Capella, The Australian Light Horse and the Emu Plume
Memorial to the Australian Light Horse and the origins of the Emu Plume (Capella, Central Queensland)
An unexpected find at Capella (54kms north of Emerald in Central Queensland), is a memorial to the Australian Light Horse and the origins of the emu plume.
The anecdotal story tells that one day, in early 1891, the Gympie Squadron of the Queensland Mounted Infantry was in the Capella area on ‘special duty’ during the Great Shearers’ Strike. To break the monotony of the long patrols, the troopers would ride down emus and decorate their hats with the bird’s feathers. After, in recognition of their service during the shearers’ strike, the Queensland Government made it official that the whole regiment could wear the emu plume on their slouch hat as part of their uniform. Something that stood the Queensland Mounted Infantry apart from the mounted infantry units of other states. The emu plume was worn on active service for the first time in the Boer War in South Africa.
After Federation, other states such as South Australia and Tasmania, included the emu plume as part of the dress for their mounted units as well. However, with the amalgamation of the armed forces in 1911-12, no provision was made for the emu plume. But the Queensland mounted units held on to their prized emu plume and continued to wear it. Be it unofficially!!
Slouch hat with emu plume and Royal Australian Armoured Corps badge (Photo: Ian Johnston)
With the start of World War 1 and the raising of the First AIF, much lobbying by Queenslanders saw the Prime Minister announce that all Queensland mounted troops would, once again, officially wear the emu plume on their slouch hat. In Egypt, the Queenslanders became disgruntled when regiments from other states, arrived wearing the emu plume. Such was the Queenslanders’ pride and feeling of ownership. The Australian Minister of Defence announced that the emu plume could be worn by all members of the Australian Light Horse (ALH). But this did not end the controversy and through-out World War 1 and into the 1920’s, only some units wore the emu plume. For others, it was seen as something that identified the Queensland units.
In the 1930’s when the Australian military forces were re-organised, the emu plume was included as part of the official uniform for all members of the ALH. In 1941, the ALH was absorbed into the newly formed Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) with the emu plume being included as part of the official dress of the RAAC. Today, the same feeling of pride and ownership in their unit as displayed by the Queensland Mounted Infantry all those years ago, still exists as members of the RAAC proudly wear the emu plume on their slouch hats.
Little did that group of mounted troopers who rode down the emus in the Capella area so long ago, know that the emu plume on the slouch hat would still remain a proud tradition in the army, 130 years later.
Capella Memorial
Capella Memorial
Blog Source:
https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/lhplumes/feathers
Plaque: Capella and the Australian Light Horse Emu Plume