1st January, 1915

[christine liava'a]

“With reference to my telegram 19 December. Army council will accept sixty recruits from Fiji provided they are British subjects of pure European descent and medically fit for service in any climate and are passed for military service by competent authority; height should be at least five feet 3 inches with suitable chest measurement according to height and age between nineteen and thirty eight" Harcourt

A force of 57 was formed, spent some time in training, and left for Britain on January 1, 1915. “The average height of the contingent was 5ft 9in, the average age 26, while the average chest measurement (expanded) was 38 in.” according to the Governor’s speech, as reported in the Fiji Times.

Most of these enlisted in Britain with the King’s Royal Rifles, an artillery regiment famous for its past exploits, particularly in the American Wars. After preliminary training in Britain, the Fiji platoon of the KRRC was sent into action in the battlefields of Flanders. During May 1915, of the 43 strong Fiji platoon of the KRRC, 9 lost their lives and 31 were wounded in the battles of the Somme region. leaving only 3 unscathed.

[jhill]

Presumably these are the fellows mentioned in this clipping from the Edmonton Daily Bulletin of January 22, 1915. Although there various alternatives, one supposes they sailed to Vancouver, thence accross the continent by train to Montreal en route to Halifax prior to the short boat ride over to England.

[Broznitsky]

"It is expected they will become commissioned officers."

Christine, can you advise how many saw this fate?

[christine liava'a]

"It is expected they will become commissioned officers."

Christine, can you advise how many saw this fate?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

18 out of 57 by the end of the war were commisioned officers. one of these resigned his commission, and their leader Major Swinburne had returned to Fiji after escorting them to England. So, discounting those two, 16 remained as officers.

[Edward_N_Kelly]

      Most of these enlisted in Britain with the King’s Royal Rifles, an artillery regiment famous for its past exploits, particularly in the American Wars.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

KRRC an "artillery regiment" ?????

Cheers

Edward

[christine liava'a]

sorry, infantry. They arrived in Britain February 8 , 1915

"" Well, we left there (London) last Friday for Winchester, where we were given our proper uniform and kits etc, everything up to date, boots, razors, brushes, toothbrushes, needles, cotton etc and then we were transferred to this place, which is very wet, cold and muddy, but still we are having a good time and are enjoying ourselves although most of us have colds and sore feet from marching. We are being treated very well here by the officers; they say we did not come twelve thousand miles to carry bricks, so they do not give us any fatigue work, and are putting us through our musketry course straight away, so as we will be able to get out to the Front as quickly as possible. We expect to leave here in about a fortnight’s time, so we will be doing our little bit long before you get this letter. Every second man one meets in England now is in uniform. All the towns are in darkness at night time, airships and searchlights all over the place. We are on active service here now; this camp has had two airship surprises already. Some of the airships that took part in the raid on Ostend the other day flew over here on their way across the Channel. There are about five hundred of us (King’s Royal Rifles) here in this camp and there are four or five other camps close handy…..

Our regiment is the second crack infantry regiment of the British Army, it is also one of the oldest and we wear black crosses on our caps with the names of all the places where we have fought and won. The Prince of Battenburg holds a commission with us. "

letter from Rifleman Bursill, 1st Fiji Contingent

Edited 26 May , 2022 by christine liava'a

[christine liava'a]

sorry, infantry. They arrived in Britain February 8 , 1915

"" Well, we left there (London) last Friday for Winchester, where we were given our proper uniform and kits etc, everything up to date, boots, razors, brushes, toothbrushes, needles, cotton etc and then we were transferred to this place, which is very wet, cold and muddy, but still we are having a good time and are enjoying ourselves although most of us have colds and sore feet from marching. We are being treated very well here by the officers; they say we did not come twelve thousand miles to carry bricks, so they do not give us any fatigue work, and are puttiong us through our musketry course straight away, so as we will be able to get out to the Front as quickly as possible. We expect to leave here in about a fortnight’s time, so we will be doing our little bit long before you get this letter. Every second man one meets in England now is in uniform. All the towns are in darkness at night time, airships and searchlights all over the place. We are on active service here now; this camp has had two airship surprises already. Some of the airships that took part in the raid on Ostend the other day flew over here on their way across the Channel. There are about five hundred of us (King’s Royal Rifles) here in this camp and there are four or five other camps close handy…..

Our regiment is the second crack infantry regiment of the British Army, it is also one of the oldest and we wear black crosses on our caps with the names of all the places where we have fought and won. The Prince of Battenburg holds a commission with us. "

letter from Rifleman Bursill, 1st Fiji Contingent

[Canadawwi]

I have no connection to this seller, however, I saw it today and thought it might be of interest. The logical place is in this post with other Fiji islanders information.

Fiji Islanders on way to Front

It shows a group of Fiji Islanders in Vancouver, Canada, on their way to the front. They are visiting the big tree in Stanley Park. The photo is dated June 24th, 1917.

[christine liava'a]

Thanks for the photo, and the date!. This group, the Fiji Labour Corps, left Suva on May 19, 1917 and arrived in France on 4 June, 1917, so the photo must have been taken in Vancouver in late May 1917.

Christine