Mt Alexander Rifles and friends at Taminick 2006

The Militia units of pre federation Australia are an area of our history that is often overlooked when we consider the overall history of Australia.

Because of their remoteness, the Australian colonists understandably feared they would be vulnerable in the face of attack. The colonists during the course of the nineteenth century alone experienced no less than two hundred war scares. Such war scares arose from the activities or suspected activities from time to time of the Russians, the French, the Germans and even the Americans, in the Australian neighbourhood.

The Victorian Volunteer Statute of 1865 approved the raising of unpaid volunteers to defend the Colony.

In 1862 the British Government decreed that the Colony would bear the cost of their own internal defences.

The Various State Governments baulked at the cost and therefore in 1870 the last of the Imperial troops left Australia.

Most towns had a Militia unit or a Rifle club.

The Mt. Alexander Rifles had its beginnings with a public meeting held at Castlemaine in June 1858, but it was not until October 1860 that the first of the Volunteers were sworn in by Col. Pitt.

A major reorganisation of the Volunteer forces occurred in 1885, with the Volunteers becoming Militia and being paid by the Government.

It was during this time that Victoria’s major fortifications were built, including Fort Nepean, Fort Queenscliff, South Channel Fort and others.

The first actual war that the militia’s fought in was the Boer War in South Africa, although some members of various units did take part in the Maori wars in New Zealand.(Pitts Volunteers)

The Mt Alexander Rifles Regt then went on to become the Melbourne University Rifles and today they are the Melbourne University Regiment of the Australian Army Reserve.

The Victorian Colonial Infantry Association has, as a focus for its research concentrated on the original Mount Alexander Rifles Regt. and in particular a rural Company that was formed in the Castlemaine area, The Castlemaine Rifles.

The Mount Alexander Rifles Company, as we prefer to call it, is a re-enactment group that has, as far as possible recreated the uniforms and equipment that was used by the original unit in the 1860’s.

While the original items are sometimes available, these are usually too expensive to risk for use. The only item that we use that is original is the British Snider .577 Rifle.

Uniforms and ancillary equipment are usually made by the members, however for those who are not handy with a needle and thread, we can direct you to where you can get the items made.

The group is called upon to add a historical presence to civic occasions, and, once a year attend the Military Encampment at Tamminick, in North Eastern Victoria, where all the Military re-enactment groups gather for a recreation of a military encampment.

The executive usually determines rank structure in the group. Previous Military experience is taken into account.

Meetings are held about every 6 weeks where various aspects of the Colonial Infantry and the Castlemaine Coy are discussed, and drill lessons that were applicable at that time, practised.

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Victorian Forces

Victorian Forces

From: corporal, 11 minutes ago

Victorian Forces

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