- In
early July 1860 at Auckland, the Commander of the Victoria
was asked to land as many men as could be spared for service in the
First Taranaki War. This news was received on the Victoria
just after six in the evening. The ship's company was assembled and
asked to volunteer for shore service. Lieutenent Woods worked on
their feelings a little, saying that this would be a great credit to
the crew and a great honour for the Colony. He said the volunteers
would be distinct from the Imperial Naval Brigade, but would work
with it.
-
- About seven
o'clock, the volunteers got into the launch as the Victoria
was about to leave for Sydney. The volunteers spent the night in the
British Flagship HMS Iris. Leading seaman Andrew Dunn later
recalled what happened the following day:
-
- The next
morning we landed in Auckland and Commodore Loring gave us to
understand that if
any of us did not like to go we could have the privilege of
stopping. At the same time he
said that if we went we would be under the Articles of War and
subject to the same
discipline and punishment as his men. None of us had agreed to that,
but there we
were in a way obliged to go.
The
volunteers arrived at New Plymouth in HMS Cordelia on
July 8. The Taranaki Herald reported that 30 of the
Victoria's men were landed and marched up to the camp of the naval
brigade [probably Fort Niger in New Plymouth], preceded by the
Volunteer Band. "The Victoria's men are armed with the
breech-loading rifle, and have besides a revolver and cutlass".
These men
were probably the first Australian force to serve in a foreign war.
Before operations, the Victoria's Naval Brigade moved to the Waitara
Camp. They took part in several actions, particularly at Kairau and
Matarikoriko , where
the officers were mentioned in dispatches. Eventually ten received
the New Zealand medal, although others may have been entitled.
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