.

CHAPTER I.

THE GENESIS.

The outbreak of the South African War in 1899 brought to the surface, in
the people of Australia, that innate love of the Old Country which so
marks the British race in whatever part of the world its members may
happen to reside. Each Colony made an offer of men who were anxious to
serve side by side with their kinsmen of the Regular Army. These offers
were accepted--not because the men were needed at that time, but for the
reason that statesmen recognised the existence of an era in the
development of the dominions overseas that demanded the admission of
their inhabitants to a share in the responsibilities attached to the
maintenance and promotion of the welfare of the Empire. The reverses to
the British arms which occurred during the opening months of the
campaign roused in Australia a spirit of intense loyalty and patriotism,
which was exemplified by renewed offers of assistance to the Government
in London. These offers received an early response, with the result that
across the Indian Ocean was maintained a steady stream of troops during
the whole two and a half years of operations.

Western Australia readily took up a share of the burden and played her
small, though not unimportant, part. Her contribution in troops
consisted of 64 officers and 1,167 other ranks, together with 1,179
horses. On a population basis this effort was greater than that of any
of the other Australian States. In casualties the various units (one
infantry and nine mounted infantry) suffered a loss of 40 by death and
86 by wounds. That the services rendered were valuable, worthy of the
State, and highly creditable to the individuals, may be gathered from
the fact that the following honours were awarded: 1 V.C., 2 C.B.'s, 7
D.S.O.'s, 8 D.C.M.'s, and 3 additional Mentions in Despatches.

When Europe burst into the flame and smoke of war in August, 1914,
Australia was unified in Government and a nation in sentiment--but
still a British nation. Her offers of assistance had been expected and
were graciously and gratefully accepted. The Western Australians once
more responded and, this time, in their thousands. Again the quota was
exceeded--reinforcements being supplied even for Eastern States'
units--and in all some 32,028 soldiers and nurses enlisted for service
overseas during the period of 1914-1918.[A] Over 6,000 of these laid
down their lives for Australia and the Empire, and many thousands more
were w