Topic: AIF - Lighthorse
Australian Light Horse
Roles within the Regiment
Officer Commanding a Regimental Unit
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.
Officer Commanding a Regimental Unit
(1.) When under instruction in Camp he is directly responsible to the squadron commander for the carrying out of all duties in Camp routine, as well as the drill in the field.
(2.) He will see that his men are ready to turn out ten minutes before "the call" sounds, and that they are formed up punctually at the time appointed for parade.
(3.) He will inspect the horses, arms, accoutrements, and saddlery at every parade, as well as on the horse lines, and inspect the lines and tents fifteen minutes before the squadron commander's inspection daily.
(4.) He will see that every horse is groomed, watered, fed at regular hours.
(5.) When ordered to water horses, he will see that the horses of his unit do not leave the horse-lines until it comes to their turn.
(6.) He will occasionally visit the men's tents during meal hours, and see that they are provided with rations of good quality.
(7.) Before Camp breaks up he will have an inventory taken of all Camp equipment issued him, taking care that all tent-pegs, tent-bags, picket-pegs, etc., are COLLECTED READY for return to store on conclusion of Camp.
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Further Reading:
Citation: Australian Light Horse, Roles within the Regiment, Officer Commanding a Regimental Unit
