"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.
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, Contents Topic: Militia - LHN - 2/9/6
New South Wales Mounted Rifles
Contents
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1888 -1903 2nd Australian Light Horse, 1903-1912 9th Australian Light Horse, 1912-1918 6th Australian Light Horse, 1918-1941 6th Armoured Car Regiment, 1941-1948 6th Motor Regiment, 1948-1949 6th New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1949-1958
Below is a brief historical outline from RK Peacock, Evolution of Australian Light Horse Regiments 1841-1935, Unpublished MSS, c.1936, p. 6.
This regiment owes its origin to the formation in 1888 of a Corps of Permanent Mounted Infantry in NSW. In the following year the Upper Clarence River Light Horse and this unit, together with the Bega Battery of Artillery, the Reserve Companies of Infantry at Queanbeyan, Picton, Campbelltown and Inverell, were styled the New South Wales Cavalry Regiment, this continued until 1850 when the permanent corps was disbanded.
By 1893 the NSW Cavalry Regiment had become the New South Wales Mounted Rifles and held this title until the year 1903. At the Federal reorganisation in this year No. 1 Squadron from Molong, No. 2 Squadron from Picton and Camden, and No. 3 Squadron from Forbes, together with "C" Squadron of the 1st Australian Horse from Mudgee and Rylston, and "G" Company and "J" Company of the 3rd N.S.W. Infantry from Wellington and Forbes respectively were amalgamated and became the 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment (New South Wales Mounted Rifles). In addition there was the Canterbury 1/2 Squadron, raised in 1900, which became No. 6 Squadron attached to the 2nd A.L.H. Regitment.
In the same re-organisation No. 4 Squadron from Tenterfield and Glenn Innes became part of the 5th A.L.H. Regiment (15th L.H.).
The regiment continued as the 2nd until 1912, when, in the reorganisation of that year it became the 9th Light Horse (New South Wales Mounted Rifles). It saw a further change in 1918 when it was styled 6th Light Horse (New South Wales Mounted Rifles).
This section explores the evolution of the Regiment from its first origins as a Commonwealth formation. Each year maps the movement of men and often locations of the various Squadrons and Troops. To get the flavour of the Regiment, it is best to begin the journey at 1889 and follow though each year till 1920.
The sister regiment, 5th Australian Light Horse, maintained the territorial name until completely breaking away and taking on the territorial title "Northern River Lancers" in 1907.
The following plan of attack for the 3rd Light Horse Brigade at the Nek was attached to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary as an Appendix. When reading the outline, readers need to keep in front of them the trench map prepared in July 1915 specifically for the purpose of designing the attack. This map may be found here:
The following is a transcription of the hand written notes.
Consideration of an Attack on Baby 700:
1. Factors which would make this operation difficult are:
a. the fire swept zone between our trenches and the enemy;
b. The narrow front on which we must cross the col.
c. The network of deep trenches, communicating by deep and wide communication trenches with gullies where Turk reserves are known to be.
The operation will be assisted by:
a. the fact that most trenches are under converging artillery fire and that the Navy can cooperate;
b. The depth of the trenches giving cover to our movements.
2. An examination of the trenches shown on the Trench Map makes it evident that an assault will fall naturally into phases:
a. Capture of the trenches west of the Nek and dominating of trenches E8, 9, and 10;
b. An advance to the next, the C Group of trenches accompanied by a detached attack on the B Trenches;
c. An advance to the D, E, and F Groups successively.
3. The A trenches on our side of the Nek cover a front of about 100 yards and depth of about 60 [a total trench length of about 300 yards in all to be cleared. As far as is known, these trenches are lightly held. There is supposed to be one machine gun in the group, one in E8, one in E6 and one in C6a. these cover our trenches and the open ground in front at short range. While the one in C6a is enough to prevent us attacking A7 from the south. As all these have alternative emplacements it is not likely that all can be put out of action easily. On the other hand covering fire of machine guns and rifles can be brought to bear on any of the enemy's trenches from different directions - both naval and land gun fire can be effectively concentrated on all trenches facing the Nek.
4. The first attack must come in on A1 to swing round on A7 merely means men killed. To attack this front of 100 yards, not more than three lines of men could be launched - about 240 men, before the machine guns get to work. This attack would probably come in best as a surprise attack accompanied by a shelling of the trenches further on but as men will be limited their work must be clearly defined before starting so as to waste none.
Objectives should be -
Junction of A1 and A2 to bottle men in north end of A1. They would be at once dealt with by the 80 or so men who would naturally enter this trench.
Group of 10 men 1st line.
Junction of A5 and A4, Group of 12 men 2nd line.
Junction of A5 and A9, Group of 20 men 1st line, bombs.
Junction of A10 and A8, Group of 20 men, 1st line.
Junction of A10 and A11, Group of 20 men, 1st line, ample bombs.
First line will be used up for the special objectives, 2nd and 3rd line follow on.
2nd line to clear A2, 5, 7 and 8.
3rd Line to clear A1, 3, 4, and 6.
Assume losses 40 men - 200 remain and can barely fit into the A5, A8, A4 and A1 trenches so that as many as possible should be re-organised to carry out the next step. Meanwhile A11 should be made untenable or the fresh troops cannot come up Monash Gully and as A11 will be swept by fire from C4 special provision of bombs should be made to deal with A11 from above. It may be necessary to shell at same time combining howitzer with 18 pounder.
5. The B trenches are not likely to be strongly held so that though they comprise about 150 yards of trench all that matters could probably be dealt with by 100 men to take A9 and the junction B1 - A12 - A9 and stop the B1 - B2 junction. Meanwhile 50 men could be directed against A10 with orders to get the junction there. These men must be supplied with bombs.
6. About 150 men could be put in on the front C4 - C6a at a time, but as the ground between our sap and the enemy's trenches is so open it is best to bring up the bulk of the attackers by Monash Gully. There thy can be formed up waiting the signal to advance which would be given as soon as A11 is silenced.
Here the important points are:
Y Stopping reinforcements from D1 and 2
Z Stopping reinforcements from D4 and 5
Junction C11 and C12; Junction C8 and C13 - Stopping reinforcements from in front of Popes and Quinn's.
The first step - A continuation of the covering fire of the first phase - should be rifle and machine gun fire on C4, C6a, C13, C16, C17, C22, C27, C29.
The
i. parties for C8 and Y leading - 50 to 80 men respectively, there for C11 and Z - about 160 men;
ii. followed at once by 200 men to clear C3, C10, C11, C5, C7, C9 and C12;
iii. and another 200 to clear C2 and all other trenches up to the C11 - C12 and C8 - C13 junctions;
iv. 100 Engineers with head cover and wire should follow at once and make direct for the four junctions of communication.
By this time the forces employed would be:
A Group and dealing with B - 90 casualties, 200 left, total 290;
C Group holding centres of communication [i - iv] - 80 casualties, 200 left, total 280;
Clearing trenches - 100 casualties, 300 left, total 400;
Total - 270 casualties, 700 left, total 970.
Any reserves the enemy have near by will now be coming up so reserves are necessary to back up the forces engaged and parties to clear and improve the communications - say 400 men - these should follow the Engineers and get into the lines A11 - C6 - C7 - C9 - C1 and C3 ready to support in either direction.
A total of about 1400 will have been employed by now.
7. With all our trenches now crowded with men it will hardly be possible to organise a fresh advance without new troops, backing them up with what can be spared from A, B, and C.
Y, C10, C11, C12, C13 [200 yards strong] = 400 men
Special points [4] = 100 men
Total = 800 men
Reserve = 400 men
Grand Total = 1,200 men
1,200 in all so that about 200 men may be reckoned on to back up a further advance.
8. Important points to be made for now are:
Junction E8 and E10; Junction E10 and E9; for 3rd line.
Junction E3 and E4; Junction E4 and D2; Junction E6, E7 and E5; for 1st line.
The difficulty will be in getting the troops forward on a broad front most likely the best way would be to rush our Russell's Top crossing the taken trenches [Bridging ladders essential and lots of them] taking X and getting into D2. For this a line of 100 men is wanted; a second line of 100 men following to get to E5 and E3; a third line of 100 following to get to E10 and clear E8; and, 400 following to clear trenches and back up. The actual front to be held is D8, E4, E9, E10, E8 strongly 650 yards, say 1,000 men. D4, D1, E1, E6 and half E8 weakly 700 yards, say 350 men. A total of 1,000 + 350 = 1,350 men and 500 in reserve, 1e, 1,850 of which 200 are available leaves 1,650 for this operation. Total required = 1,850 + 1,400 = 3,250 men to take and hold Baby 700 and the trenches leading up to Battleship Hill.
9. There are many special points to be considered and equipment prepared before this operation can be safely started. As regards the first phase - here the object is clearing the enemy out and for this normal equipment and bombs with some arrangements for blowing in the bomb proof cover which is probably to be found just behind A1 in the gridiron of short trenches there.
Bombs - to clear enemy forward and bomb A9, 10, and 11 will require at least 300 bombs carried with troops [bulk on 1st line and on right].
Planks - with 3rd line - 4 foot fitted with guncotton slabs = 5;
Lotbiniere bombs = 10; for overhead cover.
Work on communications from No.2 Sap and advanced tunnels should be begun at once. As regards the attack on the B and C groups - here bombs, head cover and entanglements are essential.
The party for Y must have head cover for 20 feet at least 4 coils of wire to run into C10, D1 and D2 to keep attackers at a distance. Bombs with this party = 150. Head cover and wire brought up by Engineers. Bombing party must push up to D1 and block C2 and C10 as quickly as possible holding this till head cover has been arranged.
Party for Z has to push 25 yards down D5 and D4, wire is wanted badly here and in the unnumbered trench between D5 and C11.
C11 must be entered and hands joined with the group there - and C10 and C9 stopped but not blocked. No less than 200 bombs to be with this party and 30 feet of head cover.
C11 Group - 60 bombs will so and wire for C11 trench - 12 feet of overhead or wiring.
The Nek, The Plan of Attack Orders Topic: BatzG - Nek
The Nek
Attack Plan Orders
3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary, August 1915
The actual orders were:-
8th L H. 1st Line.
First line will consist of troops already in fire-trenches and saps. On a given signal, silently and without rifle-fire, it will rush The Nek (A1) and with bayonet and bomb engage the enemy, taking possession of the flank, communicating and advanced trenches (A9, A5. A8, A11), paying special attention to the machine-guns which must be sought for and rushed and to the trenches overlooking the cliff north of The Nek and to those on the southern flank of same, so as to prevent flank interposition by the enemy - mine fuses and 'phone wires to be sought for and cut.
8th L.H. 2nd Line
Second line (already on banquette) will immediately follow. Jumping advanced trenches (already engaged by first line) it will sweep on and attack supporting and subsidiary trenches (A12, C1, C4). Its action will be forward, ignoring trenches behind, but accounting for those to right and left (C6A, B1, B2. B3). Bayonet and bomb without fire.
Note.
As soon as first line has moved from our trenches, second line will take the position vacated in order to make room for third line. In passing over intervening space officers will take post in the ranks so as not to make themselves a conspicuous target.
The 10th L.H. 3rd Line.
Having moved up communicating trenches, third line will in like manner be prepared and follow on at once. Its objective will be the next line of trenches (C2, C3, C5, C7, C8) and, if possible. Z. Y, C10, C11, to C12-13. With bomb and bayonet only, the enemy will be driven back and out without turning back, and avenues blocked. Once in the trenches, the enemy will not be able to make effective use of his machine-guns. When the extreme limit of advance has been reached the gain must be made good and safe against machine-gun fire and against counter-attack. Here fourth line plays its part.
10th L.H. 4th Line.
Fourth line will in like manner follow and act in concert with 2 and 3. It must endeavour to join up with the latter. Every second man will carry digging tools in the proportion of one pick to two shovels. It is impossible to define precisely what this line may be called upon to do. This must of necessity depend upon the progress of its predecessors. It may have to down tools and assist but it must make every effort to join up with third line and block the approaches. This is its role."
(The capital letters and figures refer to Turkish trenches which were thus marked on the British maps. "Y" and “Z" were centres or junctions of several trenches )
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.
The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre is a not for profit and non profit group whose sole aim is to write the early history of the Australian Light Horse from 1900
- 1920. It is privately funded and the information is provided by the individuals within the group and while permission for the use of the material has been given for this
site for these items by various donors, the residual and actual copyright for these items, should there be any, resides exclusively with the donors. The information on
this site is freely available for private research use only and if used as such, should be appropriately acknowledged. To assist in this process, each item has a citation
attached at the bottom for referencing purposes.
Please Note: No express or implied permission is given for commercial use of the information contained within this site.
A note to copyright holders
The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre has made every endeavour to contact copyright holders of material digitised for this blog and website and where
appropriate, permission is still being sought for these items. Where replies were not received, or where the copyright owner has not been able to be traced, or where
the permission is still being sought, the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre has decided, in good faith, to proceed with digitisation and publication. Australian Light
Horse Studies Centre would be happy to hear from copyright owners at any time to discuss usage of this item.
