Colonial defence

The defence of its Australian colonies was initially the concern of the British government. When the British garrisons were withdrawn from Australia in 1870 each self-governing colonial government had to provide for its own defence. In South Australia the possibility of foreign invasion and violence by convict escapees from other colonies led to the raising of local volunteer forces, which in some cases disbanded when concerns about the perceived threats faded. The History of the Military Forces of South Australia gives information about these local volunteer groups. Their finance, organisation and status were diverse and the effectiveness of groups such as the Willunga Rifle Regiment and Robe Rifle Companywas questionable. The first salaried and better organised force, the South Australian Permanent Artillery, was formed in 1882.

Each colony separately decided whether to make a contribution to the Empire's forces when requested by Britain, as in the case of the Boxer Uprising, the Sudan War and the South African War. In his book, The Rehearsal, KS Inglis gives an account of the Australian colonies' contribution to the Sudan War in 1885. There you will find a description of the departure of the New South Wales' contingent. On the night of 6 March 1885, the troops made a brief stop at Kangaroo Island and some local people made a trip from Adelaide to show their support.

See our Military Resources Library Guide for more information about militia in South Australia. Also in this Guide is information about Australian involvement in the Maori wars, Crimean War and the Sudan.

Since Federation in 1901, national defence has been the responsibility of the Commonwealth. The part played by South Australians in the two world wars, the Korean, Vietnam, Gulf and Iraq Wars, the Malayan Emergency and Indonesian Confrontation, and in the United Nations peacekeeping operations can be traced through the State Library's resources in this website or our Military Resources Library Guide.