From Cables to Commemoration: THE GOLD COAST HOME FRONT 1914 –1918 Proudly supported by This project is proudly supported by the Queensland Government. Cover image: Group of people at Mudgeeraba Railway Station, circa June 1917. Image courtesy City of Gold Coast Libraries Local Studies Collection. 2 CONTENTS Introduction 5 Recruitment and training 8 The Southport Cable Station and the Pacific Cable 23 Life at home during the war 26 Repatriation and convalescence at home 34 An unquiet peace 41 End notes 60 Acknowledgements 67 3 Peace Day marching band with soldiers and nurses looking on, Mudgeeraba, circa 1919. Image courtesy of Jack Rudd. 4 Introduction had ambitions for expanding its territory and power. This booklet and accompanying It allied with the old Austro-Hungarian Empire in exhibition, titled From Cables to 1879, built up its military and naval might, and began acquiring colonies in Africa, China and the Pacific. Commemoration: the Gold Coast Under Wilhelm’s grandson, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany home front 1914 – 1918, explores became increasingly aggressive, and this inevitably led to conflict with the other great global power of the day, the effect of World War I on the Gold the British Empire. Ferdinand’s assassination sparked a Coast. World War I, also known as the diplomatic crisis that triggered a major conflict between these superpowers and their respective allies. Great War, had a profound impact World War I commenced on 28 July 1914 and lasted on all of Australia, and while there until 11 November 1918. The scale of this war was are many national stories about the unprecedented, and involved all the major European powers, as well as the Turkish Ottoman Empire, Japan war, there are also those particular to and eventually the United States of America. More individual communities. From Cables to than 70 million military personnel were mobilised and over 9 million combatants and 7 million civilians died Commemoration: the Gold Coast home as a result of the war.1 As a loyal member of the British front 1914 – 1918 looks at some of Empire, Australia was swept into the conflict. Indeed, proportionally Australia was to commit, and lose, more the key themes and stories which young men than any other Commonwealth country. emerged from this tumultuous part of Between 1914 and 1918 the Australian population stood at approximately 4.9 million, and a total of around the city’s history. 420,000 people enlisted for service, representing 38.7 per cent of the male population aged between On 28 June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to 18 and 44.2 Of those who enlisted, it has been the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his wife, Sophie, estimated that more than 60,000 were killed and were assassinated by Serbian separatists while being 156,000 were wounded, gassed, or taken prisoner.3 No conveyed in their open car through the streets of previous or subsequent war has made such an impact, Sarajevo. No-one that day could have foreseen that the and across the nation communities large and small event would precipitate World War I. Political tensions struggled to deal with the war and its after effects. had been building in Europe ever since 27 German Among those communities was Queensland’s Gold kingdoms, principalities and other small states unified Coast, then known as the South Coast. In this period in 1871 into the German Empire under Kaiser Wilhelm I. it was a lightly settled, relatively prosperous rural This new German state was highly industrialised and district which had grown on the back of timber-getting, 5 Soldiers and residents on the platform of West Burleigh Railway Station, Queensland, circa 1916, Marriott family, photographer. Image courtesy City of Gold Coast Libraries Local Studies Collection. 6 sugarcane, dairying and mixed farming. The South Coast Railway, completed in 1903, linked a number of principal hinterland centres (Nerang, Beenleigh and Mudgeeraba), coastal towns (Southport, Coolangatta, Burleigh Heads and Currumbin), as well as various smaller villages and farms, to Brisbane and the New South Wales border. While the railway had been built primarily to boost rural production, it also brought in tourists. The region’s main drawcard were its beaches which were becoming popular holiday destinations for Brisbane people as well as farming and coal mining families living out west in the Ipswich and Darling Downs areas. During the years of World War 1, the railway served to transport enlisted men from the South Coast area to recruitment centres in Brisbane, predominantly at Enoggera Barracks. The railway also carried sick and injured men back to their families or to convalescent facilities which had been established on the coast. The Gold Coast also played a crucial role in telegraphic communications with the Southport Cable Station sending and receiving messages for the Commonwealth. The war stirred up issues not previously encountered in the local community, including ostracism of the German community – a group which had played a crucial role in the development of the district since non-Indigenous settlement began. It removed many young men and women from their families and livelihoods, some never returning. It Letter to Mr D. Denham, Premier of Queensland from Lieutenant- also brought a growing desire within the community Governor of Queensland, Arthur Morgan relaying the telegraphic to both commemorate those who served in the war message from the Governor General of Australia about war breaking out between Great Britain and Germany, 5 August 1914. and to avoid future conflicts. With the end of the war Queensland State Archives Item ID2120791, Batch file. came the terrible 1918 – 19 global influenza pandemic which had a particularly local impact; the closure of the Queensland/New South Wales border and the growth of Coolangatta as a township. 7 View of Southport Recreation Reserve showing the Southport Drill Hall (building with curved roof), 1898. Image courtesy City of Gold Coast Libraries Local Studies Collection. Recruitment and training When war was declared, Australia did not have the Club (established 1891), the Ormeau-Pimpama Rifle large, full-time, professionally trained defence force Club (established 1901), the Logan and Albert District it does today. It had vast spaces to defend, a small Rifle Club (established 1907), the Alberton Rifle Club population and an economic depression resulting (established 1909) and the Coolangatta Rifle Club from a series of droughts in the 1890s and early 1900s. (established 1913). Australia could not afford more than a small regular The Southport Drill Hall, established in 1890, was also army supported by a large contingent of volunteers. part of the Commonwealth commitment to developing During peacetime the vast majority of soldiers were in the citizen military units. Designed purely for military reserve units of the Citizens Military Force (also known purposes the function of the Drill Hall was to maximise as the CMF or Militia). When needed Australian Imperial the safety and efficiency of personnel and their work Forces were formed, drawing on the CMF and the and to provide training facilities for the citizen forces. broader population, to serve overseas.4 The Defence Drill Halls were designed to a standard plan and were Act 1884 provided for the establishment of rifle clubs erected at strategic points throughout the country for the CMF to encourage rifle shooting throughout including locations near harbours and rivers. These the colony and as such, rifle clubs became important areas were deemed to require protection, particularly for the defence of Australia. They were seen to be a as they might have afforded access to enemy warships. reserve of manpower that could be called upon should The South Passage at Southport was selected as an any invasion occur. Rifle clubs were so important that important site for defence, along with protection of the the Commonwealth supported the movement through river traffic between Southport and Brisbane. the provision of land for rifle ranges, training staff, rifles, ammunition and targets. At the time of the outbreak of From 1891 to 1901 the Drill Hall was used by Colonel war there were a number of local rifle clubs operating William Larther who was Officer-in-Charge of the in the South Coast region including the Nerang Rifle Moreton Regiment of the Queensland Defence Force. 8 Mudgeeraba Volunteer Defence Corps parade in Southport Alberton Rifle Club, circa 1913. Image courtesy City of Gold Coast Showgrounds, circa 1914. Image courtesy City of Gold Coast Libraries Local Studies Collection. Libraries Local Studies Collection. At the time, the purpose of the Regiment’s location was CMF (known as the Army Reserve after 1980) began to to protect the overland telegraph line from Brisbane decline in importance. to Southport. In 1901, the permanent staff, volunteers The First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) was the main and militia associated with the Southport Drill Hall were overseas, or expeditionary, force of the Australian Army absorbed into the Commonwealth Defence Force and during World War I. It was formed on 15 August 1914, the Drill Hall was handed over to the Commonwealth. initially consisting of one infantry division and one light During World War 1, the drill hall was used by the horse brigade.6 The infantry division subsequently fought Commonwealth Defence Force for military training at Gallipoli between April and December 1915. The AIF purposes, including training of the Volunteer Defence was then expanded to five infantry divisions and three Corps. A contingent from the Commonwealth Defence light horse brigades by the time fighting began in France Force based at Southport also guarded the Pacific and Belgium along the Western Front in March 1916. The Cable Station at Southport during war time. 1st AIF also included the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) The CMF model remained in place until 1947 by which which operated in the United Kingdom on the Western time the Australian Army had fought in three major Front and the Middle East.