Heroes and Gentlemen: Colonel Tom Price and the Victorian Mounted Rifles by Winty Calder (Second Hand Book)

SECOND HAND BOOK

Heroes and Gentlemen is about volunteer Victorian mounted infantrymen who did much to lay the foundation of the Australian Light Horse. Raised in 1885 by Lieutenant-Colonel Tom Price, the Victorian Mounted Rifles were established and trained for the defence of Melbourne and the colony of Victoria. This book tells their story during eighteen years until the military forces of the Australian States were reorganised into a Commonwealth Force, after the States federated. Existing mounted infantry units and the few smaller cavalry units then became the basis of the Australian Light Horse.

Colonel Tom Price, C.B., who had served in India for almost twenty-two years with the British forces, commanded and trained the Victorian Mounted Rifles until 1902 when he was transferred to Queensland as commandant of the Commonwealth Military Forces in that State. A colourful and often controversial figure during his lifetime, Colonel Price is now seldom given the credit he deserves as the corner-stone of the Australian Light Horse. He and his mounted regiment were admired by the Victorian public, both as peace-time soldiers and as combatants in the South African War, but greater conflicts have so eclipsed their exploits that they are almost forgotten today.

The author, Winifred Braithwaite (Winty) Calder, M.Sc., Dip.R.E., is a granddaughter of Colonel William Braithwaite, V.D., who was a foundation member of the Victorian Mounted Rifles and the regiment’s senior volunteer officer from 1893 until 1903. Although this author is a professional environmental scientist and ecologist, she began this historical research in an attempt to learn about her grandfather’s activities. Realising that the centennial year of the original V.M.R. fell in 1985, she determined to publish their story to coincide with the celebratory functions of the 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles Royal Australian Armoured Corps. Much of the resource material used was collected by Colonel and Mrs. Braithwaite, then retained by members of their family. Additional information was derived from archival records, from descendants of other V.M.R. men, and from many organisations. This has enabled the author to present the first comprehensive account of one of Australia’s most important colonial regiments.

Specifications:

Condition: Good/very good. Cover in pristine condition, some yellowing and markings on the inside of the cover / first page & back pages, some small stains on the fore edge, slightly yellowed pages.

Publisher: Jimaringle Publications

Year: 1985

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 189

ISBN: 0958928908

$15.00

2 in stock