Topic: AIF - 3B - 9 LHR
9th LHR, AIF
War Diary, 30 November
Pro Gloria et Honore - For Glory and Honour
Regimental March - Marching Through Georgia
The Diary
1914
Monday, November 30, 1914
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Broadmeadows Camp, Victoria.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Organising, training and equipping of troops.
See: Broadmeadows 1909
1915
Tuesday, November 30, 1915
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Rhododendron Spur
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Warm and sunny again. Commanding Officer still waiting to proceed Mudros. Adjutant also under orders to proceed to Imbros - waiting final instructions. The line of Turkish trench is very hard to see owing to the snow. Tunnels [funk holes] are being dug 16 feet underground from the firing line to support trenches.
1916
Thursday, November 30, 1916
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Bir el Malha
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Daly, Major TJ, returned from hospital and resumed duty as second in command. Parsons, Major HM, returned to A Squadron. 1600, two enemy aeroplanes passed overhead flying very high north east.
1917
Friday, November 30, 19179th Light Horse Regiment Location - El Burj.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Stood to arms 0445.
At 0500 touch was gained with 54th Division by a patrol from the Gloucester troop. Enemy very active during the day sniping and machine gunning and throwing rifle grenades. Enemy shrapnel and high explosive shells bursting in and around El Burj at frequent intervals during whole day. Much enemy movement observed throughout early morning and midday.
At 1600 orders received to move Regimental sector to the left. 6th Light Horse Regiment relieved A and B Squadron posts. A Squadron relieved the Gloucester troop who rejoined their regiment. B Squadron took up a position in Sq J13 on the left of A Squadron. One machine gun subsection was attached to C Squadron and another to A Squadron.
Relief was completed by 2000. B Squadron put down lateral line to 54th Division thus giving lateral telephonic communication on right and left of Regimental sector. The enemy was very active during early part of evening. At 2000 much enemy small calibre gun fire concentrated on road 500 yards south of El Burj.
3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary -
At stand to arms at 0430 the situation was quiet and remained so throughout the day. Very little enemy activity was observed with the exception of an occasional burst of machine gun fire from Shilta, and intermittent shelling by two small field guns from Suffa.
At 1900, 4th Light Horse Brigade took over the right half of the line held by the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. The 8th Light Horse Regiment and 9th Light Horse Regiment closed on the left of the 9th Light Horse Regiment and the section of the line now held by the Brigade was strengthened.
On 155th Infantry Brigade being relieved from the line, 1/4th Royal Scottish Fusiliers under Richardson, Lieutenant Colonel S, remained as reserve to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. At 2200, 29th November this battalion reverted to the command of the 52nd Division, but remained in the vicinity of Brigade Headquarters at El Burj.
The weather was remaining fine and dry. Bivouacking in the stony hills was a new experience. Men not actually on observation post gained good rest during the day.
An enemy attack on that part of the line now held by the Australian Mounted Division was expected and preparations were made for such by getting reserve of ammunition sent into the lines. Every available rifle man was now either in the front or support line. Transport horses and vehicles of the Brigade were grouped together and remained under cover of the high hills 500 yards south west of El Burj. Although the enemy had - shelled this area intermittently throughout the day no casualties were incurred. The majority of the enemy shells burst to the rear.
From 2000 to 2400, 30th November, the situation was very quiet as the enemy only occasionally sniped and shelled at positions, but no incident happened either during the day or evening which pointed to the determined attack, which the enemy made on our position soon after midnight
1918
Saturday, November 30, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Mejdelaya, Tripoli
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 0630 McDonald, Lieutenant JM, MC; Cattle, Lieutenant HJ, DCM; and, eleven Other Ranks left on six days tour across Lebanon mountains to Baalbek via Besherri. Whole party intended riding their horses right through to Baalbek.
1015 - 1115 Commanding Officer's inspection. One Troop A Squadron proceeded to the beach to swim. Forty four Other Ranks marched in having arrived at Tripoli by boat from Kantara. This brought the strength of the Regiment up to 29 Officers, 412 Other Ranks. General health of the Regiment during the early part of this month was by no means good. The unhealthy surroundings of Damascus contributed largely to this. Much of the sickness was recurrent malaria and general debility. Towards the latter end of the month there was a decided improvement in the general health of the ranks. Trips to beach, Tripoli and the Mountains were inaugurated to further this improvement.
1919
Sunday, November 30, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Adelaide
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Regiment disbanded.
Previous: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 29 November
Next: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 1 December
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, 30 November
