In May 1900, the Maitland Half-Squadron of Lancers conducted a three-day training march, including an overnight camp at Lambton. This was no academic exercise, with former members of the squadron at that very time in South Africa fighting in the Boer War.

The following is an edited extract of a report by one of the officers, published in the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate

The Maitland Lancers met on Saturday morning to start on a touring march. The object was to impart tactical training, under such conditions as would be probable on active service. A muster of 36 men under Captain Markwell, with two transport wagons set off about 10 o’clock. After stopping for a midday meal near Minmi they proceeded to Young Wallsend (Edgeworth), where the first night’s camp took place.
On Sunday they travelled round the eastern side of Lake Macquarie to Belmont for lunch, then back towards Charlestown where the peaceful little hamlet was suddenly astonished by the surrounding bush sending forth armed and mounted men from all directions, galloping and converging upon a rallying point. Colonel Ranclaud (Commandant of the Northern Forces) escorted the Lancers into their camp at Lambton, the site being one adjoining the Lambton Colliery, and very kindly placed at Captain Markwell’s disposal by Mr. Thomas Croudace, general manager of the Scottish-Australian Company. Four bell tents were erected when the tired men and horses came in. Horses were quickly placed in their lines, and a hearty meal partaken of, as the night became extremely cold, windy, and wet.
On Monday morning “the reveille” sounded at 6 o’clock, and after the necessary stable duties had been performed, and breakfast disposed of, the troops were put through sword exercises and afterwards lance exercise and squadron drill. About half-past 10 the camp was struck, and a move made towards home via Wallsend, Sandgate, and Hexham, reaching Maitland about 6 o’clock, after a most instructive, enjoyable, and interesting tour, every man glad that he had come.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 31 May 1900.

The article above was first published in the April 2025 edition of The Local.

Additional Information

Other photos

Ralph Snowball took three other photographs of the Maitland Lancers in Lambton in May 1900. One was taken in the same location as the camp photo above, but with the Lancers lined up with their horses.

The other two photos are looking towards the west as the Lancers approach their camp site. One of the photographs shows one of the supply wagons mentioned in the report of the march.

The location of the LANCERS’ camp

We know from the newspaper report that the camp was on a “site being one adjoining the Lambton Colliery.” The exact location can be determined by comparison with other contemporaneous photos of Lambton and the colliery.

In the photo of the Lancers’ camp below, note the following features:
A. House
B. Two-rail wooden fence in front of white fence
C. White picket fence in front of house
D. A dusty path/road running between the tents
E. A shed with a sloping roof that is between the two-rail fence and the dusty path

In Panel 2 of the 1904 Lambton panorama we see features A, B, C, D. (Assuming the house to the right of house A must have been built after the May 1900 Lancers photo, an assumption bolstered by the whiteness of its fence.)

In this October 1900 photo of Lambton colliery (just a few months after the Lancer photos) we see features A, C, D, and crucially E, the small shed with the sloping roof.

A further piece of evidence is that in the May 1900 Lancers photo, in the background to the right of the soldier’s head we see a large tallish building.

This is the rear of the New Lambton Council chambers on Lambton Rd, which is also visible in panel 2 of the 1904 Lambton panorama.

A final piece of evidence is the house in the background, which until recently still stood on Morehead St at the intersection with Turner St.

The Full report

The full unedited text of the report published in the newspaper appears below.

The Three Days’ Trip of the Maitland Lancers.
(By One of the Officers.)

The Maitland Half-Squadron of Lancers met at the Orderly Room on Saturday morning last, to start on a touring march, with shifting camp, in light marching order. The object was to impart tactical training to the Half-Squadron, under such conditions as would be probable on active service. There was a good muster, viz., 36, under Captain Markwell and Lieutenant Welch. Two transport waggons accompanied the troops, and a start was obtained about 10 o’clock. The squadron was formed in marching order, with an advance guard, followed by the main body, then came the transport waggons and the rear guard. The weather was very threatening, but the rain held off well.

Everything went well until a piece of bad road about four miles from Minmi had to be negotiated, when one of the transport waggons bogged up to the axles, and in the effort to get clear the pole snapped off short. A halt of the troops was called, and a fatigue party detached to repair damages. This was just one of the sort of incidents required for practical training, and to show the resources of the men, it is only necessary to say that by the aid of an axe, carried for general purposes, a sapling was cut, and the broken pole spliced with a couple of heel ropes, and in twenty minutes the march was resumed. In order to test the durability of the job, the whole trip was performed with this temporary pole. A halt was called for midday meal near Minmi, and both horses and men were fed under regulation conditions. As the roads were heavy a start was soon made again, and proceeding through Minmi and West Wallsend to Young Wallsend, where the first night’s camp took place. On reaching camp the picket lines were immediately placed in position, the horses were secured, and when the bugle sounded “feed” they showed their appreciation by little affectionate whinnies to their owners. Four bell tents were erected as if by magic, to the front of the horse lines. In the meantime the camp cooks had been busy, and all hands sat down to a hearty meal.

After tea the picket guards took up their duties, and the rest of the men enjoyed themselves round the fire with songs, jokes, recitations, &c., even down to little Trumpeter Roy Welch, who contributed “The Man from Snowy River” in a very creditable manner, seated on the shoulders of a stalwart trooper. At 10 o’clock the bugles rang cut “lights out,” and the camp was in darkness. The picket guards were changed every three hours during the night, and a good deal of work was provided for them by some of the new chum horses objecting to the heel ropes, and kicking and breaking loose.

On Sunday morning at 6 “the reveille” was sounded, and half an hour later hot coffee and biscuits were served. Then followed “stables” and lance exercise. A sheep had been ordered from the local butcher for breakfast, and when this arrived a good breakfast was enjoyed by all. At 9 o’clock tents were struck, the baggage waggons loaded. The squadron was then formed up the same as the preceding day, and a fresh start made.

When the column reached the junction of the Cardiff, Wallsend, and Cockle Creek roads a guard was detached to convoy the transports to Lambton via Cardiff, and the main body proceeded by Cockle Creek and Argenton road round the eastern side of Lake Macquarie, and here a slice of good luck was encountered, by meeting with two members of the Scottish Rifles, Messrs. Wilcox and Stubbs, who knew the country well from there to Belmont, and who very kindly volunteered their services to act as guides through the scrubby country ahead. Captain Markwell promptly accepted the good things the gods had provided, and a move was made. Passing on through Spears’ Estate a beautiful view of lovely Lake Macquarie was obtained, but a little further on the value of the guides was fully appreciated, when a creek, rejoicing in the suggestive name of “Snaky Creek,” emptying into Warner’s Bay, was encountered right across the line of march. This creek is said to be very boggy and dangerous to negotiate, so a detour was made into the waters of the lake, and by keeping well out from the mouth the bottom is found to be silted up, and a safe crossing was effected. This operation produced a beautiful picture; the Lancers in open files, with pennants flying and with glittering swords and lances, reflected from a sunny sky in the azure water below, was a sight never to be forgotten. From here the country became rather rough and scrubby, but being open and unfenced it afforded an opportunity for a little skirmishing, so the groups were thrown out, in diamond formation, and covered with right and left flanking patrols in advance of the main body. The duty of these skirmishers was to go ahead and feel for, and locate an enemy, and convey the information to the main body through connecting files. These operations provided some exceedingly useful and highly interesting work, and the country was traversed in this manner right through to Belmont.

A halt was called here for lunch, the troops having carried a biscuit and cheese and a ration for their horses in nose-bags on their saddles. After a short rest the squadron was reformed, and the march resumed back towards Charlestown, and where the country permitted of it, very useful reconnoitring work was again performed, as detailed above. At Charlestown the “rally” was sounded, and the peaceful little hamlet was suddenly astonished by the surrounding bush sending forth armed and mounted men from all directions, galloping and converging upon the rallying point. The march was then made from Charlestown via Hillsborough towards Lambton, and about a mile from Charlestown the squadron was met by Colonel Ranclaud, Commandant of the Northern Forces, and a number of gentlemen from Newcastle, comprising three of the younger members of the Croudace family, Mr. Greenland, and others. These gentlemen are taking an active interest in the formation of a Lancer Half-Squadron in Newcastle, and were naturally much interested in everything pertaining to the troops. Colonel Ranclaud and the other gentlemen named escorted the Lancers into their camp at Lambton, the site being one adjoining the Lambton Colliery, and very kindly placed at Captain Markwell’s disposal by Mr. Thomas Croudace, general manager of the Scottish-Australian Company. The transport waggons having travelled by the short road had arrived early in the day, and the camp was ready pitched when the tired men and horses came in. Horses were quickly placed in their lines, and a hearty meal partaken of, and as the night was extremely cold, windy, and wet, it very speedily became a “sleeping camp,” but for the vigilant picket guards and officers. On Monday morning “the reveille” again sounded at 6 o’clock, and after the necessary stable duties had been performed, and breakfast disposed of, the troops were put through sword exercise dismounted, and afterwards lance exercise and squadron drill. About half-past 10 the camp was struck, and a move made towards home via Wallsend, Sandgate, and Hexham. The Lancers were escorted from their camp as far as Sandgate by Mr. P. Croudace, Mr. William Arnott, junr., Mr. Greenland, and others. The Half-Squadron reached Maitland about 6 o’clock, after a most instructive, enjoyable, and interesting tour, every man glad that he had come, and feeling well enough to go and do it again in the next three days if required. There was not a single incident to mar the enjoyment or harmony of the march. The only misadventures were the loss of a sword-blade by one of the troopers in the bush when skirmishing, and the breaking of the pole of the transport waggon.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 31 May 1900.