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90th Birthday of the Australian ArmyPrint Page Print this page

Australian Army 90th Anniversary Plaque
Australian Army 90th Anniversary Plaque

Photographs supplied by Peter F Williams

The Scorpion M113 tank was presented to the people of Wagga Wagga by the Commander and all ranks of the Kapooka Military Area on the occasion of the 90th birthday of the Australian Army. 

The history of the Australian Army dates back to colonial forces, prior to the Federation of Australia in 1901. Some of colonial forces, which served the states of Australia at the time, were gradual united into federal units between 1899 to 1903; thus forming the beginning of the Australian Army.

As the Boer War raged, the Commonwealth of Australia was founded on 1 January 1901. On 1 March, 28,923 colonial soldiers, being 1,457 professional soldiers, 18,603 paid militia and 8,863 unpaid volunteers, were transferred to the new Australian Army. However, the individual units continued to be administered under the various colonial Acts. Maj. Gen. Sir Edward Hutton, a former commander of the New South Wales Military Forces, became the first commander of the Commonwealth Forces on 26 December and set to work devising an integrated structure for the new army. The Defence Act of 1903 brought all of the units under one piece of legislation. 

Location

Address:Edward Street (Sturt Highway) & Docker Street, Wagga Wagga, 2650
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -35.116954
Long: 147.355981
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Technology
Monument Theme:Government
Sub-Theme:Federal
Actual Event Start Date:01-March-1901
Actual Event End Date:01-March-1991

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:1991
Front Inscription

CARRIER FIRE SUPPORT, MII3, SCORPION
PRESENTED TO THE PEOPLE OF WAGGA WAGGA  
IN APPRECIATION OF THEIR SUPPORT TO
THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY BY THE 
COMMANDER AND ALL RANKS OF THE KAPOOKA 
MILITARY AREA ON THE OCCASION OF
THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY'S 90TH BIRTHDAY  
1 MARCH 1991 
Alderman Pat Brassil        Colonel G.W. Hurford 
Mayor                                Commander

CITY OF WAGGA WAGGA         KAPOOKA MILITARY AREA 

 

 

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au