History
Extract from A History of the Toowoomba Grammar School Cadet Unit 1892-2002 - by John Winn
The Toowoomba Grammar School Cadet Unit has one of the proudest and most extensive histories in the state, not just as a Cadet Unit, but also as a youth organization. The first official unit in the state of Queensland was established in Toowoomba in 1876, although an unofficial unit at Brisbane Grammar School existed from 1870 to 1873. It is believed that some of the first boys of the Toowoomba Grammar School , founded in 1875, were members of this Toowoomba Unit.
The earliest mention of cadets at Toowoomba Grammar School was when, at the beginning of 1883, the Secretary to the Board of Trustees wrote to the Department of Public Instruction for some short Sniper rifles for the formation of a Cadet Unit at the School. No records appear to exist of the outcome of that request or whether a unit was formed. However, from the start of the school in 1877, all boys of the school did military skills as a subject as part of the Colonial Government's Military Training Policy.
On the 14th July 1892, at the request of Captain Hutchison, of the Defence Forces, a Cadet Unit was established under the command of Captain Lee, a member of staff, and on Speech Day of that year a guard of honour was formed by the Unit for the arrival of the Governor. This is the official commencement date for the Toowoomba Grammar School Cadet Unit.
The Unit, as with most other units found the following two decades quite tough. In 1907, the Unit regained strength and was reformed. The strength was a company of 60 boys, Commanding Officer up to rank of Captain, 2 Acting Subalterns, 4 Sergeants, 4 Corporals, 6 Buglers, and 2 Drummers. The command was given to Mr. R. L. Mason, of the School, formerly of "HMS Vivid". It was decided to have parades on Friday afternoons. In due course, 60 Martini-Enfield rifles that had been used in the South African War, along with 20 Francott rifles for the smaller cadets were issued to the School.
Toowoomba Grammar School Cadet Unit, 1908. F Company, No. 3 Queensland Battalion
On November 1st 1907, the cadets performed the various evolutions of company drill before the Military Commandant, Colonel Lyster. This was the Unit's first Ceremonial Parade. The Unit's first public parade took place in Queen's Park, Toowoomba on March 20th, 1908.
In 1908, the first uniforms were issued to the cadets, and the unit received 20 Wesley-Richards rifles. At about this time a drum and fife band was established, as well as a section of Light Horse. 1911 and 1912 saw major changes in the cadet system, and, as a result, the Light Horse section was disbanded and a new syllabus for infantry training introduced.
With the outbreak of World War 1, officers for the unit were in short supply, and command of the company fell to a boy of the School, Mr. C.B.G. Davids. Many old members were farewelled on departure for the front and by November 1915, over 150 old cadets were on active service. One of the early Officer Commander's of the unit, Captain T. C. Hewitt, was killed on active service in France, in 19 15. Four hundred Old Boys' names appear on the Honour Boards of the First World War at the School, 56 of whom paid the supreme sacrifice.
Also during this period, the Unit commenced one of its proudest traditions by mounting the Toowoomba Cenotaph on Anzac Day. This tradition is still carried on today.
After 1924, the Cadet Unit merged with other town units, but in 1930 assumed its own identity. At this time, the CO of the unit was Captain L.W.A. Scott, who, at the outbreak of World War 2, was moved to a Garrison Battalion, and later to Staff Officer of Cadets.
During the Second World War, about 800 Old Boys served in the armed forces. About 100 were killed in action and about 40 received awards for gallantry. Old Boys have since served in Korea, Malaya, Vietnam, Timor and with the various United Nations Organization Forces. From Australia's commitments with the Boer War to the modern day service in Afghanistan, the Unit has produced a total of 10 Army Generals, 1 Air Force Air Vice-Marshal and 6 Army Brigadiers. The list of Army Generals and Air Force equivalents include;
General Sir H. G. Chauvel (TGS 1880-1882) Leader of the First Australian Light Horse Brigade which claimed victory in Beersheba in October 1917, Australia's first General and later, as Chief of Australian General Staff.
LTCOL Sir Donald Cameron (TGS 1893-95)
Lieutenant General C. G. N. Miles (TGS 1898) Served with 1AIF and was an exchange officer with the Indian Army from 1926-1927. He was later ADC to King George VI and Commandant of RMC-Duntroon.
Lieutenant General C. A. Clowes (TGS 1908-1910) Known as "Sock-'em Clowes" for he achieved fame of as the Commander of the First Australian Division, "Milne Force", in its defeat of the Japanese at Milne Bay in 1942.
Lieutenant General Sir E. W. Woodward (TGS 1911-1916) Appointed General Officer Commanding Eastern Command in 1953 after distinguished war service. Later Sir Eric was the Governor of NSW for eight years.
Major General W. A. Coxen (TGS 1881) A noted artillery expert who, it is claimed, "commanded the greatest aggregation of artillery in the history of warfare" at Ypres, 8 August 1918.
Major General N. Clowes (TGS 1909-1910) Was appointed ADC to King George VI after distinguished service in two World Wars and after transferring to the British Army.
Major General J. I. Williamson (TGS 1940-1943) Served in Malaya in the 1950's.
Brigadier General C. H. Foott (TGS 1885) An engineer officer who served at Gallipoli, Egypt and the Western Front.
Brigadier General J. C. Robertson (TGS 1893-1894) Commanded the 12th Brigade 1AIF during World War I.
Brigadier General A. C. Corfe (TGS 1890-1896) The School's first international sportsman, representing Australian in Rugby Union in 1899. Later he joined the British Army and eventually became a member of the League of Nations Commission.
Air Vice-Marshal I. S. Parker (TGS 1935-1940) Had a distinguished service in the RAAF which featured active service in World War II and Korea.
General Sir H. G. Chauvel
1998 saw a change of policy which saw the Unit being granted support from the Australian Defence Force, particularly the School of Army Aviation, Oakey, as our Foster Unit. In 1999, a transformation of the Unit allowed the membership of females from Fairholme College in an effort to strengthen the Unit. In 2001, females from The Glennie School also joined the Unit.
2002 marked the 110th Anniversary of the founding of the Toowoomba Grammar School Cadet Unit. The Unit has entered a new age following major reforms with training and staff and now is one of the leading cadet units in the region.
The Unit Badge, designed in 1954, has a special place within the Unit. Incorporated into the Australian Army Rising Sun badge, the Unit Badge comprises of the School Logo in the middle surrounded by the Unit's name and with the School's logo on the flanks and below, Fidelis in Omnibus, FAITHFUL IN ALL THINGS.
The Toowoomba Grammar School Cadet Unit has one of the proudest traditions in all of Australia. There is no doubt that the cadets of the present will most certainly carry this tradition on.
For more information on the history of the Unit, Steadfast, Brave and True: A History of the Toowoomba Grammar School Cadet Unit by John Winn is available from the Development Office at Toowoomba Grammar School.
General Sir H. G. Chauvel