Preceptory

The Sydney Morning Herald, 25 August 1919.

 

THE FRONTIERSMEN, HOW THEY RUSHED TO THE COLOURS.

 

50 PER CENT CASUALTIES.

 

Something of the work of the Legion of Frontiersmen, whose deeds for the Empire have invested that great scattered band of fighters with all the splendour of romance and chivalry, was related at a dinner and smoke concert given by the New South Wales Command at the Voluntary Workers’ Cafe, Elizabeth-street, on Saturday night.

 

“The Legion,” said Captain J. Suffren, captain of the Now South Wales Command, “knows no boundaries within the Empire. A member in Sydney is equally a member on the Yukon or in the Falkland Islands, in London or in Hongkong, and wherever he lands he is greeted as a comrade.

 

“To come down to the present war, out of 13,500 members over 12,000 have been on active service, and of this number nearly 6000, or 50 per cent, have been killed or incapacitated by wounds or sickness. The 25th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers Frontiersmen, was comprised solely of Legion men, and bore the brunt of most of the hard fighting in British East Africa in the early days of the campaign.

 

“Of the 2000 men who passed through that regiment only 50 men were fit for service when the regiment was withdrawn, and in command was our old chief, Lieut.-Colonel Driscoll CMG, DSO, C. de G. The only white force in British East Africa was the Legion, which turned out as a body, and mainly composed the BEA Mounted Rifles. This small body of mounted troops sacrificed themselves in holding out against the Germans, who were well prepared, until troops could be rushed into the country. Then we come to that splendid body, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, which was almost wholly composed of Frontiersmen, and which was the first dominion regiment to take the field in France; in fact, they were rushed straight from Canada to France, and mostly fell in the second battle of Ypres. Of 1500 members in New Zealand nearly all rushed to the colours, and many squadrons and batteries were mainly composed of our members.

 

“Here in New South Wales were 350 members on active service. So that while we were not able to take the field as the Legion of Frontiersmen, we have justified our existence. If our members could not serve where they would, they served where they could; and I will say this: They made keener and better soldiers through their association with and the training they received in the Legion units before the war.”

 

The Legion’s honour roll, comprising 360 names, was unveiled by Frontiersman Nives, who holds the Legion of Honour.

 

The Frontiersmen, many of them in their picturesque uniform, others in khaki, attended in strong force. Among the gathering was Brigadier-General Herring. A number of toasts, including the loyal toast, were enthusiastically honoured.

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