"At a mile distant their thousand hooves were stuttering thunder, coming at a rate that frightened a man - they were an awe inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze - knee to knee and horse to horse - the dying sun glinting on bayonet points..." Trooper Ion Idriess
The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre aims to present an accurate history of early Australian military developments from 1899 to 1920.
WARNING: This site contains: names, information and images of deceased people; and, language which may be considered inappropriate today.
Australian Light Horse, Myths and Legends Topic: Gen - Legends
Australian Light Horse
Myths and Legends
Over the many years, powerful myths and legends regarding the light horse and the behaviour of the men has become prevalent. This has occurred due to a number of reasons. Perhaps a relative has exaggerated their role for one or another reason. This is the main reason. Following on behind is someone who has misheard or misread some information which found its way into the Official History and thus become a piece of orthodoxy. Jingoism, Spite, prejudice and covering an embarrassment usually plays its part too. The end result is a distorted picture of history. This section aims to correct some of those mistakes.
The following outline of the Queensland Mounted Infantry is extracted from a book written by Joan Starr called Forward: the history of the 2nd / 14th Light Horse (Queensland Mounted Infantry), published Queensland, 1989. This section comes from pp. 1 - 3:
From the landing of the First Fleet to the late nineteenth century, Australia was a temporary home for over a quarter of the line regiments of the British Army. In the days when the Regiments of Foot were still numbered, twenty-six of them served in the Australian Colonies. Apart from ceremonial duties their responsibilities were largely of policing: guarding convict chain gangs and jails; protecting settlers from the Aborigines and bushrangers; and protecting the goldfields and gold consignments, and so on. Although many Australian born men were recruited into the British units stationed in Australia, the colonies' defence and internal law were in the hands of the British Army.
In the mid-nineteenth century, as British units were disbanded and the troops withdrew from Australia, the colonies faced the task of raising and funding a standing army of their own, and of coordinating a defence policy. Following the separation of the Colony of Queensland from New South Wales in June 1859, steps were taken to provide for its defence. The responsibilities assumed by the new and sparsely populated colony included the defence of its 3,000 mile coastline, and its vast 670,500 square miles - an area as large as Great Britain, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy combined. For a population of only twenty five thousand, almost one third of which was concentrated in the southeast corner in Brisbane and Ipswich, this was a formidable task. Furthermore the small detachment of Imperial troops had been withdrawn some years earlier so the Colony lacked even the nucleus of a defence organisation upon which to build.
In early February 1860, the Colonial Secretary announced in the Moreton Bay Courier that lists were open for the enlistment of one troop of twenty-five Mounted Rifles and two companies of fifty Riflemen each. All men were to be volunteers and the Mounted Rifles were to supply their own horses and uniforms, the government undertook the supply of weapons and ammunition. The volunteers were to be paid only if called out for service and provision would be made for the families of any men killed in action. It was considered that, "two hours daily on two days of the week would suffice for drill and practice, or even Sunday evenings alone. Such practice would be a healthy and agreeable exercise and would promote sociability and good feeling.
The birth of the unit that is now known as the 2nd/ 14th Light Horse (Queensland Mounted Infantry) occurred on 27 February 1860, when the Governor, Sir George Bowen, approved the Rules and Regulations of the Brisbane Mounted Rifles. The Governor appointed John Bramston as Captain and commander of the troop. Later that year two more troops of the Queensland Mounted Rifles were raised and known by their district titles of Ipswich and Port Curtis.
Following an enthusiastic start the Volunteer Defence Force experienced difficulty retaining its recruits. Within two years the numbers in certain units dwindled due to a lack of interest, and dissatisfaction caused by the government's failure to provide sufficient uniforms and equipment. In March 1863 the Governor dispensed with the services of the Port Curtis troop due to their failure to attend parade, the commissions of the officers were cancelled. The Queensland Mounted Rifles were renamed Queensland Light Horse in 1864, but their numbers continued to dwindle with the troops at Brisbane and Ipswich numbering twenty-five. The Moreton Bay Courier noted that they were the most irregular troops of an unorthodox army. The men were said to be loath to accept discipline and their only usefulness was for the purpose of show. The paper predicted an early disbandment of the remaining mounted troops. Unfortunately, their prediction was accurate and by 1866 both the Brisbane and Ipswich troops had been disbanded. Queensland had chosen, for reasons of economy, to create an amateur defence force. It would take many years for the government to realise its mistake, but in the meantime the Queensland Defence Force continued under difficulties and by 1876 the total number was only 415 men enrolled in artillery and infantry units.
This was all to change as fears of a Russian invasion and concerns over unrest in the Torres Strait region caused a government rethink of its defence policy. In September 1883 an Imperial officer, Lieutenant Colonel George Arthur French, Royal Artillery, was appointed as Commandant of Queensland's Defence Force. French was a committed militiaman who wanted to eliminate the volunteer force completely and create a militia force, or at least one that was partially paid. Although he was not allowed a completely free hand in reorganising the force, French did however generate considerable change in the government's attitude to defence. A professional, he expressed himself forcefully and he would not be ignored when presenting his reports criticising a lack of government action. He had no intention of tolerating indifference and his dynamism had effect.
The Queensland Defence Force was substantially reorganised under the 1884 Defence Act with £35,591 allocated for the 1885-86 year. Under the reorganisation the new Volunteer Corps was gazetted on 4 March 1885. The old volunteer units, with the exception of a few in the country areas, were converted to militia, or paid army. The militia component of the Defence Force had a strength of 110 officers and 1,528 other ranks.
French distinguished between the paid and unpaid forces by calling the militia "Defence Forces" and labelling the unpaid troops "Volunteers". Within three years he had increased the Volunteer Corps to 26 officers and 718 other ranks. Included in the volunteers were the Brisbane Mounted Infantry (renamed Moreton Mounted Infantry in 1885), Bundaberg Mounted Rifles, Gympie Mounted Rifles, Mackay Mounted Rifles, and Charters Towers Mounted Infantry. The 1884 Defence Act and Lieutenant Colonel French had provided Queensland with a stable defence structure, among its finest troops were the mounted soldiers.
This Table is based on the "War Establishments of the Australian Military Forces, 1912." Provision is made for an Armourer as a Staff Sergeant of the Regiment. No other "Attached" Officers, N.C.O.'s, or Men have been provided for. This latter personnel should come to the Regiment fully equipped.
"All Ranks" does not include Officers unless specially mentioned.
MACHINE GUNS.
Section 16B.
Bars, carrying Maxim gun on tripod
2
Belts, ammunition, Maxim, .303-in., 250 rounds
32
Includes 2 spare per gun
Cases, Maxim, .303-in., gun
2
Chests, Maxim, .303-in., machine, filling belts, No. 1, Mark III.
1
Guns, Maxim
Plugs, cork, complete (spare)
2
Protectors, muzzle
2
Rods, cleaning
2
Guns, Maxim, .303-in. (complete, with filled spare part box)
2
Locks, cover (spare)
2
Guns, Maxim, .303 in. and .303-in. converted
Barrels (spare)
2
Muzzle attachments for ball firing
2
Hoods, protecting, and Marks II. and IV. tripod gun mounts
2
Machines, filling belts, Maxim, .303 in., Mark II.
1
Mountings, tripod, .303-in., Maxim gun, Mark IV.
2
Plugs, belt, Maxim
1
Reflectors, mirror, M.G., .303-in.
2
Springs, belt filling, machine, .303-in Maxim
Action lever
4
Pawl
2
STORES FOR MOUNTINGS, TRIPOD, .303-IN., MAXIM GUN.
Section 2A.
Hooks, bill
2
1 per mounting
Section 2B.
Axes, pick
Heads, 4½ lbs.
2
1 per mounting
Helves, 36-in., ferruled
2
1 per mounting
Shovels, G.S.
2
1 per mounting
Section 14.
Cans, lubricating, No. 9
4
2 per mounting, 1 for paraffin oil, and 1 for lubricating oil
Section 16B.
Boxes, belt, ammunition, Maxim, No. 2 or 3
28
14 per mounting
Cans, half-pint
4
2 per mounting, 1 for lubricating oil, and 1 for turpentine
Cases
Cans, .303-in., tripod mountings
2
1 per mounting. To hold cans carried on offside of packsaddle
Pins, joint
Crosshead
2
1 per mounting
Elevating gear
2
1 per mounting
OLD STORES.
Linen, old, sheeting (for cleaning small arms and machine guns) lbs.
Gallipoli Campaign - 1915, Questions to the Turkish General Staff, Part 8 Topic: BatzG - Gallipoli
Gallipoli Campaign - 1915
Questions to the Turkish General Staff, Part 8
The Turkish General Staff Answers
During 1919, after the defeat of Turkey, a unique opportunity was opened up for CEW Bean to question the members of the Turkish General Staff about the Gallipoli Campaign. Bean presented a list of 111 questions. In June 1919, he received the answers. In the following transcription, the answers given by the Turkish General Staff will be qualified by the questions asked by Bean.
Questions 9 - 10
9. On April 25th what were the forces against the British at Cape Helles?
10. Where, and in what numbers, were their reserves?
Two regiments of the 9th Infantry Division formed the Garrison at Helles. Their line extended from Gaba Tepe to Monto.
Questions 18, 20, and 21.
18. What reserves were sent to CAPE HELLES and what was the strength of these reserves?
20. What was the Turkish artillery at ARI BURNU on April 25th? How many land guns and ships guns were used, respectively?
21. How many guns were put in afterwards at ARI BURNU?
Reserves were at first sent to Helles from the 7th Division which was at Gallipoli. Afterwards the battalions from the 11th and 3rd Divisions from the Asiatic side. Our guns on the 25th April were the field and the Mountain guns forming the divisional Artillery. Divisions as they reinforced brought their divisional Artillery into the line. There were no other artillery reinforcements.
Questions 28 & 32.
28. When did they realise that the British attack at Helles had been checked?
32. What was their estimate of the result of our attack which took place during the 6th, 7th, and 8th May?
The Turkish General Staff considered that the British attack at Helles was broken by the middle of June, but even after this date there were other attacks in this front.
At first attacks were made every four or five days, later every fortnight. It was considered that the object of these attacks was to break through on the Krithia Side. The last real attack was made 23 days after the June attack.
Question 33
33. What troops were holding the Turkish front during this attack?
The troops used in defence were:
1st & 2nd Battalion, 29th Regiment.
2nd Battalion, 56th Regiment.
2nd Battalion, 19th Regiment.
1st & 4th Battalion, 26th Regiment.
2nd Corps, 15th Regiment.
Question 34.
34. How effective was the attack towards KRITHIA on May 8th?
The advance against Krithia on May 8th was checked by the fire of the front line troops.
Question 35
35. What regiments were there in front of KRITHIA and what batteries opened on the troops advancing to that attack?
Opposite Krithia there were the:
2nd Battalion, 5th Regiment.
1st Battalion, 20th Regiment.
2nd Battalion, 56th Regiment.
According to the disposition of the Turkish Troops at Care Helles on May 9th, 1915, there were 7 Q.F. Field Batteries - 1 12 centimetres Howitzer Battery of six guns, but it is not known how many batteries actually took part in the fighting.
Question 36.
36. Why was there no counter attack?
There was no counter attack as the casualties had been heavy and there was insufficient strength to make one.
Question 68.
66. What numbers of Turkish troops were at HELLES at this date (August 6th.) and how many at SUVLA (Turkish ANAFARTA)? Total?
On August 6th there were:
4 Infantry Battalions and 11 guns at Suvla.
At Cape Helles there were
1st Division 9 Battalions 8 machine guns.
4th Division 12 Battalions 8 machine guns.
8th Division 9 Battalions 6 machine guns.
10th Division 9 Battalions 8 machine guns.
11th Division 9 Battalions 3 machine guns.
13th Division 12 Battalions 4 machine guns.
14th Division 12 Battalions 8 machine guns.
The Artillery consisted of 163 guns and howitzers of various calibres.
Question 80.
80. What was the strength of the Turkish force at ANZAC, SUVLA (ANAFARTA) and HELLES, respectively on August 10th?
Order Of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, April 1916, Part 9, 11th Division Topic: AIF & MEF & EEF
Order Of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, April 1916
Part 9, 11th Division
As part of the Official British War History of the Great War, Captain Cyril Falls and Lieutenant General George MacMunn were commissioned to produce a commentary on the Sinai, Palestine and Syrian operations that took place. In 1928, their finished work, Military Operations, Egypt and Palestine - From the outbreak of war with Germany to June 1917, was published in London. Their book included Appendix 2 which specifically detailed the Order Of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, April 1916 and is extracted below.
MacMunn, G. & Falls, C., Military operations: Egypt and Palestine, (London 1930), p. 387:
11th Division.
G.O.C. -
Major-General E. A. Fanshawe, C.B.
G.S.O. 1 -
Captain (temp. Lieut.-Colonel) J. F. S. D. Coleridge.
C.R.A. -
Colonel (temp. Brig.-General) G. S. Duffus.
C.R.E. -
Major (temp. Lieut.-Colonel) F. A. K,White.
32nd Infantry Brigade.
G.O.C. -
Brevet Lieut.-Colonel (temp. Brig. General) T. H. F. Price.
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