A short history of the Bronze Guns and the Queensland Permanent Artillery

A Background to the Bronze Guns.
In 1862 the Queensland Government submitted a request to London for the provision of a light field battery of four 6 pounder smooth bore (SB) muzzle loaded (ML) light field guns and two 12 pounder SB ML howitzers, all mounted on carriages.  In 1870 the Imperial Stores in Sydney, New South Wales, issued these weapons to Queensland for use by the Queensland Volunteer Artillery.

Indications are that the four 6 pounders served at the Military Barracks, Green Hills, (now Victoria Barracks, Brisbane), from 1870 to 1880.  From 1880 to 1884 they were employed as Number 2 Battery (Ipswich), and from 1885 to 1886 at Fort Lytton at the mouth of the Brisbane River as Number 2 Battery.  After 1886 they were redeployed to the old Military Barracks (re-named Victoria Barracks in 1883) where they remained until disbanded.

Victoria Barracks, Brisbane
formerly "Green Hills"
The two 12 pounders served similarly at the Military Barracks from 1870 to 1882 and then from 1882 to 1885 were also based at Fort Lytton as Number 1 Battery.  In 1885 they were used as deck guns on the steamer "Pippo" and later were returned to Victoria Barracks, Brisbane.

 

"A" Battery - A Short History

1885

 Raised as Number 1 Battery,Permanent Force, at Victoria Barracks.

1886

 The Muster Roll shows the Battery Other Rank strength at 11 NCOs and 43 ORs with the attachment from the Submarine Miners of 1 Sergeant and 6 ORs.

1888

 Re-named "A" Battery, Queensland Artillery.

1893

 A Detachment sent to both Thursday Island and Fort Lytton.

1895

 Re-named "A" Battery, Permanent Force, Queensland Artillery.

1897

 Two Maxim machine-guns and carriages and two unmounted Maxims were received by the Queensland Defence Force and placed into service with "A" Battery as the Machine-Gun Section.

1898

 Re-nemed "A" Battery, Queensland Permanent Artillery.

1899

 "A" Battery MG Section, with a strength of 10 Officers and 24 Other Ranks, deployed to the South African (Boer) War of 1899 - 1902 as the MG Section of the 1st (Queensland Mounted Infantry) Contingent.

1900

 Now named "A" Battery, Queensland Regiment, Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery.

Nominal Roll of the Machine-Gun Section, Queensland Permanent Artillery, of the
1st (Queensland Mounted Infantry) Contingent to the South African (Boer) War of 1899 to 1902.

The 1st (QMI) Contingent to the Boer War took with it the Machine-Gun Section of the Queensland Permanent Artillery armed with .303 inch Maxim machine-guns mounted on field carriages.  The members were:

Regt.
Number		 Rank Name Remarks
- Lieutenant Cecil Herbert Black Invalided to England arriving on 16 November, 1900.
5 Sergeant Frederick Price Invalided to Australia arriving on 1 September, 1900.
6 Corporal Herbert Harris Mentioned in Commander-In-Chief's despatches 31 March, 1900.  Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.  Invalided to Australia arriving 4 June. 1900.
7 Bombardier George Egbert Lambert  
8 Bombardier George Frederick G. Wieck Prisioner of War, Sanna's Post, 31 March, 1900.  Relieved 4 June, 1900.
11 Gunner Edward Beard  
23 Driver Henry Buckback  
16 Driver Herbert George Harris  
9 Gunner Thomas Irwin  
24 Gunner Henry Mungall  
26 Gunner Frederick James Menah  
19 Gunner Peter Riddell Invalided to Australia arriving on 16 August, 1900.
12 Gunner John Rasmussen  
18 Driver Thomas Ryan Invalided to England arriving on 5 August, 1900.
22 Driver Charles Frederick Schultz Invalided to Australia arriving on 8 December, 1900.
14 Gunner James Smith Invalided to Australia arriving on 1 September, 1900.
17 Gunner Albert Williams Invalided to Australia arriving on 1 June, 1900.

Due to their weight and the condition of the horses the guns were found to be unsuitable for travel with their allotted column in the field and were handed over to the Royal Artillery at Kimberley, being recovered for the return of the Contingent to Australia.