Defending Victoria

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Historian Brian Rough of Brisbane (Brian's e-mail address) has advised there are Avenues of Honour in Brisbane. Are there any in the other States or in New Zealand. Can any visitors to the Defending Victoria website advise?.

Boer War Memorials in Victoria

Historian Mark Clayton (Mark's e-mail address) of Hawkes Bay, NZ, has been following up a lead via Defending Victoria that an Australian seaman, Samuel Mitchell, serving on HMS Harrier won a VC at Gate Pa, Tauranga, NZ in 1864.. Mark has also located a source suggesting that another Australian, Surgeon WGN Manley RA, also may have been awarded a VC during the same action. Mark is researching this further.

Ian MacFarlane adds this update: there is a group photo including Surgeon Manley VC, now serving with the 12th Regiment at Tauranga in 1866, in the Auckland Public Library (reprinted in Montague, Ronald: Dress & Insignia of the British Army in Australia & New Zealand 1770-1870: Library of Australian History: Sydney: 1981: p. 114).

IMPORTANT NEW UPDATE (22 April 1998)

A VC expert has sent the following information to Mark Clayton:

'Samuel Mitchell was born in Bedforshire. He received his VC from the Governor of NSW in Sydney in 1864. Some years later on the way to NZ he lost his sea chest in Sydney including the VC. He died in NZ in 1894. The VC turned up and was bought by the family. It is now with the Auckland Institute and Museum.

[Note: Great Grandson Peter Mitchell states "The VC today is in the West Coast Historical Museum in Hokitika on the West Coast of the south Island of NZ; not in Auckland as stated]. [April 1999].

'Manly was born Ireland in 1831 and died in England in 1901. No known Australian connection. HOWEVER, did win the Iron Cross during the Frano Prussian War!

'Lt (later Col) Mark Sever Bell was born in NSW on 15 May 1843 and won the VC with the RE in the Ashanti War in 1874. It is belived he left Australia as an infant and neither he nor his family have ever claimed to be Australian. He died and is buried in England.

'We listed him in the 1986 edition of They dared mightly in the appendix with one other VC born in Australia (Born Victoria 1896 and won VC Gallipoli) and about a dozen or more VC winners who lived and died in Australia.

'Another RN/Australia/Maori War connection is Edward St John Daniel. Won the VC in the Crimea. The only officer to have his VC forfeited. (Desertion (RUN) but really liberties with midshipmen). He found his way to Melbourne where he enlisted for the Maori Wars and was with the NZ Police when he died of DTs'

Thanks to this correspondent who seems to have settled the matter!.

Mark Clayton (see above) has a special interest in trying to find out who was Australia's first killed in action, and wounded in action..The likelihood is that these events took place in New Zealand during the Land Wars. There are some indications that at least one of HMCSS Victoria's Naval Brigade at Taranaki, NZ, may have been wounded in 1860-1861 Certainly, soldiers recruited in Australia, comprising the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Waikato Regiments in 1864, suffered casualties.

Ian MacFarlane notes that there was a Victorian Contingent that went with the British 40th Regiment from Melbourne to New Zealand in 1860. He also suggests that it is possible there was a similar contingent that went in 1845 from NSW to New Zealand (during the uprising led by Hone Heke) with the British 58th Regiment.

Frank Noonan (see below) has passed on an article by Charles Vivian that appeared in the Australasian Coin and Banknote Magazine (January 1997, p. 14). The article is titled `Who Remembers Midshipman Cymbeline Alonso Edric Huddart? The first native Australian to die of wounds in action' (in 1899, Boer War, South Africa). He was in the Royal Naval Brigade at Graspan.

Wayne from Malta is interested in the ship Cerberus (now a rusting breakwater in Port Phillip Bay). He can be contacted with information by e-mailing him Here

Preferably, he needs documentary information. Do you have a discharge certificate, notification of promotion, letters or photos? Send him a photocopy and whatever details you have: Frank Noonan, D Block, Victoria Barracks, St Kilda Road, Southbank Vic 3006.

"An excellent book is:

"Hooves, Wheels and Tracks" "A history of the 4th/19th Prince of Wales Light Horse Regiment and its predecessors." by David Holloway: Published by the Regimental Trustees, 4th/19th PWLH Regiment. 1990. Printed by The Book Printer ISBN 0 7316 9042 7.

"The book covers the history of the regiment and its predecessors back to the early 1850's. It is a very comprehensive history. The Regiment is still in existance and its museum is worth contacting. The address will be at the Simpson Barracks Watsonia. It is in the phone book.

"One thing I was going to mention also was the unusual distinction that the 4th LH had during WW1 was that it served in both the western front and the Palestine at the same time (as the 4th), details in the book".

-- Another thing mentioned was the State Library of Victoria's searchable picture index. Here is the gateway link: http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/

Check the `What's New Page' for a source for the above book!

McNamara VC: A Hero's dilemma: By Coulthard-Clark: RAAF Heritage Series: AGPS: $ 16.

Ian MacFarlane notes this book is not currently available (28 January 1998) at the Commonwealth Government Bookshop, 190 Queen Street, Melbourne, Vic, 3000. They can order it in, though.

"We are a bookshop in the northern part of Holland that has specialised in books on fortifications, bunkers and artillery. We are constantly looking for new books to add to our catalogue. Do you know of any books, magazines, videos, etc. on Australian fortifications. Here in Europe we know very little about Australian fortifications and coast defences. We buy and sell books all over the world and we are very interested in hearing from you in Australia and New Zealand Hope to hear from you soon!"

Rene Roede

Fortress Books - Holland

Email Rene here.

There will be more information about this as it comes to hand.

Can anyone add to my reply to them?

This unit was stationed at Cheltenham. Graham writes:

'The residents of Moorabbin erected a memorial to "perpetuate the noble deeds of our Moorabbin boys ... who volunteered and fought for the Empire in the South African War 1899-1902."

'The polished red granite memorial on a black basalt base is now found in the Cheltenham Park but was originally on the north west corner of Nepean Highway and Chesterville Road where it was placed in 1904 and unveiled by Sir Thomas Bent, at that time Premier of Victoria. Originally it had two handsome circular glass enclosed gas lamps and a bronze drinking fountain as part of its construction but these are now lost.

'There are forty seven soldiers named on the memorial and of those four died. One at Rustenburg, one at Elandshock and a third at Wilmansrust. The place of death of the fourth trooper is not given.. .'

E-mail Graham here

E-mail him here

Is the sunken battlecruiser Australia still on the sea floor , or was it later raised and scrapped ? I've read conflicting reports (seemingly not uncommon in the naval history world I inhabit !)

Email Brian here