Snowball marches
The marches were called "snowball marches" in the hope that like a snowball rolling down a hill will pick up more snow, gaining more mass and surface area, and picking up even more snow as it rolls along, the marchers would also collect more marchers as they progressed to the recruiting depot.
In June 1915 the Minister for Defence George Pearce set recruitment goals at 5,300 men per month in order to maintain the forces fighting at Gallipoli.
The campaign in New South Wales by contrast was disappointing for state leaders — especially so in light of interstate rivalry between the two neighbours.
[1][2] Twenty six men left Gilgandra on 10 October 1915 on the 'Cooee March', led by the captain of the local rifle club, William Thomas Hitchen.
By the time they reached Sydney just over one month later on 12 November, the numbers had swelled to 263 recruits, marching a total of 320 miles (510 km) and being welcomed by large crowds along the way.
[6] After the close of World War I, parishioners of St Ambrose Church in Bournemouth, England, grateful for the assistance England had received from the dominions in defending the British Empire, decided make a peace thanks-giving gift of £1,200 to the town in the Empire with a good church and wartime service record.
Their march followed the Southern railway line, making its way through Allora, Clifton, Greenmount, Cambooya, Toowoomba, Helidon, Gatton, Laidley, Rosewood, Ipswich and Oxley.
[7] Men marched from the South Coast: Nowra, Bomaderry, Meroo, Berry, Gerringong, Kiama, Jamberoo, Albion Park, Dapto, Unanderra, Port Kembla, Wollongong, Balgownie, Corrimal, Woonona, Bulli, Thirroul, Coledale, Scarborough, Stanwell Park, Helensburgh, Heathcote, Sutherland, Hurstville, Kogarah, Rockdale, arriving at The Domain.
'Maitlands Own' Battalion, the 34th, was formed from a core of men who had commenced a recruitment march at Narrabri on 8 December 1915 and finished in Newcastle on 8 January 1916.
[13] Although volunteers joined the 'Snowies' as they passed through smaller towns and villages, massive civil receptions at the larger centres celebratised the 'Snowy' recruits, which was intended to entice further 'eligibles' at the meetings to do likewise.
Corey later served with the 55th Battalion as a stretcher bearer, and is recognised as the only soldier in the British Empire to be awarded the Military Medal four times.
The majority of recruits who enlisted during the march later formed the 4th reinforcements of the 55th Battalion, AIF, all of which saw service on the Western front.
They marched from Daroobalgie to Donaghey’s Hill, and then on to Forbes, Yamma Station, Eugowra, Gooloogong, Canowindra, Billimari, Cowra, Woodstock, Lyndhurst, Carcoar, Blayney, Newbridge (to Georges Plains by train) and Perthville.
[21] On the Light Horse memorial at Cowra, a plaque commemorates the re-enactment of the 1916 Boomerang march held in February 1999.
[22] A "snowball" march of recruits from Casterton, Victoria in the Western District to Melbourne, a distance of about 245 miles, was planned in 1916.
