From a recalcitrant, rebellious adjutant to a VC awarded to one of Golden Point Primary's best students, the unit originally known as the Ballarat Volunteer Rifle Regiment has had a few strong-minded members.

At the time of the BVRR founding in 1858, the British empire had concluded a two-and-a-half year war with Russia. The Crimean War, a vicious, bloody and cruel affair with obscure religious origins and remembered for the efforts of Florence Nightingale and the Charge of the Light Brigade, had finished in 1856.

Britain, France, for some reason the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Ottoman Empire (yes, the irony is to come 60 years later) allied against and defeated Russia in a war soon described as 'stupid and wasteful' and 'meaningless', which might describe all war, of course.

Nevertheless for a time it was popular in the colonies. In Victoria, everything from the suburbs of Sebastopol and Balaclava to the town of St Arnaud and hundreds of Cardigan, Napier, Alma and Inkerman streets draw their origin from the inconclusive conflict.

For some reason, and no doubt encouraged by the Crown, there was a general feeling Australia should be defended from a possible Russian invasion, as far-fetched as the idea was.

Formed at the Shakespeare Hotel on Main Road, the BVRR planned four corps (now companies) of infantry and a troop of light horse, a formidable force. Sadly, it could not reach those strengths, raising one corps and a few horsemen.

The first commanding officer was the editor of the Ballarat Star newspaper, Richard Belford. Two weeks later Ballarat's sheriff, a former British Army officer Major Robert Wallace, was elected as the unit's full-time Adjutant - essentially the secretary.

Belford was Catholic, Wallace most definitely not. Wallace's military history - he'd served in India with the 41^st Native Infantry - was extensive. Belford had none. The pair did not get on. Wallace had a reputation for belligerence. One of his men in India, a Private Holland, was transported for life for 'offering violence' to Lieutenant Wallace in 1842.

"I cannot work with a Commanding Officer with no military experience!" Wallace was heard to exclaim. His words had the desired effect. Belford resigned soon after, and Wallace became CO. He was ambitious as well as tempestuous, and resigned in 1863 after being rejected for a position as Brigade Major in Melbourne.

Replaced by Captain, later Major and Lt Colonel, William Collard Smith, a liberal democrat and champion sportsman in Ballarat who also had a name for shady land deals but was nevertheless enormously popular, Wallace returned, resigned; returned once more and finally quit for good in 1866, some 30 years after he began his military career.

Despite being a difficult man, Wallace knew the success of the Rangers, as the unit was now known, rested on it being seen as elite and worthy of joining. He used the fame of the British Rifle Regiment to shamelessly pilfer their green jacket uniform, for which they were renowned. Soon the Ballarat Volunteer Rangers had companies in Ballarat East and West, Clunes and Creswick, and a small cavalry troop.

Volunteerism came to an end in the 1880s, as did the idea of a mounted troop. It was an expensive venture to be an amateur soldier, and as Australia headed towards a federation, paid militias were favoured as a more professional form of military.

By World War One, Ballarat had the 70^th and 71^st Infantry, with the Ranger name dropped. They combined to form the 8^th Battalion during the war. Some of Ballarat's old officers helped form the new units, but the stress of the new war, and new warfare, meant they soon resigned or took desk jobs. Not so easy was the future for young Ballarat men.

At the outbreak of war, brothers Percy and Ted Lay became two of six 'Ballan boys' to enlist at once, joining the 8^th Battalion. Both landed at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915.

While Ted returned home suffering shell shock in 1917, Percy fought on.

His was a war of distinction, if the horror of war might ever be called thus. Awarded the French Croix de Guerre after the battle of Pozieres in August 1916, the Military Medal after the fighting at the Hindenburg Line in May 1917, the Distinguished Conduct Medal after the battle of Polygon Wood near Ypres in September 1917, he was commissioned 'in the field' and awarded the Military Cross at the battle of Broodseinde Ridge in October 1917.

With hostilities ending Percy Lay volunteered to serve in Dunsterforce, an allied force intended to organise local units in northern Iran (Persia) and southern Caucasus, to replace the Tsarist armies that had fought the Ottoman armies in Armenia.

Lay returned to Australia in 1919 and was discharged; he enlisted again in WW2, his service limited to training and garrison battalions in Victoria.

On 1 June 1915, Ballarat-born William Dunstan enlisted in the AIF. He served as a cadets in the Compulsory Military Training Scheme and was a lieutenant in the 70^th Infantry. Enlisting in Melbourne he joined the reinforcements of the 'Pompey' Elliott's 7^th Battalion.

Dunstan joined his battalion on Gallipoli as an acting corporal. Sent into battle at Lone Pine in August 1915, he was severely wounded by a thrown bomb and returned to Australia temporarily blinded. He was awarded the Victoria Cross in Melbourne in 1916.

Once his sight recovered, he returned to the militia in Ballarat. Dunstan spent many years in journalism ending his working life as general manager of the Herald. In later years, the family would report the Dunstan's VC was only ever seen on ANZAC Day when he would have a 'few drinks with his mates'.