Duntroon

In 1902 the first Commander of the Australian Military Forces, Major-General Sir Edward Hutton, recommended that a military college be established and Field Marshall Lord Kitchener was invited to visit Australia and advise the Government on the defence requirements of the Commonwealth. One of the recommendations of the 1910 Kitchener report was that a College should be established for the training of officers for the permanent military forces.

The government then instructed Colonel William Throsby Bridges to visit and report on the military colleges in England, Canada and the United States. In 1910, Colonel Bridges reported to the Minister for Defence and he was given the task of founding the new college.

As its first Commandant, with the rank of Brigadier-General, Bridges chose the former sheep station at Duntroon as the site for the Military College. By June 1911, the essential buildings had been constructed, the staff appointed and the first intake of 32 Australians and 10 New Zealanders admitted.

On the 27 June 1911, the Governor-General, Lord Dudley, opened the college and announced that it would be called the Royal Military College of Australia (RMC).

The curriculum at RMC was designed as a four-year course, with half military and half academic subjects. Due to the outbreak of the First World War, the first intake was specially graduated for overseas service. The next three intakes were also shorted and the majority of cadets in the first four intakes served with either the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) or the New Zealand Army.

At the start of the First World War, Major-General Bridges was given command of the 1st AIF Division. He died at Gallipoli and his body was returned to Australia and buried on the slopes of Mount Pleasant, overlooking the college. In total, forty of the 117 Australian graduates died in the First World War.

The four-year course resumed after the War. However, RMC entered a difficult period during the 1920s, when there was a general apathy towards the military during the post-war era and severe budgetary cuts. This resulted in small intakes and the small number of graduates also included some officers for the Royal Australian Air Force.

By 1930, the depression had made its impact on the college. As a cost-cutting measure, the government sought to combine the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay with the Royal Military College Duntroon into the Defence College of Australia. This amalgamation of the colleges did not occur, but in 1931, the Royal Military College was transferred to Victoria Barracks, Sydney. This seemed to be the most practicable solution, as the aging temporary buildings at Duntroon, and its location in Canberra added to the increased costs of the college.

With the new location in Sydney, the Royal Military College became known as 'Duntroon Wing, Victoria Barracks'. On 27 June 1936, the Royal Military College was returned to Duntroon in Canberra. During the ceremony the Defence Minister, Hon. Sir Archdale Parkhill stated that the grounds for the return of RMC to Canberra was due to the increase of cadet numbers required by the defence program.

Prior to the return of RMC to Duntroon, a substantial amount of building work and site remodelling was required. At last, Duntroon was to have the permanent buildings that had been planned since 1910. These buildings are still in use by the Royal Military College-Duntroon.

On the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the four-year course was reduced to two years. Additional special entry classes were admitted for six, nine and twelve months.

By 1943, the improved military situation made it possible to extend the course length and a three-year curriculum was introduced. In 1947, a revised four-year course was introduced which included alternative academic courses in Arts or Science. By 1958, RMC offered courses in Arts, Science and Engineering. These courses enabled graduates to receive exemptions, up to half a degree, on the civilian courses conducted at Universities. The military curriculum was aimed to achieve the balance between the short-term requirements of a junior regimental officer and the broader foundation necessary for senior ranks within the Army.

RMC affiliated with the University of New South Wales to offer Bachelor courses in Arts, Science or Engineering, commencing in the 1968 academic year. In order to graduate, cadets had to achieve passes in both military and academic studies and leadership.