The contingent, an infantry battalion of 522 men and 24 officers and an artillery battery of 212 men, 
was ready to sail on 3 March 1885.
They left Sydney with a huge turnout by the public which was due to a holiday declared to farewell the NSW troops.

The send-off was described as the most festive occasion in the colony's history.
The NSW contingent anchored at Suakin, Soudan's Red Sea port, on 29 March 1885
and were attached to a brigade composed of Scots, Grenadiers and Coldstream Guards.

During the war there were 9 deaths and 3 wounded.

War broke out between Great Britain and the Boer States
which included South African Republic
(known as Transvaal) and Orange Free State 11th October, 1899.

The Australian Government was quick to respond with the aid of fighting troops.
Queensland actually offered volunteers 3 months before the war broke out and provided
great contributions, then at the Relief of Makeking, Queenslanders were the only Australians.

In total, Australia (Colony of six pre Federation States) sent a total of 16,175 men, 16,314
horses to fight in various contingents in South Africa.

Sadly, in every war there are casualties, 251 killed in action or died of wounds,
267 died of illness, total 518 dead. Also we had 100 Prisoners of War.

Six Australians received the V.C. (Victoria Cross) in South Africa
and many more received other various decorations.

The first contingents to be sent to South Africa were known as the
Bushmen's Contingents, this was made up of volunteers,
also experienced horsemen who were able to shoot and the strange thing was
that they did not have to have any Military training, just a good aim !!!!

Being from Queensland myself, I have an interest in the
forces that volunteered from my own state.
In total 2913 men and 3209 horses left to fight. Sadly 92 Queenslanders lost their lives

War was declared on Germany on the 4th of August 1914 after Germany marched in on Belgium.
With Brtain acting for all of the Dominions in regards to all Foreign Affairs with Australia
automatically backing the decisions of Britain.

Australia previously strengthened Britain's forces in Britain in the Sudan, South Africa and China.
When asked for volunteers the men of Australia rushed to enlist in the

"Australian Imperial Force"

and trained in Egypt by December 1914.
The 1st Division of the AIF sailed from Australia in November 1914. During the voyage,

HMAS Sydney destroyed the German raider, SMS Emden, off the Cocos Islands
By the end of now known as "THE GREAT WAR" Armistice of 11th November 1918
Enlisted men and women totalled 416,809 which was almost 10% of the total population in Australia at the time.

From this 331,781 went to fight in Europe and Eastern Countries but sadly approximately 64% or 215,045
of the Australian Imperial Forces were casualties with 60,000 who died.
4,044 Prisoners of War, of this 397 died while captive.

One in five of those who went overseas failed to return
From this war the Aussie Diggers stories and larachanism is now popular lengend

Germany invaded Poland on I September 1939, and Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later.
Australia backing Great Britain was at war again.

After Japan enetered the War on the 7th January, 1941 Australia was under the threat of invasion.
Australia's total resources were called upon to a degree not seen before.

Australia was attacked four days after the surrender of Singapore, when Japanese aircraft bombed Darwin on 19 February 1942.
Broome and other north-west coastal towns were also attacked as well as Sydney Harbour on the night of May 31
in a daring raid by a Japanese midget submarine.

Women increasingly filled the places in primary and secondary industry left by men. By the end of the War in 1945,
the place of women in society had changed dramatically. The War also fundamentally altered
Australia's relationship with Britain, for it had forced Australia to look away from
Britain and towards the United States for support and security.

691,000 men and 35,800 women enlisted in the Australian Military forces (AIF and Militia),
45,000 men and 3,100 women enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy, 189,000 men and
27,000 women enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force
Sadly 35,000 Men and Women died in this time
Also we had Prisoners of War which totalled
7,289 in the war against Germany (234 died while captive),
22,376 in the war against Japan (8,031 died while captive)