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War Memorial on Argent Street |
Broken Hill Attacked in the Great War
On New Years Day 1915, Broken Hill was the scene of the only enemy attack on Australian soil when, only four months before the Anzacs fought the Turks at Gallipoli, a picnic train on its way to Silverton came under attack.
On New Years Day 1915, the Local Branch of the Manchester unity Order of Oddfellows was to celebrate its annual picnic. At 10 o’clock the picnickers set out, pack in a train of ore-trucks on the Silverton Tramway.
The train had gone only two miles when an ice-cream cart flying the Turkish flag was noticed beside the railway line. Nearby on the bank of the long pipeline, from Umberumberka dam were two men with rifles. Originally thought to be shooting rabbits, the two men were pouring their gunfire into the crowed ore trucks.
Three Picnickers died – one woman and two men – and another six were seriously injured.
The two gunmen were locals of Indian/Afghan origin and Turkish Sympathisers. The elder was Mullah ‘Abdullah, a long-time Broken Hill butcher, and the younger was Goal Mahammed, an ice-cream vendor.
As soon as the train was clear of danger a telephone message was sent to the police. A number of police, together with as many soldiers as could be gathered and some rifle club members, hurried out to the scene.
Meanwhile the two attackers, called at a cottage and shot its occupant. They then retired to rocky hill where one of the police who came upon them unexpectedly was wounded.
The fight lasted till past noon in which some of the local Indians among others helped the police. Many of the infuriated citizens of Broken Hill attributed it to German agitation. The German Club was burned that night by a crowd. The police and soldiers had difficultly in preventing an attack on the camp of ‘Afghan’ camel drivers outside the town.
The following day, one of the mines took steps to rid itself of employees of enemy nationality. Mr Hughes, Attorney-General of the Commonwealth remarked that the incident pointed to the danger of leaving enemy subjects at large.
Original paper clippings, guns and relics can be seen at the Railway Museum and Silverton Goal.
Contact details
Outback Archives - Broken Hill City Library
08 8088 3317 (ph)
council@brokenhill.nsw.gov.au
