Stanthorpe
6–10 November 1915
Stanthorpe was touted as the starting point for the recruitment march in the initial planning stages. Public meetings were held throughout the district calling for support from communities in providing meals and accommodation, as well as setting up meetings in each town on the planned route. The first public meeting in the Warwick district was held in Pratten, about 30km to the north-west on 6 November 1915. A similar meeting was held in Toowoomba.
Stanthorpe held a recruiting meeting at the Shire Hall on 10 November. Lieutenant David Binnie—who was in charge of the march—indicated his desire to commence at Stanthorpe, but it was later decided to start at Warwick. Eight Stanthorpe men volunteered to join up, taking the train to Warwick in time for the commencement of the march, with a ninth man catching up the following day.
At the same time, recruiting meetings were held in nearby townships including Allora, Sandy Creek, Maryvale, Yangan, Tannymorel and Killarney. These men either made their way to Warwick or joined the march at other towns along the route. All of the recruits’ belongings were taken by train which is why the route follows the rail line to Toowoomba and down to Brisbane.
Recruits
Lieutenant David Johnstone Binnie - Commanding Officer
Stanthorpe:
- Anderson, Percy #6704
- Atkins, Lyall Henry #21303
- Baillie, Richard Patrick #41
- Day, Charles William (previously served Gallipoli and Egypt—thought to have supplied the flag from Gallipoli that the Stanthorpe men carried)
- Edmonds, Thomas Christmas #4428
- Lynam, Maurice
- Mann, George #174
- Pierpoint, Harold William #12556
Killarney:
- Glasby, Robert William #799
Maryvale:
- Keeffe, Andrew (discharged in Feb 1916 medically unfit)
Yangan:
- Anstey, Henry #2306
- Guy, David #2337
- Lesley, George Henry #2358
- Walsh, Edward Joseph #2322
- Warrener, John William #2320
Nominated but not enlisted—Burns, Thomas Frederick
