Military history preserved

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Military history preserved

Two additional wartime exhibits are now in the safe keeping of the Millicent National Trust and its museum.


A horse-drawn general service wagon and a water cart travelled on a low loader from Adelaide to Melbourne recently.


Their exact provenance is not known but it is possible they were on active duty on the battlefields of World War I over 100 years ago.


Being in restored condition, they are ready to join the esteemed display of dozens of horse-drawn vehicles.


They will be in Millicent until a new home can be found for the Army Museum of South Australia.


It is located at Keswick Barracks in inner Adelaide but this area is being vacated by the Australian Defence Force.


This process could take years but the quick thinking of the Millicent Museum horse-drawn vehicle collection honorary curator Peter Foster OAM has secured them temporarily for Millicent.


After all, it was the efforts of Mr Foster which had them added to the collection of the Army Museum of SA.


“I heard about them back in 2006 when they were in a restored condition and owned by a private collector in Tasmania,” Mr Foster said.


“They did not want them to be sold but rather go to a public collection and be able to be seen.


“The provenance of the two vehicles is uncertain.


“We know for sure the water cart was built in 1918 as it still has its army plate.


“The wagon has no such plate but is of the type made in the 1916-1918 period and known as a Mark Ten.


“It is possible they were sent overseas.”


He said such horse-drawn vehicles were made in most capital cities and major provincial towns.


“There was T.J. Richards Pty Ltd in Adelaide and we have one of their sulkies in the Millicent collection,” Mr Foster said.


“The general service wagons were pivotal to army movements as they transported fodder, soldiers and ammunition.


“Each wagon was pulled by two horses and had a driver and an assistant.


“Many hundreds of the wagons and water carts were made but few survive.”


Mr Foster expects their rarity will act as a drawcard for those interested in military history and horse-drawn vehicles.


“It provides a connection with those who served,” he said.


“I have suggested to the Millicent RSL the pair could be displayed at the Cross of Sacrifice on Anzac Day alongside the mounted reenactment troupe from the Third Light Horse in Naracoorte.


“After all, the soldiers would always gather around the water cart.”


The Millicent National Trust Museum already has a number of war-related exhibits.


They include personal effects belonging to such late local servicemen as Flight Lieutenant Phil Bowering DFC and Australian Flying Corps pilot Lieutenant Robert Stuckey.

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