Artillery horses for Egypt in training at Moore Park

This engraving published in the 'Illustrated Sydney News' Saturday 14 March 1885 shows an incident during the training of Artillery Horses at Moore Park. In the lead up to the dispatch of the NSW Contingent to the Sudan a selection committee was appointed by the Government to purchase horses suitable for Artillery work. These horses were then gathered at the Agricultural Ground, Moore Park, under the charge of Warrant Officer Green. There they were given daily training for field work either at the Agricultural Ground or in the larger Moore Park grounds. It was reported that '... Large crowds visited the parks and watched with eager interest the doings of the various teams of "greys", "bays", and "chestnuts". They are a very fine lot of animals, strongly built, and possessing all the requisites of an Artillery Horse, except efficient training ; this will have to be given them after they are landed at Suakim.' A day before the Troops departed for Eygpt the Artillery Horses were loaded on board the transport ships. There were 200 onboard SS Australasia while SS Iberian only took 25.
The 'Illustrated Sydney News' (1853 - 1889) was a monthly publication similar in format to 'the Graphic' and the 'Illustrated London News'. It was published by Messers. Gibbs, Shallard and Company, one of the largest printing and publishing companies in the Colonies, who employed artists and illustrators of a high artistic standard. Such as C.H Hunt and Francis Morley.