Hundreds of willing workers put in hours of effort to prepare for Brisbane’s Patriotic Carnival on St. Andrews Day, Monday 30th November 1914. The day began with a patriotic procession, naval, military, and athletic sports, and assault at arms, and young and old lent their efforts to make the whole day a great success. Morning showers gave way to ‘perfect holiday weather’ and the takings for the day approximated £2,000.
The procession assembled in William Street, and long before the procession began the streets were thronged, with every balcony and window along the route occupied. A few minutes after 1 p.m. the main streets were cleared of other traffic, and the procession moved off by way of Elizabeth, George, Queen, Wickham, and Brunswick streets to the Exhibition Grounds.
Mounted police led the way to keep the line of march clear, and behind them came the members of the Queensland Motor Cycle Club with gaily decorated machines, one built up to represent a gunboat, and two side cars containing ladies dressed as nurses, who collected coins for the Patriotic Fund. A large fleet of motor cars followed, with signs saying "Coppers for our boys”.
The crowd at the Exhibition Grounds swelled to upwards of 20,000 people, and a fine day was had by all.
On the 5th December 1914, the Brisbane Courier reported that an additional company was being raised in the First Military District to supplement the force already departed for duty in the tropics. All men enlisted were required to be good shots, but previous military service was not a necessary qualification. The period of engagement would be for the duration of the war, unless sooner discharged, and minimum age 30 years, maximum 50 years. The military authorities desired that all parts of Queensland and the Northern Rivers of New South Wales should, if possible, be represented.
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