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Kit bag belonging to AB William Ernest Gould
Kit bag belonging to AB William Ernest Gould

Kit bag belonging to AB William Ernest Gould

Subject or historical figure (1 May 1879 - 23 November 1966)
Date1900-1901
Object number00051779
NameKit bag
MediumCanvas, metal
DimensionsOverall (laid flat): 875 x 495 x 10 mm
ClassificationsTools and equipment
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Janette Thorne
DescriptionCanvas kit bag belonging to Able Seaman William Ernest Gould, who served in the New South Wales Naval Brigade recruited for service in China in August 1900. Victorian, New South Wales and South Australian troops were responsible for guarding and policing Tianjin (Tientsin) and Beijing (Peking) during the Boxer Rebellion.HistoryAustralia took its first step into East Asian conflicts in 1900, when three colonies sent support to the British at the Boxer War. This was a joint action by several nations including Britain, France, Germany, Austria, Russia and the USA to crush a violent uprising against foreigners in China. The action was immortalised in the Hollywood movie "55 days in Peking". The term Boxer was a Western corruption of the original Chinese name. South Australia lent its steel twin screw gunboat HMCS PROTECTOR (Her Majesty's Colonial Ship) with a crew of 110 to assist the British Royal Navy. Victoria and New South Wales sent naval brigade contingents totalling 462 men. The Aberdeen Line cargo passenger ship SS SALAMIS was requisitioned by the New South Wales government to transport the contingent to the conflict. The China Navigation Company Limited vessel SS CHINGTU was requisitioned to bring the contingents home. They steamed through Sydney Heads on 25 April 1901. William Ernest Gould's diary describes his experience of the journey on both the SALAMIS and CHINGTU. Arriving after the main conflict was over; their main duty was guarding and policing Tianjin (Tientsin) and Beijing (Peking). The Australian colonial forces returned home by May 1901 and all men were issued with a medal known variously as the Boxer Rebellion medal, the Queen's China War medal and the Third China War medal. SignificanceThe Boxer Rebellion was the first Asian conflict that Australia participated in - providing the gunboat PROTECTOR plus more than 500 naval personnel in support of the British forces under Field Marshall Count von Waldersee and Admiral Edward Seymour. This kit bag is directly associated with Able Seaman William Ernest Gould and part of his personal equipment issued during naval service in the NSW Naval Brigade during the Boxer Rebellion.