Until the opening of the Drill
Hall in Reynards Road, Coburg, the area’s cadets (Area 59) had no permanent
building in which to meet. Although they had tried to secure Coburg Public
Hall, the Council refused permission, because the Hall was a valuable revenue
raiser and its use as a drill hall would mean a significant loss of income.
(Coburg Leader, 17 March 1911, p.4) In May 1911 Moreland State School was being
used as a temporary drill hall (Coburg Leader, 19 May 1911, p.1) and it was not
until December 1912 that the Coburg Council finally offered the Defence
Department ‘a large Recreation Reserve in Reynard Road. The offer was for as
much as required and as long as required at peppercorn rental of one shilling
per year.’ (Coburg Leader, 6 December 1912, p.1)
The Drill Hall in Reynard Road was built in December 1913 at a cost of £1,500, which in today’s terms is about $162,500. Click here to see how this was calculated.)
Much later images of the Drill Hall, courtesy Coburg Historical Society. For
a history of this site, see the Robinson Reserve Neighbourhood House website.
At this stage there was no Drill
Hall in Brunswick. In July 1915, the local newspaper referred to a drill hall
of iron and wood being erected in Percy Street, Brunswick. It was opened in
1916. (Brunswick and Coburg Leader, 9 July 1914, p.4)
The Drill Hall was for the use of
the Senior Cadets of Area 59 and for the use of the 59th Regiment
when it was formed.
The Area Officer when it first
opened was Lieutenant R.B. Anderson, probably Robert Balfour Anderson of Blair
Street, Coburg. He was assisted by Staff-Sergeant Major Taylor, who was
probably James William Taylor of Bell Street, Coburg. His other assistant was
Staff-Sergeant Major P. MacMahon of 57 Victoria Street, Coburg and later of 4
Wellington Street, Coburg.
The official opening of the Drill Hall on Saturday 21 February 1914 was a
grand event. The Minister for Defence Senator Edward Millen was there to
address the 500 cadets and officers who were present.
Senator
Millen, c.1914. Image courtesy
Australian War Memorial, Image 306782.
Brunswick and Coburg Leader, 27
February 1914, p.2.
One of the more colourful
characters at the opening was Captain Steel, commander of the 59th
Battalion of Cadets:
I have yet to identify Captain Steel and to date the closest I have come is an H. Steel who belonged to the Coburg Lacrosse Club.
Capt Steel is a mystery. I can't find him among the records so far.
ReplyDeleteI can't find him, either, but I think I've found a likely candidate. I'll try to write the next blog entry over the weekend and you can see what you think!
ReplyDeleteCheryl
is William Dalton in this photo by any chance?
ReplyDeleteSorry. Don't know the answer to that one, unfortunately.
ReplyDelete