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The Pontville Training Camp was a windswept open area which lacked any facilities, including a regular water supply. |
Also, the nearest railway station was at Brighton. Troops were regularly entrained from Brighton to Hobart for rifle practice at the range at Sandy Bay.
Here, at Claremont, Tassie’s own battalion – The Fighting Fortieth was raised. It grew from ‘one thousand farmers, clerks, timber-workers, miners, etc to an equal number of highly-trained soldiers who composed an efficient fighting force…’
![]() A group of reinforcements waiting to ship out overseas. |
Thousands more would enlist and train here. Among them were the different reinforcements for the 12th Battalion, 7th Field Ambulance ‘C’ Section, Field Artillery, Light Horse and the Pioneers. |