Topic: Diary - Schramm
Diaries of AIF Servicemen
Bert Schramm
4 October 1918
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.
The Diaries
The complete diary is now available on the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre Site at:
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Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 2 - 4 October 1918
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Bert Schramm
Friday, October 4, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Duma
Bert Schramm's Diary - We moved from Duma this afternoon and we moved back through Damascus. We are to go to a place called El Mezze tonight. We camped about five miles south of Damascus on the Tiberias road. I could write pages about Damascus but haven't the room to put all down here. The official report now is something like one hundred thousand prisoners taken. Our casualties have been very light.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Duma
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 10900 C Squadron moved out to relieve a Squadron of 8th Light Horse Regiment holding the pass at Khurbet I Asafur.
0930 Lieutenant Mann with working party and A Echelon transport moved out to collect war material captured by Regiment at Khan Ayash. About five full limber loads of machine guns, automatic rifles collected.
1100 Orders received to move SE of Damascus leaving C Squadron at Duma to hold main Aleppo road in vicinity of Khan Kusseir with one troop to relieve Freebairn, Lieutenant DT; and, his troop at B in Wadi Maraba.
The Regiment less C Squadron moved via main Aleppo Road through Damascus to a point 21/2 miles south west of El Mezze and bivouacked for night. Four Other Ranks taken prisoner of war on 29 September 1918 and recaptured in Damascus 1 October 1918 rejoined Regiment.
Darley
Darley, TH, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, Adelaide, Hassell Press, 1924, pp 163 - 166.
Kaukab
After a good night's rest at El Mezze, the first since El Kuneitra, the Regiment moved out at 8.30 a.m. and marched to a bivouac site two miles south of El Mudhamiye, where lines were laid out, and all ranks quickly settled down for a well earned spell. The hard work of the past three weeks had caused many casualties amongst the horses, chiefly sore backs, and these received immediate attention. About 60 horses were placed on the sick list and received daily treatment, and owing to the splendid work of Turner, Farrier Quartermaster Sergeant, most of them were fit and ready for work within a few days.
Previous: Bert Schramm's Diary, 3 October 1918
Next: Bert Schramm's Diary, 5 October 1918
Sources Used:
Bert Schramm's DiaryNational Archives Service File.
Embarkation Roll, AWM8.
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
Nominal Roll, AWM133, Nominal Roll of Australian Imperial Force who left Australia for service abroad, 1914-1918 War.
War Diaries and Letters
All War Diaries and letters cited on this site should be read in conjunction with the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre, War Diaries and Letters, Site Transcription Policy which may be accessed at:
Australian Light Horse Studies Centre, War Diaries and Letters, Site Transcription Policy
Further Reading:
9th Australian Light Horse Regiment, AIF
9th Australian Light Horse Regiment, War Diary, Day by Day Account
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Citation: Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 4 October 1918