 The <unk> from New South Wales and Victoria sailed for China on 8 August 1900 . Arriving in <unk> , the Australians provided 300 men to an 8 @,@ 000 @-@ strong multinational force tasked with capturing the Chinese forts at <unk> Tang , which dominated a key railway . They arrived too late to take part in the battle , but were involved in the attack on the fortress at <unk> @-@ <unk> Fu , where the Chinese government was believed to have found <unk> after <unk> was captured by western forces . The <unk> joined a force of 7 @,@ 500 men on a ten @-@ day march to the fort , once again only to find that it had already surrendered . The <unk> then garrisoned <unk> and the New South Wales contingent undertook garrison duties in <unk> . HMCS Protector was mostly used for survey , transport , and <unk> duties in the Gulf of <unk> , before departing in November . The naval brigades remained during the winter , <unk> performing policing and guard duties , as well as working as <unk> and fire @-@ fighters . They left China in March 1901 , having played only a minor role in a few offensives and punitive expeditions and in the restoration of civil order . Six Australians died from sickness and injury , but none were killed as a result of enemy action . 
