World War I - Background

The causes of the war that broke out in Europe on 4 August were numerous and complex. For Australia, the broader international issues were perhaps less important than the simple fact that the British Empire was at war. As the Australian Government had been warned of the likely outbreak of hostilities, Australia’s defences were already being prepared when the war started. Imperial defence plans assumed that the Royal Australian Navy would operate as an integral part of the Royal Navy where ever it was required. Such an assumption could not be made about the Army. The Defence Act restricted the Australian Army to service within Australian territory for home defence purposes. To enable Australian participation in a European land war, a separate all-volunteer force would have to be recruited specifically for overseas service.⁴³

Following the declaration of war on 4 August 1914, the Fisher Government's pledge of full support for Britain led to the raising of what became known as the Australian Imperial Force (AIF ). ⁴⁴ Recruiting started on 10 August and by November 1914, 20,000 members of an infantry division and a light horse brigade, under the respective commands of Major General (later Sir ).William T. Bridges and Colonel (later Lieutenant General Sir) Harry Chauvel, accompanied by New Zealand troops, were on their way to Egypt.⁴⁵

It is perhaps surprising that the first round fired by any Army of the British Empire, including Great Britain, in World War I was by the gunners of Fort Nepean. Situated at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, the Fort fired one round from its 6 inch Mark VII to stop the German freighter Pfalz escaping from Port Phillip a few hours after the declaration of war.⁴⁶

Before the AIF sailed however, another all volunteer force had already been in action. The strategic importance of German wireless stations in New Guinea and the surrounding islands led British authorities to ask the Australian Government to destroy them as a matter of urgency. To carry out this task, the Australian Government raised an expeditionary force of 1500 men under the command of Colonel W. Holmes - the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force. This mixed force of naval reservists and soldiers had, by October 1914, forced the surrender of the garrison and taken possession of German New Guinea and the neighbouring islands of the Bismarck Archipelago.⁴⁷ (Subsequently, on 17 December 1920, the Australian mandate over this territory was granted by the League of Nations.⁴⁸)

WORLD WAR I - BACKGROUND
Federation	World War I - Gallipoli
The causes of the war that broke out in Europe on 4 August were numerous and complex. For Australia, the broader international issues were perhaps less important than the simple fact that the British Empire was at war. As the Australian Government had been warned of the likely outbreak of hostilities, Australia’s defences were already being prepared when the war started. Imperial defence plans assumed that the Royal Australian Navy would operate as an integral part of the Royal Navy where ever it was required. Such an assumption could not be made about the Army. The Defence Act restricted the Australian Army to service within Australian territory for home defence purposes. To enable Australian participation in a European land war, a separate all-volunteer force would have to be recruited specifically for overseas service.⁴³ Following the declaration of war on 4 August 1914, the Fisher Government's pledge of full support for Britain led to the raising of what became known as the Australian Imperial Force (AIF ). ⁴⁴ Recruiting started on 10 August and by November 1914, 20,000 members of an infantry division and a light horse brigade, under the respective commands of Major General (later Sir ).William T. Bridges and Colonel (later Lieutenant General Sir) Harry Chauvel, accompanied by New Zealand troops, were on their way to Egypt.⁴⁵ It is perhaps surprising that the first round fired by any Army of the British Empire, including Great Britain, in World War I was by the gunners of Fort Nepean. Situated at the entrance to Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, the Fort fired one round from its 6 inch Mark VII to stop the German freighter Pfalz escaping from Port Phillip a few hours after the declaration of war.⁴⁶ Before the AIF sailed however, another all volunteer force had already been in action. The strategic importance of German wireless stations in New Guinea and the surrounding islands led British authorities to ask the Australian Government to destroy them as a matter of urgency. To carry out this task, the Australian Government raised an expeditionary force of 1500 men under the command of Colonel W. Holmes - the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force. This mixed force of naval reservists and soldiers had, by October 1914, forced the surrender of the garrison and taken possession of German New Guinea and the neighbouring islands of the Bismarck Archipelago.⁴⁷ (Subsequently, on 17 December 1920, the Australian mandate over this territory was granted by the League of Nations.⁴⁸)