Topic: Diary - Schramm
During part of the course of his military service with the AIF, 2823 Private Herbert Leslie Schramm, a farmer from White's River, near Tumby Bay on the Eyre Peninsular, 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 1918 breakout 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.
Bert Schramm's Diary, 25 December 1918
Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 21 - 27 December 1918
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Diaries
Bert Schramm
Wednesday, December 25, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Tripoli
Bert Schramm's Diary - Xmas day and weather fine and we haven't had such a bad time. We had roast meat and plenty of plum pudding for dinner. Altogether the best Xmas I have spent since here.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Tripoli
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Christmas Day. Voluntary church services were held today as follows - other denominations 0845 at Protestant Church Tripoli near American Mission. Turner, Captain Chaplain RC, officiated. Roman Catholic service at 1000 at Convent of Sisters of Charity, Tripoli. Chaplain the Reverend Woods officiated owing to Chaplain Canon Moore's absence on leave; there was no C of E service.
Excellent rations, a sunny day and pleasant surroundings, this Christmas Day contrasted very greatly with the Regiment's previous Christmas which was spent in the hills holding the line at Suffa with horses at Katra.
Parsons, Major HM; Burns, Lieutenant AG; Gibney, Lieutenant BE; Stephen, Lieutenant HH; and, nine Other Ranks returned from leave in Egypt. Twenty Other Ranks marched in from Moascar.
Darley
Darley, TH, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, Adelaide, Hassell Press, 1924.
No Entry
Further Reading:
9th Light Horse Regiment AIF War Diary - Complete day by day list
Bert Schramm Diary - Complete day by day list
Additional Reading:
Darley, TH, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, Adelaide, Hassell Press, 1924.
Citation: Bert Schramm's Diary, 25 December 1918
