces, including home raised units, saw action in many of the conflicts of the British Empire during the 19th century, including the Maori Wars of New Zealand, the Sudan conflict, and the Boer War in South Africa. Commandant from 1877 to 1884 and from 1888 to 1893 was Major General Major Francis Downes CMG. The final commandant, tasked with merging the South Australian Military Forces into the Commonwealth Military Forces whilst on deployment in South Africa, was Brigadier General Joseph Gordon CB. South Australia's military force comprised a mixed unit of mounted rifles (of which one squadron was militia and the other six volunteer), two infantry regiments of two battalions each (a militia regiment and a volunteer regiment), a battery of both garrison and field artillery of mixed militia and permanent status, and a medical contingent.

Wikipedia: Colonial Forces of Australia

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