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Light Horse
Museums |
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Light Horse
Museums |
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Uniform circa1939, belonging to Major W McGrath M.C. 8th (Indi) LH
Boot and anklett collection: WW1 Infantry boots and putties to Boot GP.
Uniform circa 1903, belonging to Lieutt. Crawford, 7th LH (VMR) |
The 8/13 VMR Museum is housed in a converted WWII married quarter
at Buna Barracks, Victoria Street, Albury, NSW. Buna Barracks has been the home of the
8/13 VMR Regiment, RAAC, since 1948. The primary aim of the collection is to preserve artifacts and documents relating to light horse and armoured units that make up the lineage of the 8/13 VMR. These units include the 8th (Indi) Light Horse, the 13th (Gippsland) Light Horse, the 20th (Victorian Mounted Rifles) Light Horse, the 2/8th Armoured Regiment, the 2/8th Divisional Cavalry Regiment, the 13th Armoured Regiment and the 20th Motor Regiment. The museum has a secondary focus, that of preserving aspects of the military heritage of the Albury-Wodonga region. Exhibits are devoted to the 13th Battery, Australian Field Artillery (The Albury Battery) 1st AIF, Women's services in both World Wars, and the 2/23Battalion (Albury's Own). There is a POW exhibit with artifacts donated by local former POWs, also Korean and Vietnam War exhibits of local interest. Buna Barracks is itself an historic complex of buildings. It was originally a depot for NSW mounted police. Stables, saddlery rooms and single men's quarters dating from the turn of the century still stand, although they have been extensively renovated and are currently used as Squadron Headquarters and storerooms. The Drill Hall, built in 1915, is a superb example of a country drill hall. It is well maintained and is in constant use by current reserve and cadet units. The museum includes a collection of armoured fighting vehicles of the type that have been in service with 8/13 VMR at various times. The vehicles are a Centurion tank; Staghound armoured car, White scout car, and Ferret scout car. The museum features an comprehensive LH and armoured uniform collection beginning with a 1903 light horse uniform owned by Lieutenant Crawford 7th LH (VMR) and extending to the dress uniform of Sir David Fairbairn, Honorary Colonel 19xx-xx. The medal collection is also extensive. It is being added to through donations and a modest purchasing program to acquire relevant medals. The relic, documentary and photographic collection is a rich one. The museum has become the repository of the property of associations such as the 13th ALH Association which disbanded in 1980, and various individual collections such as the McGrath, Ronan, Whitehead, Chisholm and Mitchell collections. The VMR collection languished for many years in boxes in the unit Q Store. In 1986, under the leadership of the Honorary Colonel, Colonel John Neale E.D. R.F.D., a committee was formed to established a museum. A disused married quarter was converted for the purpose and the task of building the exhibits begun. Two former SSMs in the regiment, Mr Bill Woolford and Mr Lou Madjeric together with former SQMS Mr Maurice Miles and former Sgt Alan Williams worked long hours on the project. They were advised and assisted by Mr Don Campbell of the Albury-Wodonga Branch of the Military Historical Society of Australia. On 1 May 1988, the museum was officially opened by the Director of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps, Colonel G F Howard. In the nine years since its opening the museum has been administered by a board of trustees and maintained by a growing group of volunteers. The museum is currently part of a pilot scheme for Project Army Heritage, a program to improve the management of army museums and ensure the long-term preservation of valuable items. The museum is the venue for the annual reunion of the 8/13 VMR Regimental Association, and for the regular meetings of the Albury-Wodonga branch of the Military Historical Society of Australia. The museum is staffed and open most Tuesdays between 8.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. Arrangements are able to be made to have the museum open at other times by contacting the curator Col John Neale on (02) 60 21 18 28, or the historian Lt Col Doug Hunter on (02) 60 21 28 35. |
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