Topic: AIF - 3B - 9 LHR
9th LHR, AIF
War Diary, 4 July
Pro Gloria et Honore - For Glory and Honour
Regimental March - Marching Through Georgia
The Diary
1914
Saturday, July 4, 1914
See 4th Military District, South Australia for militia activities.
1915
Sunday, July 4, 1915
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Reserve Gully
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - No Entry.
3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary - Casualties:
8th Light Horse Regiment, one wounded.
9th Light Horse Regiment, four wounded.
10th Light Horse Regiment, one wounded. During 13 days in the trenches 3rd Light Horse Brigade lost 18 killed and 36 wounded.
Canterbury Mounted Rifles relieved 8th Light Horse Regiment. 3rd Light Horse Brigade staff take over administration of No. 1 Sub Sector.
76 Turks have been buried. 134 rifles and 6,000 rounds of ammunition recovered in the last three days with some 200 or more unburied bodies in front of trenches.
Carew Reynell Diary - No Entry.
1916
Tuesday, July 4, 1916
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Roadhead Serapeum.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Routine training and patrol work. Two hours training carried out daily.
1917
Wednesday, July 4, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - El Shellal
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - The Regiment moved out of bivouac at 0100 and joined the remainder of the Brigade and with the 8th Light Horse Regiment as advance guard proceeded through Goz el Basal, Karm, El Buggar to the cross roads in the north west corner of Square C7.
Here, Shaw, Lieutenant OJ, with special reconnaissance party moved out. The 8th Light Horse Regiment moved north and east and the 9th Light Horse Regiment formed a screen of two squadrons, B and “C” Squadrons connecting with the 8th Light Horse Regiment left and the 4th Light Horse Brigade on the right and the advance now continued. Enemy patrols were encountered a mile or so east of El Buggar but fell back as the screen pushed out.
By 0630 the line 790 to where the black track crosses the Beersheba Road Square C7 was occupied by “B” Squadron on the left and “C” Squadron on the right and touch was obtained with the 8th Light horse Regiment on the left and the 4th Light horse Brigade on the right. Regimental Headquarters was established on Hill 820. The enemy could be seen in holding a strong line of entrenchments running on a north to south line one mile to 1½ miles east of Beersheba - in strength - and numerous camps were spread out along the foothills north west of the town.
At 0700 they commenced shelling our screen with a battery of small mountain guns and two heavier guns and kept on intermittently shelling throughout the day. At 0900 two Squadrons of enemy cavalry move out from El Abreij and took up a position but did not come within rifle fire.
At 1715 word was received to withdraw the advanced screen and at 1800 the Regiment withdrew, “B” Squadron covering the retirement with two troops. Small enemy patrols followed up the rear guard but kept out of range. A line Point 720 to El Buggar held by the 10th Light Horse Regiment was passed through at 1900 and the Regiment reformed and joined the column returning to camp by 2200.
One Other Rank slightly wounded by shell fire and one horse wounded. Throughout the day the enemy remained quiet but could be seen holding the positions in strength.
1918
Thursday, July 4, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Solomon's Pools
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Usual Bethlehem and Jerusalem leave parties.
1919
Friday, July 4, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Moascar
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 0630 Medical inspection for Venereal Disease reporting one case only.
Sixteen cases comforts distributed.
1700, final pay given before embarkation.
Previous: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 3 July
Next: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 5 July
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, 4 July
