Topic: Diary - Schramm
Diaries of AIF Servicemen
Bert 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, 10 March 1919
Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 8 - 10 March 1919
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Diaries
Bert Schramm
Monday, March 10, 1919
Bert Schramm's Location - Moascar, Egypt.
Bert Schramm's Diary - The order was given for the Brigade to fall in for two and a half hours bayonet fighting etc. this morning but every man in the Brigade refused so things are going to be lively. However nothing was done today and the Heads are all a bit upset. The best they can do is to let things alone otherwise there will be serious trouble.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary
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]
Darley
Darley, TH, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, Adelaide, Hassell Press, 1924.
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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, 10 March 1919
