The militia members of the garrison units received call-up notices on 6 August, and reported for duty at 9 am the next day.Horner (1995), p. 74 During the early days of August all coastal fortifications were fully manned by gunners, engineers and infantrymen.Horner (1995), pp. 74–75 The gunners remained at their stations for the rest of the year, as it was feared that the German armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau could attack Australia. In addition to the coastal defences in Australia, a battery of four 4.7 inch guns manned by naval personnel was established to protect the town of Rabaul in New Britain in March 1915; this town had been captured from German forces in September 1914.
