A short history of the Australian Intelligence Corps

Introduction -- Federation -- Formation of the Corps -- World War 1
Between the World Wars -- World War 2 -- Asian Engagements -- Vietnam
Peacekeepers -- Reservists, Regulars & The Future
Official Contributers

Introduction

Intelligence is the basic tool of every successful military force. Until Federation, the armies of the Australian colonies relied on the British Government for information to conduct their planning and activities. Whilst it is unlikely that the colonies placed great demands upon the British Intelligence service, the colonies were expected to play their part in Imperial military information collection.

From 1875 all colonies were required to report annually to the Intelligence Department of the War Office in London. In 1885, during the Sudan Expedition, Captain Parrot of the New South Wales Engineers conducted a terrain survey of the area around Suakin for the Intelligence Department of the British War Office. In the last decade of the Nineteenth Century, there is evidence to suggest that William Bridges, an officer of the New South Wales Artillery, conducted intelligence collection duties in the Southwest Pacific, again at the behest of the War Office in London.

During the Boer War, a number of Australians served in the "Field Intelligence Department" or undertook intelligence duties with various other Imperial commands.



Introduction -- Federation -- Formation of the Corps -- World War 1
Between the World Wars -- World War 2 -- Asian Engagements -- Vietnam
Peacekeepers -- Reservists, Regulars & The Future
Official Contributers