Topic: AIF - 3B - 9 LHR
9th LHR, AIF
War Diary, 28 September
Pro Gloria et Honore - For Glory and Honour
Regimental March - Marching Through Georgia
The Diary
1914
Monday, September 28, 1914
See 4th Military District, South Australia for militia activities.
1915
Tuesday, September 28, 1915
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Rhododendron Hill
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - No Entry.
3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary - 13 to Hospital (1 Wounded in Action 9th Light Horse Regiment). Enemy now active in Bombs which are fired some 400 yards or more from a mortar with a long stick 4ft 6in by 2in. These are thrown with great accuracy. Last night Private Friday and two others under Sergeant Linacre patrolled to bottom of donga to try and ascertain watering places of Turks, came across two patrols, did not fire in accordance with my instructions. Approval at last received, send an officer to Egypt to purchase stores for Regiments for winter, sending Lieutenant Oliver tomorrow.
1916
Thursday, September 28, 1916
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Hod Amara
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Routine work. About 1 hours rifle exercise and marching done in morning. Lewis Gun teams on firing practice.
1917
Friday, September 28, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Um Urgan
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 1300 to 1420, musketry instruction and range finding.
Three Other Ranks marched in from Moascar.
1918
Saturday, September 28, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - El Kuneitra
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 0500, at dawn the regiment was astride the main road just east of Deir es Saras but the enemy had retreated towards El Kuneitra.
0530 Three enemy planes flying low passed over Brigade and dropped a few bombs near bridge over Jordan River.
0730 The Brigade left Deir es Saras. 8th Light Horse Regiment supplied advanced guard. Advanced along main road towards El Kuneitra arriving there at 1430 without gaining contact with the enemy. The road on many placed is strewn with abandoned enemy material indicating a hurried retreat. A few mounted Circassians on route were placed under surveillance. After watering at El Kuneitra the Brigade moved at 1630 to 2½ miles south west of Jera and bivouacked. This advance brought the brigade to within 34 miles of Damascus, the intervening country being open tablelands broken by deposits of larva. Rocky basaltic outcrops were not uncommon. Abundantly watered by running streams.
3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary - The balance of the Brigade followed the 8th and 10th Light Horse Regiments across the river and after a night march over extremely rough and hilly country, shortly before dawn was collected about Deir es Sarass. The 10th and 8th Light Horse Regiments reached this place before midnight. An enemy ammunition dump was found here. Horses were watered and led, and visual communication established with Divisional Headquarters west of the river. Owing to the bridge being broken, all wheels including Notts Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, had to be left on the western side. At 0600 three enemy aeroplanes the first seen in the air since operations commenced, passed overhead. Aeroplane reconnaissances reported that about 1,200 enemy were holding the high ground about El Kuneitra. At 0930 the Brigade moved of for this place, the 8th Light Horse Regiment and six machine guns providing the advance guard. Anywhere off the road the country was extremely rough, and stony, and flankers could only move slowly across it. By 1140 the head of the main column had reached Tel Abu el Khanzir and the vanguard was climbing the slopes of Tel Abu en Neda which overlooks El Kuneitra. Eight Circassian horsemen who had sniped at our scouts were captured here. They were fine looking men, well mounted, and armed to the teeth. Fifty enemy cavalry were seen retiring from Ayun es Suaan but El Kuneitra was occupied by 1300 without opposition. Horses were watered in the village and at 1400 the Brigade moved on to the vicinity of Jeba and bivouacked for the night. Thirty five miles had been covered by the Brigade in 34 hours, some of it over very rough country and in the face of enemy opposition. Except for two hours at Deir el Sarass horses had been saddled for the whole of the time.
1919
Sunday, September 28, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Adelaide
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Regiment disbanded.
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Sources:
See: 9th Australian Light Horse Regiment, Contents
Australian Light Horse Studies Centre, AIF War Diaries of the Great War, Site Transcription Policy
Further Reading:
9th Australian Light Horse Regiment, Roll of Honour
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Citation: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 28 September