Convicts & Colonials: Defence

The early volunteers
When Sir George Bowen arrived in Moreton Bay in December 1859 to become the first Governor of Queensland, he soon realised that the new colony would not be able to defend itself in an emergency.

The original regiments of red-coated British soldiers had been withdrawn at the end of the convict era.

By 1860, Brisbane and Ipswich between them were relying on a total "defence" force of about 20 lightly-armed police.

Although Queensland was on the opposite side of the world and may have appeared safe from any European conflict, Bowen remained concerned. The Crimean War (1854-56) had finished only a few years earlier and there had been another "Russian scare" in 1859. Bowen reported to England that a single man-of-war could sail into Moreton Bay and attack Brisbane and Ipswich. His suggested solution was for the citizens to form volunteer defence forces.

The idea was immediately adopted by the Police Magistrate of Ipswich, Colonel Charles Gray who was an experienced soldier and had fought against Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo. Colonel Gray called a meeting to establish an Ipswich company of riflemen. This was the first defence force in Queensland and had Colonel Gray as Infantry Captain and John Kent as first lieutenant.

Brisbane formed volunteer units a short time later.