18th Infantry. (North Sydney)

17th - 18th INFANTRY REGIMENT (North Sydney)

Pre Word War One

"Compulsory Military Training Scheme that was introduced in 1910, which was directly responsible for expanding the Citizens Forces by up to 50 percent in the three years prior to the outbreak of World War I. Undoubtedly, the scheme proved to have numerous benefits, as many of these youths went on to serve in the First AIF during World War I and the expanded organisation allowed citizens forces officers more experience in commanding formed bodies of men. However, it was the main factors contributing to the decision to recruit the AIF on the basis of voluntary enlistment. Because the army in 1914 was largely made up of young men aged between 19 and 21 who had been enlisted under this scheme, and due to the provisions of the Defence Act that precluded sending conscripts overseas, upon the outbreak of the war it was necessary for the Australian Government to raise a separate force, outside of the Citizens Forces organisation for service overseas."

Wikipedia

17th Infantry Militia

"A"Company; Manly, "B" Company; Neutral Bay, "C" Company; North Sydney, "D" Company; Artarmon, "E" Company; Mosman, "F" Company; Neutral Bay, "G" Company; North Sydney, "H" Company; Artarmon.

2nd Lieutenant: William Vere BLAKE. Manly, N.S.W. (A Company 18th Infantry)

Lance Sergeant: 3169 Robert Law JONES. Manly, N.S.W. (A Company 18th Infantry) Lieutenant

Group portrait of Australian Commonwealth Cadets from "A" Company, Champions of the 17th Battalion,

17th (The North Sydney Regiment ) Battalion. Identified: Left to right, back row: N Phelps; J Craven (possibly 8374 Private (Pte) John Hubert Craven, of Manly, NSW, later served with 20 Australian Army Service Corps); C Davidson; unidentified; R Dunn; unidentified; unidentified; R Close; unidentified; unidentified; F Maudsley; Brown; J Deane; N Keirle (possibly 19263 Pte Norman Arthur Daniel Keirle, later a medical student of Manly, NSW, who served with the Australian Army Medical Corps); unidentified. Second row from back: F Mc?; E Fevyer; unidentified; W Bunting (rear) (possibly 3020 Pte William Jabez Bunting, of Manly, NSW, who served with the 20th Battalion and as NX31768 Pte with the Base Postal Unit during the Second World War); unidentified; West; J J Beattie (2953 Private (Pte) Joseph James Beattie, of Manly, NSW, later served with the 18th Battalion); unidentified; unidentified; W Howarth; L Hammill (probably 11971 Driver (Dvr) Leslie Rothwell Hammill, of Epping, NSW, later served with the 9th Field Ambulance); unidentified; F Lough (possibly N93993 Pte Laurimer Fily Thomas Lough, of Manly, NSW, later served with the Engineers Depot); unidentified; O Stephenson (possibly 16890 Dvr Anthony Oswald Stephenson, of Manly, NSW, later served the Camel Brigade Field Ambulance); unidentified; M Susans; H Beattie; unidentified; Day; unidentified; unidentified. Third row from back: R Holtsbaum; Roberts; unidentified; C Forbes; A Vining (possibly 923 Pte Arthur William Vining, of Manly, NSW, later served with the 36th Australian Heavy Artillery Group); G Phillips; T Roberts; L Wright; Senior Cadet Sergeant W Railton (possibly 219 Sergeant Norman Leslie Railton, of Manly, NSW later served with the 2nd Battalion); Thompson; Instructor V Rowlands (possibly 2nd Lieutenant (Lt) Verner Stanley Rowlands, of Manly, NSW, later served with the 2nd Battalion. Lt Rowlands was Commander of Senior Cadets from 1911 to 1913. He enlisted on 9 October 1914 and was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 February 1915, Captain on 7 August 1915, and Major on 16 April 1916. He was killed in action in Belgium on 30 September 1916 aged 28 years.); W Trott (possibly 233 Sergeant William Augustus Trott, of Manly, NSW, later served with the 2nd Battalion); S Grimes (possibly 15373 Motor Transport Driver Stafford Underwood Grimes, of North Manly, NSW, later served with Mechanical Transport); R Cobley; unidentified; Roberts; unidentified; R Davidson; unidentified; R Hammond. Front row: unidentified; unidentified; Webb; unidentified; unidentified; unidentified; unidentified; E Ling (possibly 5467 Pte Edward John Ling, of Manly, NSW, later served with the 18th Battalion); Deen; unidentified; G Nichols; unidentified; L Saillard (possibly 4527 Pte William Richard Saillard, of Manly, NSW, later served with the 20th Battalion); A Brassington (possibly 1934 Pte Arthur Brassington, of Manly, NSW, later served with the 34th Battalion); E Wilkinson (possibly 5903 Pte Eric Robert Wilkinson, of Manly, NSW, later served with the 18th Battalion); C Borthwick (possibly 2047 Pte Claude William Borthwick, of Manly, NSW, later served with the 2nd Light Horse Regiment); unidentified; unidentified. The photograph was probably taken at Ivanhoe Park behind Manly Football Oval, corner of Sydney and Pittwater Roads. The oval was used as a parade ground for the cadets of the school on occasions. All the boys are are wearing a 1912 pattern shirt and breeches and a rounded hat.