Topic: AIF - Lighthorse
Australian Light Horse
Roles within the Regiment
Duties of Regimental Orderly Sergeant
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.
Duties of Regimental Orderly Sergeant
(1.) He comes on duty with the regimental guard daily.
(2.) He will collect the watch setting reports from troops orderly sergeants and deliver them to the orderly squadron sergeant-mayor or staff- sergeant.
(3.) He attends all parades.
(4.) He will take charge of the regimental guard at watch setting; and remain in the guard tent until reveille, which he will cause to be sounded by the orderly trumpeter at the proper time.
(5.) He accompanies the orderly officer when visiting tents, horse-lines, etc.
(6.) He will see that the Camp is kept clean and no paper or rubbish is ever thrown about the lines except in the manure heap.
(7.) He will draw the blank ammunition required for drill purposes and issue to orderly sergeants of regimental units collecting the unexpended portions from them on the return of the troops from the field and return it to the Quartermaster.
(8.) He will parade all mounted orderlies on their quitting or returning to Camp.
(9.) He will assist the Quartermaster at all general fatigues detailed to keep the Camp clean.
Form of Regimental Orderly Sergeant's Report.............................. THE CAMP...................................Regiment.
......................................189......
(1.) I certify I reported myself to the Captain and orderly officer of the day at ........ a.m., ............... the instant, and accompanied the orderly officer of the day round the various duties.
(2.) I paraded and marched off the meals of the men on duty at breakfast, dinner, and supper hours. The orderly corporals were present.
(3.) The General and Regimental Orders were shown by me to the whole of the regimental staff and field officers present. I afterwards left the books with the Adjutant.
(4.) I visited the cooking-places and horse-troughs during the day and found them clean.
(5.) I saw all lights extinguished after watch-setting at the specified time, except those authorised.
(6.) Half-an-hour after reveille sounding I went round the Camp of the regiment and saw the curtains of the tents rolled up in a uniform manner.
(7.) I was present at the issue of rations and forage.
(8.) I append the report of the orderly corporal.
(9.) I parade all mounted orderlies on quitting and returning to Camp.
(10.) I issued and collected all blank ammunition during the day.
(11.) I took charge of the regimental guard at watch-setting, and remained in the guard tent until reveille.
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Orderly Sergeant.
The Orderly Officer of the day.
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Further Reading:
Citation: Australian Light Horse, Roles within the Regiment, Duties of Regimental Orderly Sergeant
