Becoming A City: Defence

At the beginning of the twentieth century, there were two rifle ranges in Ipswich, located at St Helens, at Dinmore and at One Mile on open land near the bridge. As Ipswich developed, these locations were considered dangerous and a new range was developed at Redbank; it opened in July 1912. Events such as the Boer War and the conflict between Japan and Russia which took place just to the north in 1905 had made Australia more aware of the possible need for defence.

Volunteer citizens forces had been active in Ipswich since 1865 but the new Federal Government had begun to consider making this type of training compulsory. In 1911, “universal military training” was introduced. The scheme operated at several levels, with junior and senior cadets from ages 12 to 18 years and Citizen Military Forces from 18 to 25. Some secondary schools such as Ipswich Grammar already had a cadet unit which became part of the new scheme. At Boys’ Central School, a Junior Cadet unit was formed and children took part in a range of activities including drill, rifle practice, first aid, organised games and swimming. Martini Henry carbine rifles were issued to these young children and in 1910, a mini-rifle range was developed at the school. This was officially opened when the headmaster’s daughter fired the first shot, hitting the inner circle. Shortly afterwards, IGS applied to the Council for permission to develop its own range.

Young men no longer at school had to attend the Drill Hall in Milford Street each week and also took part in three eight-day camps, some at Redbank Rifle Range and some at Enoggera and Ipswich men who worked in the mines often ended up in the engineering section, practising bridge and road construction.

March of the Dungarees November 1915
The Ipswich Genealogical Society compiled extracts from the Queensland times in 1915 for the following article in Bremer Echoes in February 2016.

Following the dreadful number of casualties at Gallipoli, a call from the then Australian Prime Minister Billy HUGHES, was made for volunteers. After the initial wave interest seemed to diminish and recruiting numbers began to fall. In New South Wales, the Recruiting Marches were called “Cooee” and in Queensland the only other state to have these, they were “The Dungarees”.

In southern Queensland The Dungarees march commenced in Warwick, on 16 November 1915 and travelled to Brisbane passing through Allora, Clifton, Greenmount, Cambooya, Toowoomba, Helidon, Gatton, Laidley, Rosewood, Ipswich and Oxley, and the small township on the way. They were greeted enthusiastically and received food and drinks where they stopped.

Along the way young men were encouraged to join the march and volunteer for service to King and Country. This was a journey of more than 200 miles which ended with 125 young men who answered the call, arriving to a civic reception at Enoggera.

The marchers came into Ipswich from Rosewood having left there in the early morning marching via Walloon after a stop at Mount Marrow. They were greeted firstly at the One Mile Bridge by a large procession led by the Railway Band and followed by the Mayor F.G. SPRINGALL, and other dignitaries who travelled from the Town Hall by motorcar, the Piper’s Band, and ‘other military forces, engineers, citizen troops, bugle band, cadets and scouts’, also the Boonah Band which had travelled to Ipswich by train. More than 25 new recruits joined the marchers, some having come from Boonah and Harrisville by
car. It is said “many hundreds of people were on hand to greet the marchers with bunting and flags waving”.

After being greeted by the Mayor and other speakers, the procession marched from One Mile into the city, with the street lined with citizens and schoolchildren shouting and waving flags. “A platform had been erected in Brisbane street outside St Paul's Church grounds, and on this were seated the ladies of the Ipswich Ladies' Patriotic Committee, with the children of the State schools of the district massed behind, as a back ground.”

During the welcome the children, “to the tune of the National Anthem, they called to God to "Save our splendid men, Send them safe home again, God Save our Men! It was a touching incident, but it was only indicative of what the whole gathering meant.” “Mrs. O'Connor, on behalf of the Ladies Patriotic Committee presented to Lieut. Binnie a side-drum and drum sticks, with the inscription: ' Presented to the 'Dungarees' by the Ipswich Ladies" Patriotic Committee, 28th November, 1915, Pro Rege et Patria (For King and Country)."

At different times the Dungarees were referred to as “snow-ballers” or “Binnie’s Boys”, as they were under the direction of Lieut. BINNIE.

After the ceremony the Dungarees marched to the Drill Hall where they spent the night, before setting off next morning for Brisbane, with stops at area schools including Silkstone, Bundamba, Dinmore and Redbank.