Topic: AIF - 3B - 9 LHR
9th LHR, AIF
War Diary, 10 March
Pro Gloria et Honore - For Glory and Honour
Regimental March - Marching Through Georgia
The Diary
1914
Tuesday, March 10, 1914
See 4th Military District, South Australia for militia activities.
1915
Wednesday, March 10, 1915
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - HMAT A10 "Karroo", at sea.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - No entry.
Carew Reynell Diary - We had a very uneventful voyage to Aden, which we reached about 0900 and pushed off about 2 hours later. By the way, it was Monday evening that we reached Aden and we received instructions then to proceed at all speed. We also heard that and expeditionary force including Australians is to be landed at Smyrna and we are hoping we may be going straight there.A French cruiser that left Colombo the morning of the day we left has evidently been keeping an eye on us as on Sunday the wireless operator said she was quite close and on Monday she was within 10 to 15 miles of us all day.
Yesterday, Tuesday, she passed quite close to us loosing off 6 inch guns at a target on one of the Red Sea Islands about 3 miles to 5 miles range and fired about 60 shots and apparently was making good practice.
All day yesterday we were getting and intercepting messages, to other transports, telling us to push on at top speed and last night at 1900 a British cruiser passed quite close and signalled us to "Proceed at full speed to Port Said." up to this moment we had regarded either Suez or Alexandria as our destination but this certainly looks more hopeful for our chance of being sent straight on either to Smyrna or Marseilles. We think it is just possible that the GG Munro Ferguson may have advised Birdwood that our Brigade was a good deal ahead of the previous lots and our 10th Regiment with Antill has been a week or more ahead of us and its just possible that we may not be kept for further training. there is no disguising the fact that we could do with it but I think we a plenty good enough for wiping out Turks. In any case we are making every effort to get as much exercise as possible into the horses so that they won't take so long to 'condition'.
We passed the Straits of Isabel Mandey yesterday morning about 0400 and since being in the Red Sea the weather has become quite cool today [Wednesday] is the coolest day we have had since leaving Cape Leeuwin.
As a Consequence our horses are doing well and the pleurisy patent is beginning to look more hopeful.
We get to Suez on Saturday morning and so hope for no further loss that the two already gone.
1916
Friday, March 10, 1916
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Serapeum, Egypt.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - No entry.
1917
Saturday, March 10, 19179th Light Horse Regiment Location - El Burj, Sinai.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - The Regiment undertook routine work for the day. The weather was very bad with a Khamsin blowing from the west.
1918
Sunday, March 10, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Deir el Belah, Palestine.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Freebairn, Lieutenant DT; and, 15 Other Ranks arrived back from Port Said Rest Camp. Wagg, Lieutenant BSW; and, 15 Other Ranks proceeded to Port Said Rest Camp. Wastell, Lieutenant MF; and, two Other Ranks proceeded to Egypt on leave.
1919
Monday, March 10, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Moascar, Egypt.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Eley, Second Lieutenant RC; and, Driscoll, Second Lieutenant LS, joined up from Cadet School. Darley, Major TH; and, Kildea, Lieutenant FJ, returned from Cairo. These officers brought the first news of the disturbances which had broken out in Cairo amongst the civilian population.
3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary - 1420 CO's Conference held at Brigade Headquarters; several questions concerning the Brigade were discussed. Among other questions it was decided to hold a swimming and aquatic carnival on 2nd April 1919. A committee was appointed to draw up a programme and arrange details. A novice boxing competition was also decided on. There appeared to be a certain amount of unrest among the men of the Brigade due in all to misconception of the situation. CO's were given special orders by the General Officer in Command to thoroughly enquire into the matter and endeavour to remove any misunderstandings among the men.
Report of CO's Meeting held at Brigade Headquarters 10th March 1919 - Present: Wilson, Brigadier General LC, General Officer in Command; Scott, Lieutenant Colonel WH, 9th Light Horse Regiment; Stuart, Lieutenant Colonel, 3rd Field Ambulance; Daly, Major TJ, 8th Light Horse Regiment; Parsons, Major HM, 9th Light Horse Regiment; Olden, Major CAN, 10th Light Horse Regiment; Latham, Lieutenant WC, 3rd Signal Troop; Palmer, Captain WC, Brigade Major; and, Baker Lieutenant AS, Acting Staff Captain.
Subject ii Daily Parades. The views of the CO's were given and it was decided that the most suitable daily programme would be as follows: -0600 Reveille
0630 - 0700 Physical exercises.
0730 Breakfast
0900 - 1030 Swimming, route march or organised games.Dress to be fatigue dress.
10th Australian Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Routine commenced - 0630 - 0700 Physical training. 0900 - 1100 Swimming Parade. All educational classes were again activated
Sergeant Ronald Campbell Ross No 181, "D" Troop, A Squadron. 8th Light Horse Regiment:He states that the men turned out for games on the first parade, but none turned out for the second parade, which was drill. The Commanding Officer had all Non Commissioned Officers up before him to find out what the trouble was. He ordered them to go back and have a talk about it and to come back and see if he could put it right. From what Ross records it would appear that the men won the argument. "Reveille now at 0600 hours. Physical drill and games for half an hour. Breakfast at 0730, next parade 0900, swimming and games down at the water till about 1030." He then writes; "The men have agreed to this after delegate from each troop parading before the Commanding Officer by their Officer in Command Squadron." Further on in this entry he records; "The Commanding Officer then ordered a parade at 1130 to tell all ranks what was doing. Everything was done very quiet by the men, no trouble to Non Commissioned Officers by anybody."
Auchterlonie, 1533 Sergeant George, 12th Reinforcements, C Squadron. 8th Light Horse Regiment -Great events! Orders out for two hours drill, 0930 to 1130 & the men would not come out. Non Commissioned Officer's were paraded to Commanding Officer to find out the grievance. Then a representative per Squadron went to the Commanding Officer with conditions desired. Brigade had a pow - wow & made alterations to Syllabus.
[Auchterlonie, G., Dad's War Stuff, the Diaries.]
Bostock, Sergeant H, 8th Light Horse Regiment -Before writing of the Egyptian rising. There were several things perhaps worth mentioning. Our senior officers had given us a pretty stiff works programme; before breakfast physical exercises, to which no one objected, but the rest of the day was filled with route marches and squad drill. Finally, early one morning every tent was visited and told not to fall in when the bugle sounded the "fall in" after breakfast. We were to remain in our tents to show our disapproval of the training being meted out to us in an attempt to have it modified. In other words, we were 'on strike'. In the army this is called 'mutiny' - rather an ugly word.
How well I remember my squadron leader Major Hamlin looking into my tent and saying "Bostock, you are the Commanding Officer of your tent. Fall in with your men on parade immediately!" I did not answer, but felt terrible. It was the first time I had disobeyed an order. One corporal only was seen on parade that morning. However, it had the desired effect.
[Bostock p. 204]
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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, 10 March
