Other controversies

Other controversies, now long forgotten, also arose from the war. Some officers, notably Percy Ricardo of Queensland and S Inglis of Western Australia, were accused of cowardice. Some soldiers were accused of looting and brutality, notably those returning to Australia on the troop ship Aurania. When 17 soldiers died during or after returning on another troop ship, the Drayton Grange, a public outcry prompted a royal commission. Some of these controversies are well documented.

CORRESPONDENCE FILES, ANNUAL SINGLE NUMBER SERIES, 1903–38		A1
	For series description see earlier this chapter. One relevant item:
	Introduction of Asiatics into South Africa to work Johannesburg mines, 1903 Correspondence reflecting Australian and New Zealand government disquiet that Asian miners might replace European ones after the war, lending credence to a commonly perceived wisdom of the day that the war had been a capitalist-Jewish conspiracy to secure cheap non-European labour.	A1, 1903/864
SUBJECT BUNDLES OF GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE FILES RELATING TO THE AUSTRALIAN CONTINGENTS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN (BOER) WAR, 1899–1911		A6443
	For series description see Chapter 1. Some relevant items, including:
	Replies to queries of Minister of Defence on certain statements of the acting Commandant, Western Australia, as to conduct of Lieutenants Inglis and Harris while on service in South Africa, 1900–02 Accusations that two Western Australian officers were cowards.	A6443, 64
	Recovery on account of deficient medical stores, Drayton Grange, 1902–03	A6443, 577
CORRESPONDENCE AND PRINTED MATTER ARRANGED ACCORDING TO SUBJECT (‘SPECIAL PORTFOLIO’), 1888–1936		A6661
	For series description see Chapter 1. One relevant file:
	Aurania – Troops returning in, 1902	A6661, 678
RECORDS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE CENTRAL REGISTRY, 1900–38		AWM3
	For series description see Chapter 1. Several relevant items:
	Papers relative to the looting by troops of Aurania and correspondence regarding a claim by Miss Weiss, 1902–03 Claims for compensation against rowdy soldiers returning to Australia on the Aurania.	AWM3, 02/1265
	Papers dealing with the damages by troops ex Aurania at Albany. Further claims for payment made, 1902	AWM3, 02/1354 Part 1
	Papers dealing with the damages by troops ex Aurania at Albany. Further claims for payment made, 1902 Lassetter, in charge of the Aurania, blames the practice of enlisting into Australian units ‘deserters from the mercantile marine and the scum of the earth’ for much of the trouble in Cape Town.	AWM3, 02/1354 Part 2
	Correspondence regarding the conduct of Lts Mecham and Taylor and the burning of a Boer woman’s house at Villiersdorp, 1902	AWM3, 02/1520
	Correspondence regarding the appointment of a Royal Commission into the arrangements made for the transport of troops returning from service in South Africa aboard the transport Drayton Grange, 1902	AWM3, 02/2064
	Telegram referring to the debarked troops from the transport Drayton Grange, 1902	AWM3, 02/2065
	Correspondence regarding the temporary appointment of Lt Col Lyster 1st Battalion ACH to Colonel while in command of the troops on board HMT Drayton Grange, 1902	AWM3, 02/2126
	Conduct of Captain Shields AMS. His action in writing to the press regarding the happenings aboard the Drayton Grange on which he was acting PMO on the voyage from South Africa, 1902	AWM3, 02/2213
	Papers relating to the Royal Commission into the arrangements made for the transport of troops returning from service in South Africa aboard the SS Drayton Grange and the non-landing of Trooper Burkett at Adelaide from the SS Norfolk, 1902–03	AWM3, 02/2915
RECORDS ARRANGED ACCORDING TO AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL LIBRARY SUBJECT CLASSIFICATION, 1864–1970		AWM27
	For series description see Chapter 3. One relevant item:
	Papers concerning conditions aboard the troopship Drayton Grange returning troops from Durban South Africa to Australia, 1902	AWM27, 270/8
CORRESPONDENCE FILES, 1901–06		B168
	For series description see Chapter 1. Some relevant items, including:
	Lt Col Ricardo – libel claim against the Observer, 1901	B168, 1901/2538
	Lt S Inglis – charges against whilst serving in S. Africa, 1901 Official inquiry into accusations that Inglis had ‘left his men in a hole’, refusing to advance with them into the firing line.	B168, 1901/3915
	Lt S Inglis – charges against , 1901 Attorney-General Deakin’s doubts about the competence and jurisdiction of the Inglis inquiry.	B168, 1902/2029
	Tpr H P Parker – medical expenses illness contracted Drayton Grange, 1903 A claim that the postwar death of the member of the Scottish Horse was caused by overcrowding and insanitary conditions on the Drayton Grange.	B168, 1903/2052