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OF AUSTRALIA Registered for Posting As a Publication Category B — Price $3.50 /A' B JOURNAL OF THE MIUTARY HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA Registered for posting as a publication Category B — Price $3.50 Vol. XXI No. 1 SABRETACHE93 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE MILITARY HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA (FOUNDED IN MELBOURNE IN 1957) 1 Vol XXI January — March, 1980 No.1 Life and Work of Rev. Forbes by A. E. E. Bottrell 3 Warfare In Shang China by W. Palmer 8 Letters to the Editor 10 Badge Identification by G. R. Vazenry 12 Background to South Australia's Defence Policy by H. J. Zwillenberg 22 The RAM's First Submarines 42 Mary Walker — Medal of Honor Winner by A. Staur}lort 47 Tanks of the Past 58 From the Secretary 62 FRONT COVER: Mary Walker Published by authority of the Federal Council of the Military Historical Society of Australia. The views expressed in the articles in this Journal are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Society. ISSN 0048-8933 THE MILITARY HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA Patron: General Sir John Wilton, C.B., D.S.O., (R.L.) HONORARY OFFICE-BEARERS President: Mr N. Foldi VIce-Presldent: Major H. J. Zwillenberg E.D. (R.L.) Secretary: Lieutenant-Colonel T. 0. Sargent (R.L.) Treasurer: Mr. J. M. Kennedy, J.P., A.A.S.A. Editor: Peter Kelly BRANCH SECRETARIES A.C.T. — Mr W. Palmer, 101. Strickland Cres. Deakin, A.C.T. 2600. VICTORIA — Mr R. J. Kirk, 18 Osborne Court, Hawthorn, Vic. 3122. GEELONG — Mr J. P. Maljers, 4 Stork Avenue. Belmont, Vic. 3216. ALBURYA/VODONGA — Mr R. B. Wiltshire, Creek Street, Jindera, N.S.W 2640. QUEENSLAND — Mr S. W. Wigzell, 17 Royal Street. Alexandra Hills Old. 4157. SOUTH AUSTRALIA — Mr K. Stanley, 40 Deborah Grove, Modbury North, 5092. WESTERN AUSTRALIA — Branch President: Mr. P. A. Shaw, 37 Coomoora Road, Booragoon, W.A. 6154. The Life and Work of Rev. Arthur Edward Forbes, DCM,ED, (1881-1946) by REV. A.E.E. BOTTRELL WHEN a blue-eyed, fair haired boy The YMCA also gave a copy of the was born to William Joseph Kirnshaw New Testament to each soldier. Forbes and Martha Forbes, both The vessel sailed from the harbour originally from Middlesex, England, on on March I, 1900, and the troops December 4 1881, at South Brisbane, disembarked at Cape Town on April 2. they named him Arthur Edward. His 1900. primary schooling took place at local Siich was the materialisation of the educational centres. "Proclamation, February 9, 1900. a third On the committal of Queensland to "Military Force of Volunteers" was the war in South Africa as an ally of authorised, constituting the 4th and 5th Great Britain, Arthur Forbes at the age of Companies, Queensland Mounted 19 years enlisted in the Queensland 3rd Infantry". Mounted Infantry as Bugler No.297 from For return to Australia the force left his home in Agnes Street, Torwood: South Africa on the transport stating that his occupation was that of a Morayshire on May 9, 1901, landed at photographer. The bugler was one of the Sydney on June 7 where they entrained last five men posted. on June 12 and arrived in Brisbane the As Officer Commanding, Major following day. W.H. Tunbridge had a force of 14 The veterans received a most officers, 302 others with 406 horses. vociferous welcome from a great host of In South Africa the company loved ones, friends and well-wishers. became the 2nd Regiment in the On June 15, 1901, and 11 days before "Bushmen's Brigade" of Colonel the unit was disbanded, according to a Plumer's Column that assisted in the report in the Brisbane Courier on 17th, Relief of Mafeking. the Governor and Lady Lamington were On the eve of embarkation on the present at a presentation of medals to 111 transport Duke of Cornwall in Brisbane members of the 3rd Mounted Infantry Harbour, the parade was addressed by awarded them by the Imperial Acting Commandant Colonel Lyster and Government. The venue was Victoria Lieutenant-Governor Sir Samuel Barracks, Brisbane. Griffith. On this same day a Mr Edward H. A silver bugle was given the Macarthey had written an article for the company by Miss Macarthey from the Brisbane Courier setting out the bush girls of the State. circumstances under which Bugler A.E. 3. Forbes had won the Distinguished One result of the bugler's decoration Conduct Medal during a severe skirmish was the presentation to himself of a in the Boer War on Sunday July 22,1900. silver-mounted bugle and a purse of 63 But full recognition of this noble feat is gold sovereigns from the admiring people given by E.L. Wallace in his book,"The of Brisbane by the first Governor- Australians at the Boer War", and much General of Australia, Lord Hopetoun, in more so by Lt.-Col. P.L. Murray in the September, 1901. Forbes gave the gold Official Records, 1911 pp 465 and 473. tribute to his mother, an earnest In this last book the author quoted Christian woman. the report to the Colonial Secretary, But the campaigns oh South Africa Brisbane, August 17, 1901, of Captain continued apace and the call to arms R.B. Echlin, Officer Commanding "B" resounded for A.E. Forbes, DCM. He Squadron, 3rd Queensland Mounted enlisted in the 1st Australian Infantry: Commonwealth Horse (Queensland) 'The most notable act of bravery, not as Bugler No 867. The unit was known as actually observed by me, but of which I "D" Company in lAC/WH and under have ample evidence, was that of command of Lt.-Col. J.S. Lyster. The Bugler Forbes. This lad, then about 16 company had seven officers, 116 others, years old,took my horse and his own to what wassupposed to be cover,behind with 124 horses. Volunteers accepted a deserted fvm house, and field those were good horsemen and able shots. For horses until tliey were Ixith shot privates, gunners and buglers the pay rate During that trying time he tiad a iMillet was five shillings a day with all personal sent through his liaversack. and Army equipment supplied. "Forbes, with the other horse-holders, were compelled to take shelter In this "D" Company left Brisbane by train farm liouse; and when, with the for Sydney on January 26, 1902, and continuous fire kept up by Its embarked on the transport Custodian at occupants, ammunition commenced Sydney on February 18,1902. The date of to run stioii, Forbes under fire went out amongst the shot horses and arrival at South Africa is unknown. The ransacked the saddle wallets. A Mr company took part in driving operations Foy, a war correspondent of a West in Western Transvaal under Lieutenant- Austrdlan newspaper, was one of General Ian Hamilton, who received a those who took shelter In the farm house, and In writing to his Journal telegram (a rare gesture from Supreme particularly referred to Forties* action.** Command)from Lord Kitchener.."Cap U nderneath this citation are also the ital result. Tell troops I highly appreciate words: "Bugler Forbes was mentioned in their exertions and consider result very despatches and awarded the DCM" satisfactory". Despatches. "297, Forbes, Arthur The Company embarked at Durban Edward, Bugler, DCM Despatches, on the transport Drayton Grange for London Gazette, 27-9-1901". home on July 11, 1902, reached Brisbane Two hundred and seventy on August 13, 1902, to be disbanded on Australians served in this savage action, August 19. of which 70 were Queenslanders. The rest During these two duty stints in thie of the men were from New South Wales, South African war Bugler Forbes was in Victoria and West Australia. Casualties the battle zones of the Transvaal, amounted to 59. 4. Rhodesia, Cape Colony and the Orange conscious of the responsibility in Free States. pioneering a new field". Becoming conscious of a "call" to a full-time ministry in the Church, Forbes The Home Mission Report of the journeyed to Scotland to spend some Annual Assembly of the Baptist Union of years in the Glasgow Bible Institute as a Queensland, June 30, 1912, stated that theological student. Forbes had "served at the church in On graduation from the College he Beaudesert for two years and left in was ordained for the (Baptist) ministry August, 1911". and returned to Brisbane. Under the During this year he was listed as a Aegis of the Queensland Evangelisation second year student in the Baptist Society he entered the missionary field to College; if he did not hold the Beaudesert shearers, miners and Kanaka cane- church from August, 1911 until called to cutters; his base of operations being the Albion in August, 1912 what and where town of Beaudesert. was his vocation? Mrs Forbes gave birth From data available the missioner to their first child at Beaudesert. must have worked on a part-time basis After a successful ministry of, say, while he also studied at the Baptist Union two years at Beaudesert the family moved theological college from 1910 until he to the Belmore church in New South retired from the institution in August, Wales in 1914. While resident in this 191 1. Apparently, one assumes pastorate. World War I erupted and Missioner Forbes continued his labours when Australia aligned herself with the in the Beaudesert region. Allied Forces, Forbes offered his services While residing in Fiji, Newman and as a military chaplain. Ellen Sarah Eastes Ruddle became the The volunteer was accepted for duty parents of baby Ruby Loloma who, and received a commission as Chaplain eventually and on March 1, 1911, became 4th Class on March 1, 1915.
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