After afternoon tea at Nubba they reached Murrumburrah where they were  met by the Council, new recruits, all military units, rifle clubs and citizen forces, headed by the town band. The next day they were at Harden. They then moved on through Galong, Binalong and Bowning to Yass. Wagga Wagga to Yass was a total of  132  miles, an average of 8.8 miles per day. 

 

Special trains were used to get people - loyal citizens, spectators or cheer squads?- to smaller centres such as Galong, where, being Sunday the marchers were having a day of rest, but still not free of recruiting speeches and stirring music. 

Each man accepted was given a special identification medal. Do any of these medals survive today? 
 

The  Yass townspeople turned out in force to cheer the men and listen to the speeches in front of the Mechanics' Institute - the town meeting hall.  Today's current meeting hall, the Memorial Hall was a paddock in 1915 where the horses were yarded.

From Campbelltown into Sydney the Kangaroo recruits went by train, arriving in Sydney by the end of December. It had been decided that this recruitment drive would finish at Campbelltown so that a country contingent could be created. 

What is not known is how they got from Yass to Campbelltown. Did they march to Goulburn and then travel by train through the Southern Highlands? Did they leave Yass by train? It is known that recruits came from Jerrawa which is just north east of Yass. Did they join at Yass, or at Jerrawa itself, or Gunning or Goulburn? Where did the marchers spend Christmas? Answers to these questions would be very welcome as would any knowledge of the banner they carried which can be seen in the centre of the photograph. Since this site began on 24th Oct, a picture of the banner has come to light. 

And were the recruiting officers successful in Yass? 

The exhibition to be staged in Yass Public Library by the Historical Society will include the answers to this question, plus photos and other memorabilia of this remarkable journey.