[Begin Part2]

8. After the foundation of South Australia in 1836, Armourer sergeants, armament artificers and tradesmen were part of the South Australian Military Forces and later the Commonwealth Military Forces.

9. Incidentally the role of the present day Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers was carried out, at least in part, by the Colonial Storekeeper, then by the self-contained portion of the South Australian Military Forces or the Commissariat part of the Government Stores which originally functioned near Pirie Street, Adelaide, and later in North Terrace East. A Government Gazette of 21 February 1856 shows an order for weapons etc to be returned to stores at the Mounted Police Barracks, North Terrace, Adelaide.

10. In 1847, £940 was spent in converting the Destitute Asylum Buildings into a Military Barracks. The conversion included an armoury and barracks store room gun sheds. These buildings were in use as an armoury with a military storeman until 1913, then continued to be used up to 1920 for other military purposes.

11. A Government Gazette of 27 January 1859 published a list of expenditures for the year 1858. This list included a fixed establishment for a Sergeant Armourer with a salary of £87.8.6 and £39,2.2 allowances. His task was to carry out repairs to Army equipments, authorise contracts for repair to civilian contractors and be responsible for the standard of workmanship and material used in such contracts. This practice is still carried out by the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers,Trade Repair Section.

12. The following is a typical example of the format used when calling for tenders for repair-

13. The volunteer military force reached approximately 2,000 men by 1860. This greatly increased the work load of repairs, therefore, as indicated in the Almanack for the year 1866, the repair staff was increased by a Repairer of Arms — H. Davies.

14. The only indication of the site where repairs were carried out is that, in 1868, a workshop 20' x 28' formed portion of a building which also housed a store, two chaff rooms and a lumber room with storekeeper's quarters and commissariat in the same building.

15. Parliamentary Paper 112 of 1887 shows that Brigadier-General Owen stated that he had 5,000 Martin Henry rifles. At that time, according to Captain de Burgh, Staff Captain South Australian Defence Force, men paid for the repair of their rifles and the Armourer, who carried out the repairs, was paid £150 per annum.

16. At about that time the Military Forces became a separate department, with Captain de Burgh as Military Storekeeper, assisted by an Armourer. These appointments appeared under the heading of arms, ammunition, accoutrements and camp equipment. Parliamentary Paper 112 of 1887 paragraph 974 states that:-

"we have two storemen, one of whom is employed in the Armoury, is a skilled workman able to assist in 'browning' and in other things".

17. At this stage tradesmen began to appear and were formed into a workshop section which was the forerunner of the Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Permanent) and ultimately Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Rates of pay were shown in Blue Book 1899 as follows;-

• Conductor of Stores £170. 0. 0
• Armourer Sergeant Major £160. 0. 0
• Sergeant Major Armament Artificer £150. 0. 0.

18. With the re-organisation of the repair side of the military forces, duties became more detailed, eg:-

a. General Order 1903 paragraph 262

Any repairs beyond the capabilities of the Permanent Warrant Officer or Staff Sergeant will be carried out by the Armourer Branch of the Ordnance Depot. Permanent Warrant Officers and Staff Sergeants of the Army Instruction Corps attached to units will examine all small arms once a year, and on behalf of the Armourer Section render a report through the Command Office of the Regiment for transmission to the Senior Ordnance Officer in the state.

b. Military Order 108- 1907

The Inspector of Ordnance Machinery will be available for expert duty with the Military Board and the Commandants of the several districts. All reports will pass direct between the officers concerned.

Discipline

Inspector of Ordnance Machinery will be officer commanding the Armament Artificers of the Commonwealth Military forces and exercise all Military powers as prescribed in Regulations for the Commonwealth Military Forces. "

Photo No 1

20. Photograph1 taken in 1930 shows a tradesman, Sgt R. Reynolds (right)and two coast artillery soldiers. They are standing against the wall of one of the first workshop buildings in South Australia. This building was approximately 500 square feet in area and was known as the Artificer Workshop, Fort Largs. It contained a treadle lathe, a drill, a forge and benches and was erected in 1920. The establishment of 10 Heavy Battery Royal Australian Artillery in accordance with Australian Army Order number 47-26-1-29 included three staff sergeants, a farrier, a saddler and an Artificer Artillery. The Artificer Artillery, named S. Reeves, set up the workshop component at Fort Largs.

21. Prior to this, in approximately 1912, District Headquarters Ordnance and the workshop from the Destitute Asylum Building in North Terrace transferred to a new site and buildings at Keswick, about one mile South West of the City of Adelaide. The Ordnance staff then comprised the chief ordnance officer, 5 clerks, 10 storemen and tradesmen, and 4 artificers. These positions later changed to civilians.

22. Workshop buildings in the Keswick area from 1920 included the following;

• 1500 sq ftGeneral Engineering shop ———
• 600 sq ftCarpenter's shop ———
• 200 sq ftInstrument shop ———
• 600 sq ftBlacksmith's shop ———
• 400 sq ftMess room and office area ———
• 1200 sq ftTextile and saddlery shop ———
• 2000 sq ftArmoury ———
• 1400 sq ftZeroing range ———

Photo No 2

23. Photograph No 2 taken in 1938 shows Craftsman (now Lieutenant) Heffernan and Corporal Chenoweth standing in the old well in the original Workshop Buildings at Keswick. This well was used for shrinking steel tyres on wooden wheels and is 9 feet diameter and 2 feet deep. The furnace used in the manufacture of the steel tyres was in the white building shown in the photograph.

24. About 1918 the Field Regiment was issued with 18 pounder Mark I and II artillery and 4.5 Howitzers. These equipments had oil, air and spring recoil systems. This gave an increased work load to the workshop who were now responsible for repair, modification, inspection and preparation for firing practice. Prior to this the weapons were in a drill only condition,

25. About 30 miles East of Adelaide in the Woodside Army Camp was a workshop of 1500 square feet. In this workshop repairs were carried out and equipment serviced during militia camps. Remount farms were situated at 0'Halloran's Hill and at Ellersle, which was East of Woodside; these farms were visited by tradesmen periodically to repair equipment such as carts, waggons, limbers and various farming equipment, in situation. Woodside Workshop was also used to train enlistees during the formation of units for the A.I.F in 1939.

26. During 1919 two BL 6" Mark 7 Guns, Coastal Artillery were installed at Fort Largs to replace the disappearing guns, and an artificer was continuously in attendance to maintain them. Electrical instruments with wiring from the gun floor, a depression range finder, automatic sights, range and bearing equipments were all the responsibility of the artificer, in that he had to instal, replace and adjust these technical equipments. The artificer was Armament Sergeant Major S. Reeves who moved to Keswick to become Armament Sergeant Major of the workshop in 1920. This artificer had war service in the 1914-1918 war in a Base Workshop in France.

27. Motor Transport was introduced into 4 District Base about 1921. Minor repairs to transport were carried out by trade repair and controlled by the Armament Sergeant Major of the workshop. A system of inspection was introduced and published in Australian Army Orders on 31 January 1920. The following is a copy of the order:-

28. 4 District Base Workshop had two vehicles at about this time. They were a 1920 model Morris Cowley buckboard and a 1920 Thornycroft truck.

29. The Morris in particular was a great value in moving tradesmen and their tools from the workshop at Keswick to Largs Bay and other places where work in situation was to be done. Prior to obtaining this transport, when a tradesman was required to move to Largs Bay from Keswick, he collected his tool box and set off, first by catching a tram car in front of where the Regimental Aid Post now stands at Keswick. This tram car took him to the Adelaide Station, where he caught a train to Draper, He then walked from Draper to Largs Bay, a distance of about 12 miles, carrying his tool kit all the way. On completion of his task he returned to Keswick in the same manner.

30. Following the suspension of compulsory military training in 1929, Army equipments were treated with preservatives and stored in the Ordnance Depots. Then came the depression, and a heavy cut in the defence vote with a resultant heavy reduction in Army staffs. Repairs, modifications and inspections were stopped, with the exception that a limited amount of repair work was carried out on equipments for use at Annual Military Camps.

31. The Proof and Experimental Establishment was established at Port Wakefield to proof ammunition in about 1928. Included in this establishment was a workshop of 1600 square feet in area, for use in the repair and preparation of guns for firing. Repairs and preparation were carried out by the tradesmen of Proof and Experimental Establishment, but artificers from 4 District Base Workshop attended all firing practices. Some of the earliest artificers carrying out this task were Warrant Officer Reeves, Sergeant Oakes (now Captain), and Artisan Reynolds (now Warrant Officer Class 1).

Photo No 3
A QF18 PR Mk II being repaired by Corporal Chenoweth and Sergeant Reynolds

Photo No 6
Artificer Oakes

32. These weapons were used in ammunition proofing. The Artificer at the Proof and Experimental Establishment, 1937 was Artificer (now Captain) Oakes

Photo No 4
A QF18 25 PR Mk IV mounted on a Mk III carriage

Photo No 5
A BL 60 PR

33. During the period 1923–1929 approval was given for the following:

• The addition of certain military officers with engineering qualifications to the Australian Army Ordnance Depot.
• The formation of Militia Stores Companies to be known as the Australian Army Ordnance Corps — Militia.
• The formation of a Military Corps of Armament Artificers which was designated in 1928 as the Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Permanent) and was the forerunner of the Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers which was established later in 1942.
• A Director of Ordnance Services was appointed in 1929 and was the head of the Australian Army Ordnance Corps. This position was responsible to the Quartermaster General until the outbreak of World War II.

34. The rates of pay for members of the Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Permanent) in 1929 were as follows:-

• Senior Armament Artificers £7.5.0 to £8.0.0 per week
• Armament Artificers £5.13.0 to £6.5.6 per week

35. The Proof and Experimental Establishment at Port Wakefield continued to expand. This necessitated a greater requirement for the attendance of artificers at the establishment. Militia Camps also placed a further drain on the slender establishments of the Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Permanent). The existing establishments of all Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Permanent) units is detailed in Table 11 of Australian Army Orders of 1932 shown hereunder:-

36. These establishments did not include civilians, who were employed as textile workers, saddlers, armourers, blacksmiths, carpenters and wheelwrights. With the formation of Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Permanent), it was necessary to set out conditions and requirements for tradesmen to enlist in this Corps; they were as follows:-

• Applicants must have served at least 5 years as an apprentice to their trade.
• They must pass entrance examinations in Mathematics, Engineering and Drawing and be of a satisfactory medical standard.

37. Applicants having proved themselves suitable for enlistment were then:-

• Given three months' probation.
• Given a trade test which lasted at least three days.

38. After completion of this, recruits were given three months' recruit training at Queenscliff in Victoria or South Head in Sydney. They were then enlisted as Corporal Artisans Group 1.

Photo7
Artisan Reynolds

39. The photograph shown here is Artisan Reynolds Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Permanent) from 4 District Base Workshop, in Ceremonial Dress.

40. In 1938, a major overhaul of the two BL 6" Mk VII Coastal Guns at FORT LARGS was carried out. 20-26 Band 27B Cams were also fitted to the Automatic Sights to accommodate the latest type ammunition. Major machine tools were of an old pattern and were badly worn; however, the experience and training of the tradesmen was of such a high calibre that these tasks were satisfactorily completed.

41. As a further indication of the high class of workmanship required by the Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Permanent), QF18 PR were converted to operate pneumatically as were the 4.5 Howitzers of the 13 Field Regiment and the 13 Field Battery, together with the reserve stocks held by the Ordnance Depot.

42. Very little work on instruments was being carried out in 4 Military District, so in order to ascertain the condition of these, a Lieutenant McFadyen was sent from VICTORIA to inspect all instruments held in 4 Military District. He found them to be in bad condition and instigated their overhaul.

43. 4 Military District Workshop had not been designed for the repair of motor transport; this now became imperative. In order to cope with these repairs, Warrant Officer A.A. Crago set up a Motor Transport Repair Section at the Wayville Showgrounds.

44. Plans were submitted for the erection of a new workshop at Keswick, as it had now been decided to install all trademen under one roof. This new workshop was started in 1938 and occupied in 1939; its area 20,000 square feet.

45. Australian Army Order No 28 Table 12 1938 listed the establishment as follows:-

Ancillary tradesmen were civilians and are not shown.

46. The photograph shows members of this establishment. From left to right:-

• Sergeant R.J. Oakes
• Corporal L. Chenoweth
• Staff Sergeant A.L. Gannon
• Brigadier Martin (Commander 4 Military District)
• Armament Sergeant Major S. Reeves
• Lieutenant G. Hayman (Ordnance Mechanical Engineer Southern Command)
• Lance Corporal Heffernan
• Corporal R.W. Reynolds

47. A further Australian Army Ordnance Corps installation was a Militia Drill Hall — Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Militia) of 5,000 square feet.

48. The mobilisation orders 1938 for Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Militia) units in 4 Military District were:-

These orders contained the following information:-

• Personnel required on mobilization will be found from Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Permanent), Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Militia), and Australian Army Ordnance Depot, the whole to become Australian Army Ordnance Corps. The remainder of the personnel required will be obtained by recruiting from various military depots, especially the Australian Army Ordnance Corps recruiting depot situated in the Engineers' Drill Hall at Keswick.
• Allotment of Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Permanent) and Australian Army Ordnance Depot Personnel.
  One artificer and assistant Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Permanent) attached 10 Heavy Battery Largs Bay.
• Officers commanding Army Field Workshop and District Ordnance Workshop will be responsible for the preparation and execution of the detailed syllabus.
  • Armament Repairs
    It will be essential to institute detailed instruction on the construction, working adjustment, maintenance and repairs of all sources of equipment as soon as possible. Regular Artificers of Artillery units should be attached to Army Field Workshops for the duration of the instruction on the equipments with which they are concerned.
  • Army Field Workshops First Line Repairs
    Personnel allotted to this work will be trained and experienced, with exception of Army fighting vehicles.
  • Instruments and Signals
    Optical and electrical instruments repairs must be instituted.
  • Recovery Section
    The syllabus will include instruction in inspection and repair for all types of equipment.
• 4 Military District on Mobilization
  1 — Ordnance Mechanical Engineer for 4 Military District Deputy Assistant Director Ordnance Services Staff.
• 4 Military District Workshop
  1 x Ordnance Mechanical Engineer (later Deputy Assistant Director Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
  1 x Clerical
  5 x Trades staff
  4 x Armoury staff
• Peace and War Establishments and Increases

  Unit	Peace Establishment		War Establishment		Increase
  	Offrs	ORs	Offrs	ORs	Offrs	ORs
  4 District Workshop Company	2	17	1	24	(-1)	7
  Recovery Section 4 Army Field Workshop	2	15	2	67	—	52
  19 Light Aid Detachment	1	12	1	12	—	—
  20 Light Aid Detachment	—	—	1	12	1	12

[End of Part2]