The Secret War: A True History of Queensland's Native PoliceFor many Aboriginal people, white colonisation arrived with the armed men of the Native Police: a brutal force that operated on the 19th-century frontier, killing large numbers of Indigenous people. Native Police detachments - mounted Aboriginal troopers led by white officers - would surround Aboriginal camps and fire into them at dawn, killing men, women and children. The bodies were often burned to destroy the evidence. Historian Jonathan Richards has spent ten years researching this controversial subject, picking his way through the secrecy, misinformation and supposed 'lost files'. In this first full-length comprehensive study of the Native Police in Queensland, Richard argues that they were a key part of a 'divide and rule' colonising tactic, used with equal success elsewhere in the British Empire; that the force's actions were given the implicit approval of government and public servants; and that their killings were covered-up. The Secret War is an authoritative and groundbreaking contribution to our country's white settlement history. |
Contents
Map | 1 |
A reign of terror | 16 |
An armed and dangerous frontier | 44 |
Copyright | |
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Aboriginal women appointed acting sub-inspector appointed constable armed Australia Barron River blacks Bligh born Ireland Bowen Brisbane Courier British Cairns camp sergeant campkeeper Cape York Peninsula charge Charles clerk of petty Coen colonial Queensland Colonial Secretary Colonial Secretary's Correspondence command of detachment Commissioner of Police Commissioner Seymour constable 1897 Cooktown Creek Cullin-la-Ringo Dawson River death deserted died disperse district Douglas European evidence force's Frederick Wheeler frontier violence George grazier Henry Hornet Bank Indigenous inquest James John Oxley Lamond letter married military Morisset murder Murray Native Mounted Police Native Police Native Police camp Native Police force Native Police officers newspaper Norman River North Queensland Palmer River patrol petty sessions Poingdestre Police in Queensland Police Staff File promoted to sub-inspector Queensland Police reappointed records recruits reported resigned retired Rockhampton second lieutenant second-class sub-inspector senior constable served settlers shot South Wales squatters station Sydney Townsville troopers troops Turn Off Lagoon William wrote