Topic: AIF - 3B - 9 LHR
9th LHR, AIF
War Diary, 27 October
Pro Gloria et Honore - For Glory and Honour
Regimental March - Marching Through Georgia
The Diary
1914
Tuesday, October 27, 1914
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Morphettville Race Course Camp and Broadmeadows Camp, Victoria.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Formation of Regiment occurring at Morphettville Race Course Camp, Adelaide, while "C" Squadron is formed at Broadmeadows Camp, Victoria.
See: Broadmeadows 1909
1915
Wednesday, October 27, 1915
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Rhododendron Spur
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - No entry
1916
Friday, October 27, 1916
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Bir Etmaler
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Air officers paraded for inspection and a further 200 Other Ranks put through.
1917
Saturday, October 27, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Um Urgan
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Turks attacked at dawn and gained possession of line 630 - 720 - El Buggar.8th Mounted Brigade was holding line.
3rd Light Horse Brigade ordered out in support and to regain possession of line. Regiment moved from bivouac at 0900.
Watered at Um Urgan and moved towards El Buggar in following order: CO, Regimental Headquarters, C, B, and A Squadron.
A Squadron finding right flank guard. When four miles west of Point 720, B Squadron was sent forward at the trot with orders to support and relieve a squadron of Yeomanry who were surrounded on 720. There were to act boldly. C Squadron was sent forward 20 minutes after with similar orders. When these two squadrons got within two miles of 720 it was learned that the Yeomanry squadron had been captured by the enemy.
B & C Squadrons advanced to within about one mile of 720 but the position was too strongly held to advance further. Late on the afternoon our infantry were moving up in support. At 1600 Smith, Lieutenant PT, with patrol of one Sergeant [Sloan] and 14 Other Ranks of C Troop A squadron made good 720. The dead bodies of 14 Yeomanry were on top of 720. They had been stripped of everything except shirts. At 2100 our infantry started to take over the line and were all in position by 2300.
The Regiment withdrew at 0030 arriving back in bivouac at 0345 on morning of 28th October.
Intelligence Summary - 9th Light Horse Regiment - Operations of 27th/28th
October 1917 - Reference - Beersheba.
Left bivouac 0900 and arrived at a point on Fara Beersheba Road one and half miles due south of U in Beit Abu Taha. At 1200 two squadrons advanced to the high ground one and half miles west and south west of Point 720. The enemy were located holding 720 and the high ground on both flanks. Extent of enemy front on this sector approximately one mile.
At 1320 the line advanced to within one mile of 720. At this point - Yeomanry sergeant major informed the squadron that the squadron of Yeomanry had been captured. Touched up with 10th Light Horse Regiment on right but could not get in touch with any of our troops on the left.
At 1400 the enemy were observed to be working round our left but after an hour they withdrew to their original position half mile north west of 720.
At 1425 the line advanced to within 1600 yards of 720. About 5 enemy machine guns were located on high ground 01500 yards south west of 720. These machine guns commanded the front of 720.Still unable to gain touch with any troops on left flank.At 1500 74th Division moving up on right.
1600 situation unchanged.
At 1700 an officer's patrol was dispatched to 720. This patrol gained 720 at about 1800 and found the enemy had withdrawn but owing to darkness their disposition could not be located. The bodies of 14 dead Yeomanry were on 720. They had been stripped of all clothing and equipment with the exception of shirts. A new trench had been dug by enemy on north west slopes of 720 capable of holding 100.
At 1815 the patrol withdrew from 720 at which no infantry was in the vicinity of 720 although infantry were observed moving up from Karm about two miles west of 720. It is presumed that the first infantry to occupy 720 was in position there at about 2045.
At 2200 Parsons, Major HM, gained touch with 53rd Division Reserves quarter mile west of 720. This Division had not as yet joined up with 74th Division. Parsons, Major HM, proceeded to get in touch with 74th Division with orders to them to push forward on to El Buggar Ridge. This was effected at about 2300. The Regiment withdrew at 0030 and arrived at bivouac at 0345 on morning of 28th inst.
Our Casualties - one officer one other Rank wounded. Animals, one riding horse killed, one wounded.
Wounded:
Major Thomas Anglesey Siekmann
210 Trooper Raymond Meredith Welfare
See: El Buggar Ridge
1918
Sunday, October 27, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Kaukab
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 0945 The Regiment moved out on first stage to Homs, joined remainder of Brigade and proceeded by main road through Damascus to Jobar arriving at 1540 and bivouacked for night. Twenty one Other Ranks and 70 spare horses were left at Divisional Depot Damascus to collect reinforcements. Charley, Major WT, left as Officer in Command Divisional Depot.
1919
Friday, October 27, 1918
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, 27 October
