1st Australian Horse

3rd, later 11th AUSTRALIAN LIGHTHORSE REGIMENT l898~l913

The 1st Australian Horse volunteers Regiment was formed by the New South Wales Colonial Government on 5th August 1897, the third Lighthorse Regiment in NewSouth Wales. The HQ and A Squadron were based at Murrumburrah (363krn) BSquadron and Band at Goulburn (210km) in the southern portion of the Colony,with C Squadron at Liamore (711km) D Squadron at Ta:nworth (350]on) and F Squadron at Ansidale (461km) from Sydney in the northern portion.

At Easter 1907, the Australian army held manoeuvres at a Divisional level in which the 1st ALH Brigade participated. The AIlB camped at Casula, 36km fromSydney. The 3rd AM Bend were early ercivals. The manoeuvres took place at Macquarie Fields 10km distant and the band led one of the columns to the exercise area. The 1st AM (MSW Lancers) led another. During these manoeuvres both bands undertook their stretcher bearer and regimental  duties.

Lord Morthcote, Governor-General paid the first visit of a Governor-General to Goulburn on 10th May 1907, the 3rd AM Band met the Governor-General on his arrival at the railway station and lead the procession to the town hall. It later played at three other functions attended by Lord Northcote.

In 1911, the band went on parade with a number of inexperienced horsemen, unused to controlling horses knees, whilst their hands were on their instruments. used to hand music. All went well until the DC sign on the march card, the band did not responded to the indication, discordant notes were sounded and shouts were heard. ‘prejudicial to good order and military discipline’.

The drum horse halted, lowered and shook its head until silence and good order returned. Then pricking up its ears, resumed its gait, followed by the other horses and on the sound of the drum the hand resumed playing.

On 5th August 1912, the Australian Lighthorse Regiments, Commonwealth Military Force, were restructured and renumbered. The 3rd AM unchanged became the 11th AM. A consequence of this reorganisation was that the band subsidy previously paid to the 3rd was discontinued. The band was allowed to retain its instruments and uniforms and became the Lighthorse Band. It was permitted to use the drill hall for band practice and it turned out for AM functions.

A number of the bandsmen re-enlisted in the 11th AM when their engagement was reached and later served in the AM in World War 1. It was under these conditions that the band paraded with the 3rd Light Horse Brigade (7thLancers), 9th NSW Mounted Rifles and 11th Australian Horse seven hundred men for the official Canberra Commencement Ceremony on 12th March 1913. The music was provided by the 7th NSW Lancers (Grays) end the 11th Australian (Bays) AM Regiments.

The ceremony commenced with the arrival of the Governor-General Lord Denman when the National Anthem (God Save the King) was played. After the naming  the Capital as Canberra was announced the band played the ‘Oh Hundredth’ (All People That On Earth Do Dwell), followed by ‘Advance Australia’ and the ‘National Anthems’. The Brigade then marched past in review by regiments and squadrons, led by the Band of the NSW Lancers with the 11th Australian Corps in the centre. An historic occasion for a military band to finish. The band continued as the Lighthorse Band until numbers diminished in the 1950’s

Sources: The author has been unable to find anything published on B Th;vmra ian Horse. The main source of information has been the National Library of Australia, Canberra. This includes the use of Government records Commonwealth and NSW Gazettes, newspapers – Gooldburn Herald and Post, Sydni Morning Herald, film and photographic collections. Mr S Tazewell, President of the Gouldburn Historical Society, assisted with bell programe’ xmas cards and photographs. History of Gouldburn (R T Wyatt) let edition I was also used.

Notes on the Band

From 1901 until 1912 under Bandmaster J Cody,  the Annual Report which contained a band roll, a engagements and an audited balance sheet. printed containing a photograph of the band. The Band produced and printed a photograph of the band, list of a band Christmas card was also viewed.

The Governor of NSW visited Goulburn in April 1903 to lay the foundation stone for the Sooth African War Memorial, the hand played at the Governor arrival at the railway station, the official reception on the lawns of the Law Courts and the foundation stone laying ceremony. At the ceremony after the stone was laid, the Band played ‘Let me Like a Soldier fall’.

The memorial is in the form of an Australian soldier, whose face is based on a photograph of Trooper Barker of Yarra (10km from Soulburn) of the let AH who was killed in the Transvaal.

In May 1903 the proposed restructuring of the Australian Lighthorse Regiments under Commonwealth Control was announced, with the southern squadrons plus a transfer of another squadron from the MSt4 Mounted Rifles and a rifle company into the 3rd Australian Lighthorse Regiment. The band was to be disbanded. There was a public protest and it resulted in the provision of a hand Subsidy. Phen the restructuring details were gazetted there was no provision for a band.

On 1st January 1904 new Dress Regulations for the ACH came into force and the red plumes were replaced. The New South Wales Regiments being identified by black feathers. The 3rd AlH wore black Orphington Cock feathers.

At the regimental ball in 1904 a new regular feature was introduced prior to the supper interval, a number of young ladies performed a dance and marching display.

The band played at a number of fund raising functions to meet the coats of the South African Memorial which was unveiled on 14th November no senior military officers were present, for on that day at Melbourne, Victoria, colours were presented to the Australian Infantry and Artillery Regiments. There was no reference of guidons for the AlH.

The hand competed in a band festival held in Goulburn in January 1905. It gained third place and the hand continued to participate in other band competitions. The 1905 competition was restricted to New South Wales Bands. The remainder of competitions the band entered were open to a~ Australian hands. later that year the position of bandmaster, Goulburn City Band was advertised and the actions of Bandmaster Cody were the subject of correspondence in the local press. The principal correspondent being a former member of the 1st AHI3rd AM Band and who later replaced Mr Cody as bandmaster. At Easter 1907, the Austrakan army held eanoeuvres at a Divisional level in which the 1st ALH Brigade participated.

Tags: 11th Australian Lighthorse Regiment, 1st Australian Horse, australian military bands, e, military band
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