| Formation | 1930 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 1952[citation needed] |
| Type | Secret |
| Purpose | Anti-communist |
Region served | New South Wales, Australia |
The Old Guard was an Australian anti-communist organisation which was founded in 1930 and was primarily active in New South Wales.[1] Its exact origins are disputed. At least one historian has claimed that it existed as early as 1917.[2] It has been described as a paramilitary, quasi-official, vigilante, anti-communist organisation.
The group was primarily concerned with the social conditions arising from the Great Depression, and the actions of the Labor state government in New South Wales led by Premier Jack Lang.[3] Rumours that agitators from the Old Guard were starting bush fires led to the more effective organisation of country bush fire brigades in New South Wales.[4] As fears of a communist takeover subsided, the Old Guard lacked purpose and was dissolved sometime in the 1950s.[2]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
wofawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
aabwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Keith Amos. Campbell, Eric (1893–1970). Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
- ^ "What if Jack Lang had not been dismissed?". Issues: New South Wales Constitution and Government. NSW Public Schools. Archived from the original on 16 October 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2013.