Cutting from the
Kyneton Guardian early June 2000.
Mailed to me by Auntie
Valerie.
The Article was called
Chatting Back….
The history of the Prince of
Wales Regiment in Kyneton can become confusing as it often overlaps the
history of the Mounted Rifles and the Rifle Infantry Corps, according to
information gathered for the Kyneton Historical Society by Pat Sanders
from a collection of talks recorded in the society’s archives.
Pat said that certainly it
appears that some of the men served in both groups.
Mounted troops were considered
socially superior to infantry troops as the men supplied their own
horses, saddles and bridles and Cavalry troops were traditionally
considered the most dashing and desirable regiments for recruits while
the infantry were of course, foot soldiers.
The Kyneton District Mounted
Rifles began with a preliminary meeting of interested men at the Kyneton
Mechanics Institute on September 7th 1860. Present at this
meeting chaired by Dr McKenzie were Mr Apperly, Mr Boulton, Edward Ross,
Mr Baldry, Joseph Rogers, Thomas Hargreave, Mr Jefferson, G.W. Johnson,
F. Lavender, James Thomson and Andrew Thompson (later referred to as
Thomson.
It was explained to the meeting
that the government would supply uniforms and arms to volunteer corps
but the volunteers had to supply their own horses, saddles and bridles.
A complaint was made at the meeting that insufficient advertising had
occurred and accordingly a public meeting was called on September 11th
1859.
At the September 11th,
meeting volunteers were told that 50 men were required to form a troop
and by September 28th, volunteers were being invited to meet
Colonel Pitt who would arrive at the Kyneton Railway station on October
1st 1859 for the swearing in ceremony, Colonel Pitt was the
Commanding Officer of the Victorian Volunteers.
After the swearing in the troop
had to select a title and the name chosen was the Kyneton District Troop
of Mounted Rifles.
The question of uniforms was
addressed by the government with this directive published in the
newspaper on October the 5th 1859.
“1. Uniforms of Melton cloth of
stone grey mixture.
2. Caps of the same material
with leather peaks in front and behind resembling those worn by the
police.
3. Black sticks round the neck
with white shirt collars shown above the collar of tunic.
4. Belts similar to those now
in use . Officers’ uniforms to be as regards to the colour of material,
the same of the privates with addition of gold lace embroidery and
shoulder knot of gold and the shako to be similar to those worn by the
English volunteers and to be with feather plumes and gilt scales.
Sward knot, black silk or
leather, acorn pattern.
The following full dress is
provided for the wear of officers when not under arms:- Blue cloth tunic
and trousers; coat embroidered with black mohair braid; gold lace, one
and a half inches wide, down the out side of the clothing, the Board
recommends that the whole costs of the uniform should be borne by the
government; that the uniforms should be provided once in two years and
that they should not be worn except on parade days or on special
occasions.
(From A Collection of Talks for
the Archives of the Kyneton Historical Society, The Kyneton Mounted
Rifles and The Prince of Wales Light Horse Regiment.
Compiled by Pat Sander.)
