63 – Beginnings – the 150th Anniversary of Australian Artillery

The 1st of August 2021 is the 150th Anniversary of Australian Artillery.  We look at the birth of the capability, the equipment and, most importantly, the Gunners that have protected Australia and it’s national interests for 150 years.

These are the Show Notes for the podcast.  Please download the podcast episode for much more detail on the 150th years of Australian Artillery and the birth of Australia’s Artillery.  You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast Player or your favourite Android Player.

This is the first of a special series of podcasts commemorating 150 years of permanent Artillery in Australia.

This episode looks at the early years of Australia’s Gunners.

• The birth of No. 1 Battery and No. 2 Battery and what was to become ‘A’ Battery.
• We discuss the mix of militia, regular and volunteer gunners, the guns they used, their training and how the guns were procured.
• The first Defence Force Aid to the Civil Authority – the gunners vs Ned Kelly.
• The first deployment – Australian colonies sent a battery to the Sudan, following the murder of MAJ GEN Charles Gordon.
• What combined arms training was conducted in the early days before the Australian Army came into being?

The founding of the School of Artillery

The birth of the School of Artillery was a critical part in the development of Artillery within the Australian Army.  Many of the key officers of the 1st AIF attended the School before the war.

MAJ GEN William Throsby Bridges – Australia’s first Chief of the General Staff, founded the Royal Military College, Duntroon, Commander, 1st Australian Division at Gallipoli, killed by a sniper 15 May 1915.  He was the only soldier to have his remains returned to Australia and is buried at Duntroon.  Bridges Barracks, the home to the School of Artillery is named after him.
Cyril Brudenell White, One of Australia’s greatest soldiers, one of the founders of the 1st AIF, it’s tactical and administrative Commander in all but name, died in the Canberra Air disaster, an event that had severe repercussions for Australia in WW2.
General Sir John Monash – Commander, Australian Corps, 1918.  Architect of the Battle of Hamel.
MAJ GEN Walter Coxen – 1918 Commander, Australian Corps Artillery, 1930, Chief of the General Staff.

The Anniversary of 150th years of Australian Artillery podcast series will look at decisive artillery battles that Australia has fought and the role that Artillery played, looking for lessons to learn about the future of Artillery.

Join the conversation on Twitter or Facebook.