Topic: AIF - 1B - 3 LHR
Battle of Romani
Sinai, 4 - 5 August 1916
3rd LHR, AIF, War Diary Account
War Diary account of the 3rd LHR, AIF.
The transcription:
Wednesday, August 2, 1916 –
Brigade left Romani and moved to Katia at 0230. Third Regiment found left flank guard and advanced through Katia and Er Raban driving back enemy patrols and holding line ½ mile North East Er Raban to 1¼ East of Qatia Cemetery. The enemy were very active particularly on our left flank. Casualties – 1 Officer, 2 men wounded 1 horse killed. Their mountain batteries fired some 60 rounds at our aeroplanes. Left Katia 1930 arrived Romani 2230.
Thursday, August 3, 1916 –
Owing to the enemy having occupied Katia on the night of 2/3 August the 1st Light Horse Brigade held an outpost line from No 1 Infantry Post just south of Katir Gannit to Hod el Enna. The 3rd Regiment took up the new line at 1800 holding from No 1 Post exclusive to Mt Meredith inclusive. The 2nd Light Horse Brigade moved through our lines at 2230 from Katia. The scouts of the advancing Turks ran into our Cossack Posts at 2340.
Friday, August 4, 1916 –
At 0020 the enemy’s infantry line appeared and they made a bayonet charge onto the Cossack Post line at the base of Mt Meredith and came under heavy fire from our piquet line which held them up for a very considerable period. We were reinforced by 1 Squadron of 1st Light horse Regiment which was placed to the south of Mt Meredith and two Squadrons reinforced at Hod Abu Adi which we had to evacuate. We held the ground just above the Hod at 0400 but the Turks were now swarming up Mt Meredith from the South West and dominated our position. The poured heavy rifle, machine gun and shrapnel fire onto us as daylight at daylight and we were compelled to fall back at 0530 as our right flank was enfiladed owing to the 1st and 2nd Regiments being compelled to withdraw. We fell back onto Wellington Ridge where we were reinforced by the 2nd Light Horse Brigade and a company of Kings Own Scottish Borderers. Here the Regiment reformed less “B” Squadron who had been compelled to fall back behind the wire of the Infantry Posts and were afterwards used as Divisional Troops by General Chauvel.
On Reforming we joined up with the 2nd Regiment but missed the 1st Light Horse Brigade Headquarters, so we moved to the right flank which was all the time being turned. We moved towards Hod el Diyuk and were joined by the 6th Light Horse Regiment and Colonel Royston who took command. We then extended to the right and held all the high ground covering the railway and ultimately stopped the turning movement.
The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade and the 3rd Light Horse Brigade and the 5th Mounted Brigade came from the direction of Duidar and attacked from the South West squeezing the enemy on three sides and capturing 600 prisoners. The whole line then swung round to our left and advanced towards Mr Meredith and Hod el Enna for two miles and then halted and bivouacked in the position for the night.
Saturday, August 5, 1916 –
At 0430 a general advance was ordered. This Regiment acted as Brigade Reserve. The enemy were retiring on Katia. We advanced to Bir Sagid without opposition and passed many prisoners and abandoned stores coming in. At 1500 a general advance by 5 Brigades was ordered on Katia which was quickly reached, but on coming into action we were met by heavy machine gun and shell fire. The 3rd Regiment was in the centre and failed to cross the swamp. The flank attack failed and the Brigades were withdrawn at dusk 1900. We arrived at Romani at 2300. We were absent from camp 59 hours, were moving constant and fighting most of the time. The majority of the horses were without a drink during the whole period. Casualties: 14 Killed. 31 Wounded. 4 Missing. 95 horses killed or missing.
Roll of Honour
David (Junior) BARCLAY
Owen Ernest Hugh BINGHAM
Harold Alfred BURRILL
John DUELL
Leonard Ridgeway EASTHER
Edmund John HOWARD
Fergus Stanley IBBOTT
Fred INGLIS
Basil KERSLAKE
Wilfred LUDBEY
Henrie Clarence NICHOLAS
Joseph Marmion RANFORD
Wilfred SMITH
Alfred Gibbs TOLMAN
Roderick Noel White WEAVER
Lest we forget
Further Reading:
3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment, Roll of Honour
Battle of Romani, Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916
Bir el Abd, Sinai, 9 August 1916
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Citation: Romani, Sinai, 4-5 August 1916, 3rd LHR, AIF, War Diary Account
Posted by Project Leader
at 12:01 AM EADT
Updated: Monday, 19 October 2009 12:40 PM EADT
