Bert Schramm
2823 Private Herbert Leslie SCHRAMM, a 22 year old Farmer from Whites River, South Australia. He enlisted on 17 February 1916; and at the conclusion of the war Returned to Australia, 10 July 1919.
During part of the course of his military service with the AIF, Bert Schramm kept a diary of his life. Bert was not a man of letters so this diary was produced with great effort on his behalf. Bert made a promise to his sweetheart, Lucy Solley, that he would do so after he received the blank pocket notebook wherein these entries are found. As a Brigade Scout since September 1918, he took a lead part in the September Offensive by the Allied forces in Palestine. Bert's diary entries are placed alongside those of the 9th Light Horse Regiment to which he belonged and to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade to which the 9th LHR was attached. On this basis we can follow Bert in the context of his formation.
For a comprehensive listing of photographs in the album, see:
Should any further details be sought, see Australian Light Horse Studies Centre
Monday, September 23, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - El Affule
Bert Schramm's Diary - Camped near Affule last night within a few miles of Nazareth. More prisoners and more material coming in. Our troops were to attack Haifa this morning.
Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 23 September 1918
Tuesday, September 24, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - El Affule
Bert Schramm's Diary - Have been camped around Affule all day collecting prisoners and war material. Haifa, Acre and Nazareth have all been occupied by our troops. Something like thirty thousand prisoners have been taken since we started on the stunt.
Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 24 September 1918
Wednesday, September 25, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - El Affule
Bert Schramm's Diary - Have had a quite day today. Batches of prisoners are still coming in. We are expecting to move onto Tiberias any minute.
Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 25 September 1918
Thursday, September 26, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Tiberias
Bert Schramm's Diary - Left Affule at 4.30 yesterday afternoon and came up through Nazareth and then on to Tiberias which was taken by our troops on the 25th. Tiberias is a small town on the western shore of the sea of Galilee and we are camping on the edge of the sea tonight.
Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 26 September 1918
Friday, September 27, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - El Mejdel; Jisr Benat Yakub
Bert Schramm's Diary - Left Tiberias at 7.30 this morning and struck some pretty sharp fighting along the banks of the Jordan. Enemy defended the bridge head stubbornly but we secured a crossing at 8 pm and we are now on the eastern bank astride of the Damascus road.
Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 27 September 1918