Brisbane: Redcoats to Diggers From Colonial Agitation to the Impact of War

Brisbane History Group

From Colonial Agitation to the Impact of War

Brisbane: Redcoats to Diggers is the Brisbane History Group’s twenty-ninth volume of papers. This is one of our largest volumes with a total of sixteen chapters. Most of the papers were delivered at four BHG functions:
‘Victoria Barracks and the Defence of the Colony’, in November 2017, ‘The Peace’ in November 2018, ‘Anzac Square: Development and Anzac centenary refurbishment’ in July 2021 and ‘Lest We Forget: Milne Bay – Gona – Sanananda’ in September 2022.

Written by amateurs, professionals and academics, the chapters offer a diverse range of subjects and caused not a little difficulty in deciding upon a title.

Themes include:
• The British regiments which served at Moreton Bay from 1824 to 1869 and their changing roles
• The threats posed by European powers, strengthening Queensland’s defences and concerns about colonisation
• The impact of World War I on individuals and families as revealed by letters addressed to the premier
• The treatment of aliens during and after World War I, with particular reference to Eugen Hirschfeld, the former German consul for Queensland
• The plans, the history and construction of Brisbane’s Anzac Square memorial
• The recent refurbishment of Brisbane’s Anzac Square, the important memorials in the crypt and the impressive women’s war memorial
• The memorial at South Brisbane, its history and the reasons for its ultimate neglect
• The battles at Gona, Buna and Sanananda, overcoming the conditions and sometimes the incompetence of the leaders
• The role of the medics and the medicines in the Papuan war from injuries in battle to the fight against tropical disease, in particular malaria
• The valuable participation of the Dutch supply ships in achieving eventual success in the Papuan war
• The incredible and inspirational photographic work of Damien Parer
• The location of the American and Australian camps and barracks within the Brisbane region during World War II