Despatch: Catalogue of Early Issues

DESPATCH was the official journal of the Military History Society of New South Wales (formerly known and the New South Wales Military Historical Society) from 1968 to 2008, when it was succeeded by the Society's current journal RECONNAISSANCE.

Below is a catalogue and index of issues of Despatch from July 1968 to September 1974.

Vol.3 no.7 July 1968: Horses and war part 1 p6.

Vol.3 no.8 August 1968: Horses and war part 2 p6.

Vol.3 no.9 September 1968: Arms and accoutrements of Washington’s Army circa 1778 p7. Major George Augustine Taylor p11. The Cameronians for Australia? p12.

Vol.3 no.10 October 1968: Formation of the New South Wales Military Historical Society p1. Medal notes p3. 2nd Division memorial at Mont St Quentin p8. ‘Splice the main brace’: origin of term p10.

Vol.3 no.11 November 1968: Old banner pike found p3. British regiments in Australia part 1 (list) p5. Retirement of the ‘Bulolo’ p6. ‘The Slashers’ reefs p8. V.C. winner retires: Warrant Officer J.H. Gordon p10. Desert Mounted Corp memorial p11. Timor Barracks, Dundas p11.

Vol.3 no.12 December 1968: Air Vice-Marshall I.D. McLachlan retires p7. British regiments in Australia part 2 (list) p8. Distinguished Service Order, World War Two p9. Granville Ryrie p10. Death of Anzac model original: Harley Matthews p11. Ship ‘Jervis Bay’ recalled p11.

Vol.4 no.1 January 1969: King’s colours of the Australian military forces in the 1920s p2. H.M.A.S. Arunta p4. Lieutenant John Wasson DCM, NSW MR and 2 Light Horse Regt AIF p10.

Vol.4 no.2 February 1969: The Military Medal p3. A short history of the Royal Australian Artillery part 1 / J. Andrew p6. Enemy action around Australia (1939-45) p10. The Hong Kong Plague Medal (1894) p14.

Vol.4 no.3 March 1969: A short history of the Royal Australian Artillery part 2 (conclusion) p2. The Soudan Contingent 1885 p4. The Union Flag of Britain, commonly called the Union Jack p9. Queen’s South Africa Medal part 1 p10. Medal notes: the wars in New Zealand 1845-1872 p12.

Vol.4 no.4 April 1969: Queen’s South Africa Medal part 2 p3. Air medal (USA) p6. Medal to mark King’s Cup p6. On active service [Wing Commander Liones Cohen; Admiral Sir Walter H. Cowan] p8.

Vol.4 no.5 May 1969: Queen’s South Africa Medal part 3 (conclusion) p3. History of the Corps of Engineers / L.J. Peck p4. U.S. honour for HMAS Hobart p8. Australian volunteers in New Zealand 1860-1866 part 1 p9. General service medal 1962, with clasp ‘South Viet Nam’ p12. Status of the Albert Medal p16.

Vol.4 no.6 July 1969: Australian volunteers in New Zealand 1860-1866 part 2 (conclusion) p5. The Vietnam Medal p7. Rations 1941 style p12. Wagga contingent to the Sudan War p15.

Supplement to Despatch July 1969: List of foundation members.

Vol.4 no.7 August 1969: The ‘Rising Sun’ Badge p4. The USA honours the Australian Defence Forces p10. Colours awarded after the war of 1914-1918: Army Council instruction no. 444 p12. Annual report p15.

Vol.4 no.8 September 1969: Australia’s third Vietnam VC [Warrant Officer Ray Simpson] p7. Foreign war and commemorative medals approved by Her Majesty for British forces to accept and wear (since 1960) p9. And a battery of field artillery p10. General Moshe Dayan p13. Maurie is one of the last of a few: Coolangatta [Maurice Arthur Weeks] p15.

Vol.4 no.10 October 1969: Another Vietnam VC [Warrant-Officer Keith Payne] p2. The Ninth Light Horse: list of members of the regiment who gained decorations for services rendered during World War One p4. The Reorganization of 1912 [Military order 428] p7. With the white flag into Pretoria!: surrender ordered by a Sydney officer p10.

Vol.4 no.11 November 1969: The 1912 reorganization of the Australian militia part 2 p2. Reedbeds Mounted Volunteers (Reedbeds Cavalry): South Australian military force p4. Spy memoirs by a Lawrence pupil [Charles Boutagy] p6. Lieutenant Commander J.H. Gill RAN p9. Swiss air war, World War Two p11. A brief history of the uniform and traditions of H.Q. Eastern Command Band 1874-1968 part 1 p13.

Vol.4 no.12 December 1969: A brief history of the uniform and traditions of H.Q. Eastern Command Band 1874-1968 part 2 (conclusion) p3. Letter: Military and Royal National Park p6. Bugle horn on badges p7. The bitumen [1940-41 road north of Alice Springs to Darwin] p8. 200th anniversary of the birth of Major-General Sir Isaac Brock p12. Some historic dates for the 10th Battalion AIF p14.

Vol.5 no.1 January 1970: Wingello Stockade part 1 p5. ‘Sky Tiger’ memento comes home to roost [Kuringai] p8. Honours and awards gained by the 3rd Light Horse Regiment p9. Defence Act 1903-1966: provisions relating to service decorations p10. The Mounted Police 1826-1850 p12.

Vol.5 no.2 February 1970: Wingello Stockade part 2 (conclusion) p17. Formation of NSW Volunteer Engineers p21. Belated reward for Albert Medal winners p22. The First Half Flight Australian Flying Corps p27. First flight London to Australia 1919 p28. Pre-Federation badges of the NSW military forces p29.

Vol.5 no.3 March 1970: Scottish edged weapons p31. Decorations awarded to the 6th Light Horse Regiment AIF 1918-1941 p36. The British forces commander at Eureka Stockade 1854: Lieutenant General Sir John Wellesley Thomas KCB part 1 / Major Rex Clark p37.

Vol.5 no.4 April 1970: The British forces commander at Eureka Stockade 1854: Lieutenant General Sir John Wellesley Thomas KCB part 1 (conclusion) / Major Rex Clark p48. The British sailor’s pay: an historical note p51. The response to war of the people of the Wellington district p53.

Vol.5 no.5 May 1970: Dress regulations: distinguished badges and ornaments p58. Changi Prison Chapel p62. Boer War veteran [Warrant Officer Ashley Whitney] p63. History of I Squadron, Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force part 1 p66.

Vol.5 no.6 June 1970: History of I Squadron, Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force part 2 (conclusion) p73. The first Victoria Cross presented in Australia [to Warrant Officers K. Payne and R. Simpson] / John Hopley p78.

Vol.6 no.1 July 1970: Medals of the United Nations part 1 / John Hopley p3. 27th Australian Infantry Battalion AIF (formerly the South Australian Scottish Regiment): awards and decorations for service in World War Two p4. The first parade in New South Wales for the presentation of long service medals / R.H. Millynn p5. The origin of military uniforms: fighting gear changes over the years / C. Francis p6. Old dungeons discovered at Parramatta Gaol p10. Instructions for the wearing of insignia of orders, decorations and medals at official functions p11. New South Wales Military Historical Society draft constitution p15.

Vol.6 no.2 August 1970: Annual General Meeting p17. Bare Island Fort [La Perouse, Botany Bay]: some jottings on its history part 1 / R.H. Millynn p18. Medals of the United Nations part 2 p25.

Vol.6 no.3 September 1970: The history of a mutilated coin: the HMAS ‘Sydney’ – SMS ‘Emden’ medallion 1914 part 1 / F. Pridmore p31. Youngest AIF member dies [Bill Symons] p33. Bare Island Fort [La Perouse, Botany Bay]: some jottings on its history part 2 / R.H. Millynn p35. Boer War veterans [Charles Luxton; Joseph Henry Arkinstal] p39. The Forest Rangers part 1 p40.

Vol.6 no.4 October 1970: The Forest Rangers part 2 p45. Small arms of World War One p48. Awards to the 2 / 4th Battalion AIF for World War Two p52. Two pre-Federation warships: HMQS Gayundah and HMVS Cerberus p53. Medals of the United Nations part 3 / John Hopley p54. The siege of Fort Scratchley / Brian Cogan p55.

Vol.6 no.5 November 1970: The Great Apia Hurricane p62. The history of a mutilated coin: the HMAS ‘Sydney’ – SMS ‘Emden’ medallion 1914 part 2 / F. Pridmore p63. Artillery men seek ‘Calamity Jane’ (gun) p66. Medals of the United Nations part 4 / John Hopley p67.

Vol.6 nos 6 and 7 December 1970 – January 1971: New colours for Duntroon p74. The Commonwealth Senior Cadets Competition Medal (Australia) p75. The Wiltshire Regiment (99 Foot) p80. Two VC winners [Group Captain Gilbert Stuart Martin Insall; Aircraftman 2nd Class Robert Scott] p84. A brief history of military law p88. 6th Australian Machine Gun Battalion (AIF) p89.

Vol.6 no.8 February 1971: NSW Scottish Rifles p97. Medals of the United Nations p100. Battle clasps – British war medal 1914-1920 p101. Sea battle off NSW was ‘unofficial’ [battle between a Russian steamer and a Japanese submarine 1942] p104.

Vol.6 no.9 March 1971: Sergeant Noel Edward Power awarded Military Medal p112. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) p113. The first Australian pilot [W.E. Hart of Parramatta] p116. RAAF decorations, World War Two p117. HMT ‘Aorangi’ / L.L. Barton p119. Australian’s serving with the RAF in the Battle of Britain p121. Brief history of Australian Army aviation p122. History of the RAAF p124.

Vol.6 no.10 April 1971: Emergency edition.

Vol.6 nos 11 and 12, May-June 1971: Private Tom Gunning, NSW Infantry (with postcard) / Mike Downey p130, 133. The badges in the chalk part 1 / John Hopley p135. First to die in South Africe / John Hopley p137. Lieutenant Leslie Cecil Maygar VC DSO / W. Nelson p138. Dress regulations, 1935 style (badges) p140. Sixty wars in 1945 p141. Royal Air Force uniform changes p144. The fort that never really was [Fort Lytton, mouth of Brisbane River, Queensland] p144. Imperial Yeomanry Company titles, Boer War, South Africa 1899-1902 p145. Liners have notable war service [Fairsky; Australis; Angelino Lauro] p148.

Vol.7 no.1 July 1971: The badges in the chalk (conclusion) p3. Transvaal Scottish seek relics of a battle which they lost p9. The battle of Slater’s Knoll [Bougainville] / W.J. Shaw p11. Conflicts in Natal and Zululand 1819-1906 p14.

Vol.7 no.2 August 1971: Royal Australian Infantry Corps Museum at Ingleburn p20. Memorial to the 8th Division [Bathurst Town Hall] p25. Queen’s banner for oldest corps [‘A’ Field Battery] p26. Boer War ‘incident’ revived in address [‘Breaker’ Morant] p27. Annual report p31.

Vol.7 no.3 September 1971: The Australian Army: one hundred years of history part 1: 1871-1939 p34. The Australian Army: the women’s services p37. Presentation of Queen’s Banner to the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery p39. 200 years of army uniforms p42. Rising Sun badges p45. Supplement: The siege of Elands River, South Africa August 4-16 1900.

Vol.7 no.4 October 1971: The Hong Kong Plague Medal / W.J. Shaw p50. From hooves to wheels [passing of the horse in the Australian Army] p51. The Australian Army: 100 years of history part 2: 1939-1964 p53. South Africa, World War Two: serial number prefixes p55. He hurtled 18,000 feet and lived [Sergeant Nicholas Alkemede] p56. Location of the headquarters of the Light Horse and Infantry regiments 1930-1941 p59.

Vol.7 nos 5 and 6 November-December 1971: Brigadier E.J.H. Howard CBE, patron, NSW Military Historical Society p65. The Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps: birth of the Australian Army nursing service and early history p57. HMAS Vampire recommissioned p74. Brief history of the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service p75. History of the Women’s Royal Australian Army Corps p77. Australian Women’s Army Service 1941-1947 p79. Australian World War One memorial unveiled in France p81. The Trooper Police of Australia part 1 p82. 9th Battalion AIF Gallipoli medal p83. Additional notes to the medal roll for NSW troops to the Sudan 1885 p86.

Vol.7 no.7 January 1972: The Australian Army: one hundred years of history part 3: 1964-1971 p95. The Trooper Police of Australia part 2 p99. Ninth 9th Australian Division part 1 / L. Reed p104. Medals of the United Nations / John Hopley p107. Early RAN ship preserved [HMAS Parramatta] p108.

Vol.7 no.8 February 1972: The Trooper Police of Australia part 3 p111. Ninth 9th Australian Division part 2 p116. Bombing of Darwin 19 February 1942 p118. Personal glimpses of the Darwin raid p119. A preliminary list of gallantry decorations awarded to the Australian Army for South Vietnam p121.

Vol.7 no.9 March 1972: Ninth 9th Australian Division part 3 (conclusion) p128. New rank in RAN [Warrant Officer] p130. Musical Director retires [R.A. Newman MBE] p131. Lieutenant Thomas Carne, 46th Regiment (1787-1829) p132. The Trooper Police of Australia part 4 p133. A member’s memories [Mr Stanley J. Booth of Katoomba] p135. Campaign medals issued to Australian Army units (including Australian colonial units) p137. Standard awarded to 34 Squadron RAAF p138.

Vol.7 no.10 April 1972: Visit to Victoria Barracks, Paddington p144. The Trooper Police of Australia part 5 (conclusion) p146. The New Guard p149. Sudan War diary [Sergeant A.O. Butler] p151.

Vol.7 no.11 May 1972: It happened 50 years ago: the Third Battle of Ypres – as told by Bert Kennedy p159. From a pilot’s log-book [Gus Officer, 450 RAAF Squadron] p161. Marines of the First Fleet / L.L. Barton p164. Campaign medals: supplementary information p166.

Vol.7 no.12 June 1972: Light horsemen of Queensland [Australian Light Horse] [Tabulam Station, Upper Clarence River] p173. Visit of Sydney by the Mayor of Dunkirk p174. The Freedom of the City / John Hopley p175.

Vol.8 no.1 July 1972: ‘A’ Field Battery p2. Darwin under the blitz [excerpts from the diary of Mr P.J. Chapman] p3. The 7th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment p8. The Private p9. Royal Air Force Museum progresses p10.

Vol.8 no.2 August 1972: Medals in a collection: Lieutenant Robert Gordon, Queensland Mounted Infantry p17. An AIF Division at the Front: extract from the war letters of General Monash part 1 p21. Casualties prior to embarkation: taken from military orders 1916 p23. Some comments on collecting British campaign medals / Mike Downey p24. Supplement: annual report.

Vol.8 no.3 September 1972: Fort Street Girls High School p36. An AIF Division at the Front: extract from the war letters of General Monash part 2 p40. Air notes: RAAF accepts trophy from Hawker Siddeley Group p42. Australia’s stone age duellists [aborigines] p44.

Vol.8 no.4 October 1972: The Grand Priory in the British Realm of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem p49. Units mentioned in the history of the NSW Corps of Engineers 1869-1891 p51. Death of noted RAN hydrographer [Commander Karl Eric Oom RAN] p53. Death of winner of four military medals [Ernest Albert Corey] p54. An AIF Division at the Front: extract from the war letters of General Monash part 3 p56. Enemy activity off our East Coast, World War Two / R.D. Leonard p58. Australia’s stone age duellists [aborigines] (conclusion) p60.

Vol.8 no.5 November 1972: An AIF Division at the Front: extract from the war letters of General Monash part 4 (conclusion) p64. The first Mudgee land grant part 1 p65. HMAS Hobart – heroic action p67. The Turk attack on the picnic train at Broken Hill, 1 January 1915 p73.

Vol.8 no.6 December 1972: The Freedom of the City p77. Award of life saving medal to Major Rex Clark p78. Memorials to servicemen in St James’ Church, Sydney p79. Bugle lost at Gallipoli goes home p81. South African War Memorial at Moree part 1 [Corporal George Louis Hobson] / B.W. Ellis and D.C. Mearns p82. The first Mudgee land grant (conclusion) p84. Royal Air Force history p85. India General Service Medal (1854) p86. The origin of uniforms, designations of ranks, and units of the British and Commonwealth Armies / P.G. Morton p87. Sydney bank clerk’s French Army award [John McColl] p90.

Vol.8 no.7 January 1973: Soldiers’ wives / L.L. Barton p94. Fort Street Girls High School, Observatory Hill, Sydney [to close] p100. Some shoulder titles of the pre 1903 period p102. Lieutenant William Collins, the last of the First Fleet officers p103.

Vol.8 no.8 February 1973: The South African War Memorial at Moree part 2 [Captain Sydney Howard Nicholson; Private John Edward Gall; Lieutenant Percy Edward Stirton] / B.W. Ellis and D.C. Mearns p110. The Iron Duke [Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington] p114. Anglesea Barracks, Tasmania part 1 p120.

Vol.8 no.9 March 1973: The operation of the 9.2 inch battery p125. HMAS ‘Hawkesbury’ p134. Anglesea Barracks, Tasmania part 2 p132. Scratch-built German World War One light tanks L.KI and L.K.II / W. Ruxton p135.

Vol.8 no.10 April 1973: The first Australian aircraft carrier [HMAS Albatross] p145. First Anzac Day anniversary / W.O.C. Newman p148. Anglesea Barracks, Tasmania p149. Dinkum family p152. ‘Back to Scheyville’ Day p154. The Royal Staff Corps p155.

Vol.8 no.11 May 1973: Roll of officers and men present at the defence of Rorke’s Drift January 22 and 23, 1879 p161. The future of Anzac Day p165. History of the Royal Australian Regiment p166. The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons) / W.J. Shaw p167. The Royal Staff Corps / R.K. Cooper p169. Anglesea Barracks, Tasmania part 4 p170. Origins and development of the Royal Military College p174.

Vol.8 no.12 June 1973: Anglesea Barracks, Tasmania part 5 p182. Death of a Boer War veteran [Ernest Brawn] p185. Duntroon House p186.

Vol.9 no.1 July 1973: Waterloo medal 1815 / T. Hanley p4. Army changeover is ahead of schedule p5. Infantry centre moves [Ingleburn] p6. Anglesea Barracks, Tasmania part 6 (conclusion) p9. British regiments which served in Tasmania 1803 to 1870 p10. Commandants of Van Diemen’s Land / Tasmania pre-Federation p11. Salvage of first HMAS ‘Parramatta’ p13. Death of Gallipoli landing hero [Oswald Dawes Gomme of Vaucluse, Sydney] p14.


Vol.9 no.4 October 1973: Fortifications of the Australian colonies part 2 p48. The Battle of Castlemaine 24 May 1861 p49. Defences of the colony of New South Wales 1876 p50. Salvage of first HMAS ‘Parramatta’ p52. The Torres Strait Light Infantry p53. South African War – 75th anniversary exhibition seeks Queen’s Scarf of Honour p54. Some badges of NSW military forces 1854-1903 p58.

Vol.9 no.5 November 1973: Some South African headdress badges and shoulder titles p63. Australians in action: farthest inland; the battle of the landing, Gallipoli Peninsula 25 April 1915 p64. Changes in RAR complete [re-grouping of the nine battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment into six] p65. Australian artillery of the Sudan contingent p70.

Vol.9 no.6 December 1973: A description of the uniform of the 73rd Regiment of Foot and its history at a glance p76. Australian Victoria Cross winners for the second Boer War 1899-1902 p77. The guns [fortifications] of Wollongong / Corporal Wanst p79. The guns of Wollongong / Lieutenant Corporal Brevet p81.

Vol.9 no.7 January 1974: The British Pacific Fleet p91. Satelberg by storm: the fight for the Satelberg Range, Finschhafen, New Guinea Nov 16-23, 1943 p93. Restoration of Australian Army badge on Salisbury Plain p94. No. 76 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force p96. The battle for Milne Bay p99.

Vol.9 no.8 February 1974: The genealogy of a volunteer infantry unit [First Regiment of New South Wales Rifles] / Ralph Sutton p107.

Vol.9 no.9 March 1974: Information sought on Sydney University Regiment p117. The National Rifle Association in England p119. Waitavolo: 19th Battalion on service in New Britain / Corporal Noel Selway p122. Governor Phillip’s staff p124.

Vol.9 no.10 April 1974: Gallant patrol work p130. Great volunteer review in Hyde Park, London p131. Outline of Australian Army operations in World War Two p136. New stamps from Norfolk Island p140.

Vol.9 no.11 May 1974: How trooper Dalgetty Campbell entered Pretoria in 5 June 1900 / R.L. Wallace p143. Coraki Cavalry tournament 22 August 1891 p146. Boer War memorials p153.

Vol.9 no.12 June 1974: The Boer War: two letters from the Boer side p160. Diary of J.E. Anderson of the Boer way p162. Roll call: G Squadron, 3rd Regiment, NSW Mounted Rifles p169.

Vol.10 no.1 July 1974: Remembered far away – a Boer War memorial (to Lieutenant J.G. Grieve, NSW Military Forces) / Dr J.K. Haken p177. General order (New South Wales) 146, 19 October 1900 p177. The Victory Medal p178. George Lambert – official war artist p181.

Vol.10 no.2 August 1974: The Maritime Strike p188. A brief history of the 36th Battalion (St George’s English Rifle Regiment) / R. Gray p189. The battle of Binh Ba p190. Fort Street Girls’ High School, Sydney p191. Stamps from Norfolk Island p192. His Majesty’s Trawler ‘Lady Shirley’ / N. Selway p195.

Vol.10 no.3 September 1974: Tribute to Edward Thomas Philip Drage p198. Memorial to AIF units at Rosebery, NSW p201. Maktau, East Africa – 3 September 1915 p202. RAAF re-enacts historic flight [aerial survey of the coastline] p203. 

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