As a 56 year resident of Australia and a recipient of traditional view of Australian history, the findings from my research in the 1980s into the service of Private William Flack of the 63rd Regiment of Foot in Van Dieman’s Land (Tasmania) in the 1830s provided many surprises.
Australian history, quite naturally, is written from the point of view of the convicts and settlers and there was very little written about the role of the British Army in the first 100 years of our history. What my research did was to remind me that in many ways the Australian colonies were governed by the military. The Governors were military men (and many still are although now in ceremonial roles only) and the public services were often managed by the officers of the Regiment.
The Australian Dictionary of Biography lists the following members of the 63rd Regiment who played important roles in colonial Australia. Many others settled here and did not leave with the Regiment for India in 1834.
I have now completed the Second Edition of “The 63rd Regiment of Foot (West Suffolk) in Australia 1829-1833) which is available to down-load (here).
Your comments and suggestions are welcome
Lives of service 
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Hi Ted, my great great grandfather Jonathan Jenkins joined the British Army (63rd regiment) in 1820 in Abbeyleix, county Laois, Ireland. He served in India, Tasmania and Western Australia. I have found out that he was on board HMS Sulphur when it reached Freemantle and Perth in 1829. I am trying to find as much information on him as I can. I have found a newspaper article in the Perth Gazette concerning an attack on private Jenkins in Clarence, Western Australia in 1833. I am trying to identify if this attack was on Jonathan Jenkins? There was another Jenkins in the 63rd regiment, John Jenkins, who was also on board HMS Sulphur. Any advice on where I could find any new information would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks.
Seamus Hannan
seamus.hannan@gmail.com
Hi Seamus. Apologies for the delay in responding. The best way to sort out which Jenkins was which would be to check ou the Muster Rolls for the period. My records include references to two Jenkins: Rgt No. 225 Private Jonathan Jenkins and Regt. No. 707 Private John Jenkins in the Muster Rolls Jul-Dec 1832. Regards
Ted Flack