Military firearms in colonial Western Australia 
at close of year". The funding vote was repeated in 
1898-99 but again was unexpended. In 1899 - 1900 
no funds were voted for cadet arms. In the 1900 - 
1901 year funds were voted for "cadet rifles, 500 
with bayonets, and 500 dummy rifles". These 
funds were unexpended by 1901 - 1902 because 
"these votes lapsed upon transfer of the 
department to the Commonwealth". 184 Apparently 
the cadets languished somewhat between 1898 - 
1903 and little activity is recorded for this period, 185 
the non arrival of the 500 rifles and bayonets before 
Federation prevented weapons drill or musketry 
until 1903. The following Education Department 
records show that 1903 was the real beginning of 
the W.A. Cadet Force. Under the heading "Cadets 
and Military Drill" the 1903 Education Department 
Report states "The Cadet Force was brought into 
Figure 33 The ownership marks of the W.A. Cadet 
Force. This mark consists of stand number 
"1144" over the initials "W A C F". The mark 
is located on the right side of the butt of a 
Francotte Martini cadet rifle. Between 1903 - 
1904, around 1500 of these arms were issued 
by the Education Department of Western 
Australia. (Photo D. Elford). 
101 
Figure 34 The left side of the butt illustrated in Figure 
33 showing the Western Australian 
Government ownership mark. (Photo D. 
Elford). 
existence by the regulations which came into force 
on the 20th February", (1903). The first year was 
spent organizing the students and teachers in 27 
schools so that by 31st December 1903 the 
department had 1208 cadets. The Report continued 
with a reference to arms, "The Force has been 
armed with Francotte rifles, and 1000 of these rifles 
have been obtained", but no ammunition 
accompanied the rifles and "regrettably" the cadets 
had been unable to practice musketry. The Report 
recommended another "500 Rifles and belts etc." 
be ordered in the coming year. 
The arms referred to are the .297/.230 inch 
calibre Francotte Martini. The bayonet is a small 
socket bayonet. (W.A. Museum W1339). From the 
Education Department Report of 1903 it can be 
determined that the 500 rifles and bayonets 
ordered by the colony of W.A. in 1900 - 1901 was 
increased by another 500 rifles in the 
Commonwealth period 1902-03. According to the 
1903 Report this increased order arrived in 1903 
and was issued in one lot of 1000. It is concluded 
that the additional order of "500 rifles and belts" 
recommended for purchase in the 1903 Report also 
arrived soon afterwards, probably in 1904. This 
