This swagger stick was acquired from a deceased estate some years ago by Frank Geddes of the Darwin RSL.  The previous owner’s service record shows that he discharged from the 9th Australian Army Troops Company in January 1946 having achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant. The item itself is 22.5 inches long and bears a brass end-cap adorned with an early corps badge with seven-point star surmounted by a crown.  The words 'Australian Engineers' encircle the familiar engineers' flaming mortar-bomb as a centrepiece.  The motto 'Facimus et Frangimus' appears on a banner below the star,   translated as  'we make, we break',   a clear reference  to the dual role  of

construction and demolition.  The shaft is of varnished timber rather than cane, and the item is in very good condition considering its age.

Initially the swagger stick was assumed to be over 100 years old, since the Australian Engineers came into being in 1902, and Royal assent was granted for use of the name ‘Royal Australian Engineers’ in 1907.  It has since been learned that the corps name ‘Royal Australian Engineers’ did not include the militia engineers until January 1936.

Correspondence with WO1 Graham Toll, former curator of the Australian Army Museum of Military Engineering, has revealed that the badge on the brass cap is very close to that used from 1905 to 1923, so the age must be at least 85 and could still be over 100 years.

The Museum did not have a swagger stick like this, and was very keen to acquire it.  By the time you read this, it may already be on display.  If passing through Sydney, take the time to visit the RAE Corps Museum and Heritage Park at Moorebank, or check out their excellent website at:

It is a popular belief that the carrying of a swagger stick was originally conceived as a mechanism to prevent officers wandering about with their hands in their pockets!