Topic: AIF - Lighthorse
Australian Light Horse
Roles within the Regiment
Squadron Commander
The following entries dealing with the roles and duties within the hierarchy of a light horse regiment are extracted from a very informative handbook called The Bushman’s Military Guide, 1898. While written in 1898, the information contained in the entries held true for the next twenty years with only minor modifications with the principles remaining as current then as now.
Squadron Commander
(1.) The officer selected to act as squadron commander during continuous training is responsible to the Commanding Officer of the regiment for the four troops comprising the squadron. He is the medium of communication for all matters affecting his squadron.
(2.) He is to consider that the squadron is being trained for active service, and it cannot be too strongly impressed upon officers commanding troops the extreme importance of every man, every horse, arms, clothing, accoutrements, and saddlery being kept in fighting trim, ready for any emergency. This can only be done by regular inspection on parade, and a, careful supervision in the horse lines of the care of horses, arms, saddlery, and accoutrements.
(3.) He must insist on his subaltern officers doing their duty firmly, yet temperately, and bring to the notice of the Commanding Officer if they fail to do so.
(4.) He will inspect the horse lines and tents of his squadron once a clay (usually about 1 p.m.,), seeing that they are clean and tidy, the horses groomed, the saddlery clean and uniformly arranged, the arms around tent poles, tent curtains rolled up, etc. The horses will be first inspected, the Men standing to their horses heads; the tents afterwards, the men standing on the right of tent doors, and should see that all tents are prepared for bad weather by trenches being dug round.
(5.) He will accompany the Commanding Officer when the lines of his squadron are being inspected.
(6.) He will see that the horses are regularly watered at the prescribed hours, that the nose-bags are put on when feed sounds, and that the men are supplied with rations of good quality.
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Further Reading:
Citation: Australian Light Horse, Roles within the Regiment, Squadron Commander
