Queensland, Australia, Military Pensions, 1872-1919

Source Information

Ancestry.com. Queensland, Australia, Military Pensions, 1872-1919 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2023.
Original data: Queensland, Australia: Queensland State Archives. Discharged Soldier Settler Loans 1917-1919 Imperial pensions 1872 to 1915 Imperial pensions 1898 to 1912 Index to Pensions 1908-1909.

About Queensland, Australia, Military Pensions, 1872-1919

About the Queensland, Australia, Military Pensions, 1872-1919

General collection information

This collection contains an index of people from Queensland, Australia, who received military pensions between 1872 and 1919. All records are in English. Original records in this collection were created by the Treasury Department Queensland.

This collection is made up of 4 separate sets of records, all related to pensions in Queensland at this time. These sets include:

  • Index to Pensions
  • Soldier Settlement Ledgers 1917-1929
  • Imperial Pensions 1872-1915
  • Imperial Pensions 1898-1912

    • Using the collection

    Records in the collection may include the following information:

  • Name
  • Date of payment
  • Page number
  • Queensland State Archives reference number
  • Notes on payment

    • Many records in this collection list the initials or an abbreviation of the pensioner's first name. If you're uncertain about a record, you may wish to check your ancestor's other military records for accuracy. In some cases, you are likely to find multiple payment records for a single individual.

    You may find records from as early as 1899 for women. Women were allowed to serve as nurses, but you may also find civilians in this collection, as pensions were often paid to service members' widows.

    Despite racially restrictive policies, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people served in the Australian military forces. Many chose not to disclose their heritage in order to enlist. While some may have been given English names at birth, others may have used aliases strictly for the purpose of enlisting. If your ancestor served in the Australian military, checking any known aliases may help you find their records.

    Your ancestor may have served in more than one of The Colony of Queensland's conflicts.

    Collection in context

    The Australian Frontier Wars (1788-1934) were the violent conflicts between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and primarily British settlers during the colonisation of Australia. The first conflict took place several months after the landing of the First Fleet in January 1788, and the last frontier conflict occurred in the early 20th century – however documented acts of violence and oppression have continued into the 21st century.

    The first volunteer military units in Australia were created in 1854 when British troops were recalled for the Crimean War. Each Australian colony became fully responsible for its own military in 1870 when all British troops were finally removed.

    Most colonial forces were not required to serve overseas, but many Queenslanders volunteered to serve in the Boer War in South Africa. Upon Federation, the colonies joined together and created a united Australian military composed of part-time volunteers. Leading up to the First World War, the Defence Act 1909 would further build Australia's forces by mandating military service for males between the ages of 18 and 60. Many of these men went on to serve overseas in the Australian Imperial Forces during the First World War.

    Only men of European descent were eligible for military service. In 1917, males with one European parent became eligible for military service due to casualties from the First World War.

    Bibliography

    Anzac Portal. "First Australian Imperial Force in World War I." Last Modified 10 March, 2023. https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/ww1/military-organisation/australian-imperial-force.

    Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Studies. "Military Services Records." Last Modified 11 January 2023. https://aiatsis.gov.au/family-history/family-history-sources/official-records/military-services-records.

    Australian War Memorial. "The Australian Army." Last Modified December 2020. https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/understanding-military-structure/army.

    Australian War Memorial. "The Defence Act and Enlistment." Last Modified 31 July, 2021. https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/schools/resources/anzac-diversity/aboriginal-anzacs/defence-act.

    Australian War Memorial. "Women in the Australian Military." Last Modified 1 June, 2021. https://www.awm.gov.au/women-in-defence#.

    Australian War Memorial. "Australian Colonial Forces, 1854-1900." Last Modified 8 February, 2021. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/CN500050.

    Queensland Government. "Frontier Wars." Last Modified 29 May, 2023. https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/arts/heritage/archives/collection/war/frontier-wars..

    Queensland Government. "South African (Boer War), 1899 - 1902." Last Modified 3 December, 2022. https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/boer-war-1899-to-1902..