About This Unit
EIGHTH BATTALION AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH HORSE.
THIS Contingent comprised the Battalion Staff and "A" and "B " Squadrons; "С" and "D" being Tasmanian and Western Australian respectively.
It was raised, like the 5th, 6th, and 7th, upon a territorial basis, for which and other particulars of organization, &c., vide page 184. Preference in selecting men, qualification, age, term of engagement, conditions, pay, horse selection, &c, as for other battalions, which see.
Regimental staff consisted of 1 lieut.-colonel, 1 major, second-in-command, 1 adjutant, 1 quartermaster, 1 medical officer, 1 veterinary officer, 1 regimental sergeant-major, 1 regimental quartermaster-sergeant, 1 orderly-room sergeant (staff sergeant). One paymaster was appointed for two Battalions.
Each Squadron included 1 captain, 4 subalterns, 1 sergeant-major, 1 quartermaster-sergeant, 4 sergeants, 1 sergeant-farrier, 6 corporals, 1 saddler, 3 shoeing-smiths, 2 trumpeters, 97 troopers; in all, 5 officers, 116 others. One Squadron was divided into four troops, each under the immediate command of a subaltern officer, and comprising about 29 N.C.O.'s and men. Most of the officers and many of the men had served in previous Contingents or South African corps. The appointment of one subaltern in each Squadron was left vacant.
The four troops of "A" Squadron were raised in Adelaide, and the country within a radius of 80 miles; "B" Squadron as follows—1st troop in the south-eastern district (headquarters, Mount Gambier, comprising Naracoorte, Penоla, Millicent, and surrounding country); 2nd troop in the central north-eastern district (headquarters, The Burra, comprising Petersburg, Broken Hill, and the country (between ); 3rd troop in the Peninsula district (headquarters, Wallaroo, comprising Moonta, Kadina, Bute, and surrounding country); 4th troop in the northern district (headquarters, Port Pirie, comprising Jamestown, Gladstone, Port Germien, Spalding, Laura, and surrounding country).
Service.
Like the three previous Battalions, this one was not destined to see anything of the war. The Contingent, comprising 13 officers, 232 others, with 250 horses, left Port Adelaide by the transport St. Andrew on the 26th May, 1902, taking also the Tasmanian and Western Australian Squadrons, and arrived at Durban on 19th June. The left wing proceeded to Newcastle, under Major Osborne; the
right wing remained at Durban. The Battalion (less those struck off in South Africa) embarked at Durban on 1st July, in the transport Manchester Merchant, and arrived in South Australia, via Albany, on 24th. South Australian Squadrons were disbanded on 9th August, 1902.
Official Records of the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa, compiled and edited in 1911 by Lieutenant-Colonel P.L. Murray, R.A.A. (Ret.). p., 385