MILITARY.
AS early as June, 1797, Lieut. N. Mackellar was in charge of a military detachment at the Hawkesbury, being a portion of the 102nd Regiment, or New South Wales Corps. It was for this military officer's use that the old Government House at Windsor was built, about the year 1798. From this date up till 1842 Windsor was the centre of much military activity. The barracks erected especially for the use of the soldiers, about 1820, are still standing, and portion of the present hospital building was originally the military hospital.
In the early times the soldiers were called on to assist in harvesting the crops. Many of the old residents of the district are the descendants of soldiers, who, when their time expired, preferred to settle in the colony instead of returning to the old land.
A detachment of the 73rd Regiment, which came out with Governor Macquarie in 1809, was settled here for a few years. In 1825, the military at Windsor consisted of one sergeant, one corporal, and fifty-six privates. In 1835-37 a detachment of His Majesty's 50th Foot, under Lieut.-Colonel Woodhouse, were stationed at Windsor. They were succeeded in 1838-30 by the 80th Foot, formerly known as the Staffordshire. The regiment arrived in New South Wales in various ships from 1836 to 1840, and was removed to India in August, 1844. Among the officers were: Lieut.-Colonel N. Baker, and Adjutant Lightbody. (See Reminiscenses, by Wm. Walker, page 8). The bandmaster, Samuel Edgerton, settled in Windsor, and became a magistrate. He organised a local band, and took part in the formation of the local Volunteers in 1860. He died 16th August, 1878, aged seventy-eight years.

Another Regiment stationed here was the 99th Duke of Edinburgh, daring 1842-43. The officers were Captain Reid and Lieutenant Beatty. At other times the 58th and 83rd Regiments were represented here. With the cessation of transportation to New South Wales in the early forties, the military were withdrawn from Windsor. The officers for many years occupied the building now known as the Royal Hotel.

Volunteers.
In the year 1854 the Government passed legislation which led to the formation of a number of local corps, but the movement did not catch on till 1860, when a large number of men enlisted in the various towns of New South Wales as volunteers. Windsor was early in the field, the Hawkesbury corps being formed on 5th October, 1860, the first officers being Captain S. Edgerton and Lieutenant Sydney Scarvell. The first meeting called to form the Windsor Volunteer Corps was held on 19th September, 1860, when a deputation was appointed to wait on the Government and offer the services of thirty-six loyal subjects. The deputation consisted of William Walker, M.L.A., James Ashcough, J.P., Robert Dick, J.P., and Sydney Scarvell, J.P. The movement went forward with enthusiasm. The Governor, Sir J. Young, came up to Windsor to present the colours, and a steamer conveyed over three hundred volunteers from Sydney right up to Windsor to assist in the local demonstration. The corps was known as the Hawkesbury Volunteer Rifles from 1862 to 1882. The name was then altered to the Hawkesbury Infantry. We give here only the early officers, with their promotions:

Samuel Edgerton, Captain, 1860-72. Retired 1872.
Sydney Scarvell, 1st Lieut, 1860-68.
Robert Dick, 2nd Lieut., 1865-68.
James A. Dick, 2nd Lieut., 1869-73. Captain, 1874-76.
W.F. Linsley, Ensign, 1870-76. Captain, 1876-92. Major, 1892-94.
C.S. Guest, 1st Lieut., 1874. Afterwards Lieut.-Colonel in Richmond,
but retired in 1910. Died 1915.
James Anderson, 2nd Lieut., 1883-88. 1st Lieut., 1888-94.
D.D. Pye, 2nd Lieut., 1888-92.
J.J. Paine, 2nd Lieut., 1892. 1st Lieut., 1892-94. Captain, 1895-1906.
Major, 1906-13. Lieut.-Colonel, 1913-15.

About the time of the outbreak of the Boer war, in the year 1899, the Hawkesbury Squadron of NEW SOUTH WALES LANCERS was formed, with half squadrons at Windsor and Richmond. The original officers were: Captain Brinsley Hall, Captain R.B. Walker and Lieut. N. Hall, for Windsor; Major Philip Charley, Captain W.T. Charley and Lieut. H. Skuthorp, for Richmond. The uniform was light brown with red facings, and a felt hat adorned with a plume. On retiring from the squadron, presentations were made to Captain Brinsley Hall, M.L.A., and Major Philip Charley.

About the year 1903 the name of the Lancers was changed to the AUSTRALIAN LIGHT HORSE. The Hawkesbury Squadron was successful in winning the Prince of Wales Cup, 1906-7, which was open for competition to all the mounted troops in Australia. Four teams competed, both Victoria and South Australia being represented. The competition was over a three mile course, with three firing competitions of five shots each at a target, and between each firing three hurdles had to be negotiated. The local team who brought this rare trophy to the district were: Captain Brinsley Hall (leader), S.Q.M. Sgt. Owens, Sgt. Hibbert, Sgt. Timmins, Sgt. Fallow, Sgt. Dunston, Far.-Sgt. Huxley, Corp. White, Corp. McMartin, Tpr. Aubrey, Tpr. J. Greentree, Tpr. A. Greentree, Tpr. Mason, and Tpr. Armstrong.

A number of mounted men went from the district to the Boer War, which was in progress from 1898 to 1902. A monument will be seen in Windsor Park to the memory of those who went, but "came not back." The artistic earring on the pedestal is the work of the late J. O'Kelly, and it will repay a little study. Unfortunately, it was not enclosed at first with a fence, and its proximity to the local school tempted some embryo iconoclasts whose marks remain. The inscriptions on the monument read:

In memory of soldiers from Windsor and District who lost their lives in the service of the Empire in South Africa.
This monument was erected as a token of respect by the residents of Windsor.
Trooper GEORGE ARCHIE MONTGOMERY, killed at Zeerust, South Africa, 27th October, 1900.
Trooper CHARLES JOHN GOSPER, accidentally drowned in the Vaal River, South Africa, 26th November, 1901.
Farrier Sergeant GEORGE JENNINGS DICKSON, who died of enteric fever at Standerton, South Africa, 9th January, 1902.

The following is a list of the Windsor and Riverstone district soldiers who have volunteered for the war. The list was closed early in December, 1915; many others will doubtless follow at a later date. The list it will be noted does not include the Richmond, McDonald, Colo, or St. Albans districts, nor a dozen immigrants from the Scheyville training farm:

Akins, Charles, Windsor | Bolton, Hy. H., Windsor (wounded)
Baird, Norman, Pitt Town | Bradshaw, R.N., Scheyville
Baker, W., Oakville | Brooks, John, Freeman's Reach
Bennett, W.H., Windsor | Buchanan, Donald, Windsor
Blacket, Ulric, Vineyard | Callaghan, Clive, Windsor
Blackmore, Walter, Wilberforce |
Callaghan, Reginald, Windsor | Hudson, Sid., Vineyard
Cambridge, K., Windsor | Hughes, Robert B., Windsor
Cambridge, Thomas, Windsor | Hulbert, William, Windsor
Clarke, B., Oakville | James, Henry, Windsor
Clarke, Manfred H., Windsor | Jennings, C.B.E., Windsor
Clout, Leslie, Windsor | Johnston, Staunton H., McGrath's Hill
Cobcroft, B.H., Windsor | Jones, Joshua, Ebenezer
Connelly, Fred., Windsor (killed) | Jones, Bert, Sackville
Davis, Eric, Wilberforce | Jones, Hilton, Windsor
Dickson, John, Windsor | Jones, Russell, Cattai
Dickson, P.A., Windsor | Kemp, Arthur, Ebenezer
Dickson, Walter, Windsor | Laraghy, Jack, Sackville
Dunn, Richmond, Windsor | Laraghy, Boy, Sackville
Dwyer, Gregory, Clarendon | Laraghy, Victor G., Sackville
Dwyer, John, Clarendon | Liddle, Edwin S., Windsor
Dwyer, William, Clarendon | Liddle, Fred., Windsor
Dyer, E.J., Windsor | Liddell, Sydney, Windsor
Eather, Cecil, Windsor (killed) | Lillis, Leo., Freeman's Reach
Eather, Frank, Windsor | Lindsay, A.J.H., Cattai
Farlow, Alwyn, Freeman's Reach | Lindsay, W.S.T., Cattai
Fiaschi, Dr. Thomas, Sackville | Maisey, Fred. T., Windsor
Ford, A.E., Windsor | Marshall, A. Campbell, Cattai
Fullerton, Dr. A.T., Windsor | Marshall, Stewart, Cattai (not accepted)
Gadsden, E. Jeffery, Windsor | Mitchell, Bently, Bullridge
Gibson, Geof. V., Windsor | Molloy, Jas. V., Windsor
Gibson, V.J.V., Windsor | Moses, Jas. Wm., Windsor
Gosper, Charles E., Windsor | Mullinger, Boy, Windsor
Gow, Harold, Windsor | Norris, Arthur, Windsor
Green, Mervyn, Magrath's Hill | O'Brien, V., Windsor
Greentree, C.A., Cattai | Ogden, Joseph, Oakville (wounded)
Greentree, D.S., Cattai | Paine, Lt.-Colonel J.J., Windsor
Hall, Ronald, Wilberforce (not accepted) | Parkin, B.T., Windsor
Hanchett, Samuel, Windsor | Phillips, Leslie, Windsor
Hanchett, James, Windsor | Pickup, Clive, Windsor
Haxby, E.C.H., Windsor (twice wounded) | Potts, Rowland, Windsor
Holden, Reginald, Windsor | Pye, Major Cecil B.A., Windsor
Honeman, Garnet, Windsor (not accepted) | Pye, Eric J.D., Windsor
Hough, Ernest, Windsor | Rees, Victor John, Windsor
Hoskisson, Samuel James, Clarendon |
Rhodes, William B., Wilberforce (not accepted) | Swords, B.E., Windsor
Rigg, William, Sackville | Taylor, Fred C., Windsor
Robertson, Wm., Windsor | Teals, Alex, Wilberforce
Robertson, F.J., Windsor (not accepted) | Thomson, F.S., Cattai
Sandoz, George E., Windsor | Toomey, Alfd., Windsor (killed)
Scholer, Richd., Windsor | Toomey, Edward, Windsor
Shadlow, Cecil D., Windsor (not accepted) | Turnbull, Cecil O.W., Wilberforce
Shirley, Wm., Windsor | Turnbull, Fred., Wilberforce (wounded)
Shimmels, Arthur, Scheyville | Turnbull, Harry N, Wilberforce
Sim, E., Windsor | Ulstrom, Charles, Windsor
Simpson, Cecil, Wilberforce | Uren, Dr. Cecil, Windsor
Simpson, Norman. Wilberforce (wounded) | Walker, Archibald G., Windsor
Smallwood, William, Cattai | Wall, Stanley, Windsor (wounded)
Smith, Robt., Freeman's Reach | Ward, Oscar D., Windsor
Smith, Albert Edward, Freeman's Reach | Ward, William, Windsor
Startin, Wm., Mulgrave | White, W. Frank, Vineyard (wounded)
Streeter, Frederick, Windsor (wounded) | White, Roland, Cattai
Streeter, Roy, Windsor (killed) | Woods, William H., Sackville
Sullivan, Regd., Windsor.

Riverstone List
Alcorn, Cecil, Riverstone | Davis, Herbert, Riverstone
Alcorn, S., Riverstone | Drake, Edward, Riverstone
Alderton, Robert, Schofields | Drayton, Stanley, Riverstone
Bambridge, Phil, Riverstone | Freeman, Herb., Riverstone
Bertie, J., Riverstone | Green, John, Riverstone
Bertie, Leo., Riverstone | Grenshaw, Cecil, Marsden Park (not accepted)
Brookes, Alfred, Marsden Park | Griffin, E.W., Marsden Park
Brookes, Ernest, Marsden Park | Hayward, F.A., Marsden Park
Carter, Fk., Marsden Park | Hayward, John, Riverstone
Case, G., Riverstone (not accepted) | Hayward, Robt., Riverstone
Cassidy, John, Marsden Park | Humphries, T., Riverstone
Clarke, Frank, Riverstone | Hurley, F., Riverstone
Clout, Cyrus, Riverstone | James, Matthew, Riverstone
Comyn, Frank, Riverstone | Johnston, Harold, Schofields (wounded)
Croft, G., Riverstone | Keegan, F., Riverstone
Davies, W., Annangrove |
Kenny, Herbert, Marsden Park (wounded) | Schofield, Edwin, Riverstone
Kenny, John, Marsden Park (wounded) | Schofield, Horace, Riverstone
Knight, C. C, Schofields | Schofield, S.R., Riverstone (not accepted)
Martin, Ernest, Riverstone (not accepted) | Showers, A.B., Riverstone (killed)
Mason, Ambrose, Vineyard | Smith, Albyn, Riverstone
Matthews, Rex, Marsden Park | Symonds, James, Riverstone
Matthews. Eric, Marsden Park | Sulivan, Eric, Riverstone
Morris, William McC., Marsden Park | Taylor, Frank W., Marsden Park
Pye, J.J., Schofields | Teale, George, Riverstone
Rimington, H.J., Marsden Park | Teale, William, Riverstone
Robbins, J., Riverstone | Towers, J., Riverstone
Schofield, Aubury, Riverstone | Wiggins, Frederick, Schofields

SOURCE:
* A Project Gutenberg Australia eBook *
eBook No.: 1302241h.html
The Early Days of Windsor N.S.Wales
J. Steele
Member Aust Historical Society
transcription, janilye
Photograph below Cecil George Eather 1893 - 1915