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These two bronze plaques commemorate the then colony of New South Wales' involvement in the Soudan War. They are mounted on the sandstone escarpment in the Sydney Opera House forecourt at East Circular Quay.
Soudan Contingent
The New South Wales
contingent for the Soudan War
(consisting of some 750 men and 225 horses)
embarked on the troopships
"Australasian" and "Iberia"
at the wharves on the
North East side of the Circular Quay
on March 3 1885
The contingent returned to Sydney
in the troopship "Arab"
on June 23 1885.
This memorial donated by Thomas Gunning Esq.
R.A.H.S.
To commemorate
the centenary of the departure of
the New South Wales contingent
for the Soudan on 3rd March 1885
His Excellency Air Marshall Sir James Rowland, K.B.E. D.F.C. A.F.C.,
Governor of New South Wales
unveiled this plaque on 3rd March 1985
following a parade at Victoria Barracks Paddington
and then leading a march through Sydney
of units of the Royal Australian Navy,
the Australian Regular Army and the Army Reserve,
successors of the original contingent.