Commonwealth Forces

[christine liava'a]

I have a person ,

2nd Lieutenant Oscar McEnerney Commonwealth Forces

late foreman Suva Harbour Works

i/c Harbour Works, Rabaul

enlisted Sydney, NSW

SERN H-Lt

who has a file at NAA , but is not on the Nominal Roll at AWM.

I realise that the roll is of men who served overseas but I don't know what exactly the Commonwealth Forces were, nor what a H-Lt is.

Can any of you Aussies help?

[Guest stevebec]

Commonweath Military Forces (CMF) was the Milita.

Both Pre and during the war.

The AIF were the war time raised units.

Post war these two blended together.

S.B

[Guest stevebec]

Milita units were not recorded in the AIF nom roll.

H/Lt is Honorary Lt.

This is done mostly for admin/stores postions. You will see this rank with many QM's.

S.B

[Guest stevebec]

Chris,

My mistake.

CMF during the First War was the Citizen's Military Forces.

The CMF (Commonweath Military Forces) came in after the war in 1920 when this new Goverment policy was introduced.

It was to raised the Milita strenght to 150,000 men.

The Australian hat badges were changed and the name "Commonweath Military Forces" was added to the rising sun Badge.

[christine liava'a]

This reference to Commonwealth Forces is pre 1920, it is from the Fiji Times

somewhere between 1913 and 1919- I read the whole lot on microfilm, and didn't get into 1920. I was wondering, since he was stationed in Rabaul, if it was a name for those who remained there after the town was captured in 1914, as a sort of army of occupation, similar to the NZ Samoan force in Western Samoa

[Guest stevebec]

The Term "Commonweath Forces" .

This term came into effect on the 1st January 1901. When Australia proclaimed it selve an inderpentant state.

Gen Sir Edward Hatton came out from the UK and started to combine the states Military Forces into the Armed forces of Australia.

Before Federation each state had their own Military Forces both Army and Navy.

This generic term "CF" was not used all that much.

Our regular army was small (only a few hundred), while the Milita was large.

As you may know Rabaul was captured and occupied in 1914/15. This Force was know as AN&MEF (Australian Naval and Military Experditionary Forces).

S.B

[christine liava'a]

That would explain it. Thanks

[Guest stevebec]

I did a check for this man on all my rolls but could not find him any where.

This could mean that he was a member of the Milita or CF (Regular Army) pre war and during the war.

I have lists of all pre war officers and he is not mentioned but since he was a Hon/Lt this could mean he was a RQMS or such before going to Rabaul.

The only other thing I could sujest is the find the AIF embark rolls for the AN&MEF as he may be in one of the four Bn's which rotatated during the war.

As you may know those soldiers in the AN&MEF are not listed in the AIF nom roll unless they relisted in the AIF.

Bon Chance

S.B