Topic: AIF - 3B - 9 LHR
9th LHR, AIF
War Diary, 20 July
Pro Gloria et Honore - For Glory and Honour
Regimental March - Marching Through Georgia
The Diary
1914
Monday, July 20, 1914
See 4th Military District, South Australia for militia activities.
1915
Tuesday, July 20, 1915
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Walkers Ridge
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - No Entry.
3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary - Preparing tunnel for search light Bully Beef Sap and emplacement for another mortar.
Confidentially informed to expect attack on 23rd - 100,000 reinforcements of Turks arriving. Colonel Hughes assumed command No. 1 Sub Sector.
Colonel Smyth to 2nd Infantry Brigade.
Turks tried to reconnoitre Second Sap last night. Two were killed.
Casualties:
8th Light Horse Regiment, one wounded.
9th Light Horse Regiment, two wounded.
Wellington Mounted Rifles, three wounded.
Total 6 wounded.
All warned and instructed to make every preparation for attack.
Carew Reynell Diary - No Entry.
1916
Thursday, July 20, 1916
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Roadhead Serapeum.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Training and lectures carried out throughout the week. Patrols and outpost work continued as in previous details.
Major HM Parsons is taken on the strength of the Regiment (from Double Squadrons) and posted to command "A" Squadron.
Major RA McKenzie transferred to "C" Squadron to command.
System of Patrols to Mukshieb - Et Tassi and Et Tassa commenced.
Patrol of 1 Officer, 1 Sergeant and 12 Other Ranks to patrol daily to Mukshieb from Point "580" from 0430 to 1830 and on alternate days to Et Tassa or Et Tassi from No. 3 Patrol Post.
1917
Friday, July 20, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - El Gamli, Abu Yahia, Bir el Esani
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - At 0300 saddled up and stood to arms.
At 0430 the Regiment moved across the wadi as advance guard to the Brigade and advanced towards Beersheba.
“B” Squadron and one troop “A” Squadron formed the screen and pushed forward on a north to south line through Reshid Bek keeping well south of Beersheba - Karm Road.
In the vicinity of Abu Yahia enemy patrols were encountered but fell back on the screen being pushed vigorously forward. A line was taken up about one mile east of Point 840 - El Hathira and two troops from “A” Squadron were sent to make good the cross roads before the A of cultivAtion [Square F10] and to obtain touch with the Anzac Mounted Division on the left. This was done.
The enemy kept up intermittent rifle and shell fire but caused no casualties. One gun fired a number of rounds and the enemy were observed to leave several of their positions and retire.
At 1100 word was received to withdraw and the screen was first pulled in and then the withdrawal successfully carried out by squadrons in turn.
El Gamli was reached at 1500 and horses watered - the first drink since 1800 the previous night - and the column then moved back to the bivouac at Abasan el Kebir which was reached at 1830.
During this time the men had only two meals, 1100 on the 19th July and 1800 on the 20th July 1917, on the limbers with the rations for the 20th July not available.
Casualties - personnel, nil; horses, one slightly wounded.
1918
Saturday, July 20, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Madhbeh
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Aikman, Lieutenant GE; and, Stephen, Second Lieutenant HH, joined from Moascar.
Fletcher, 3012 Corporal GEP, died of wounds.
1919
Sunday, July 20, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - SS Oxfordshire
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Routine.
Previous: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 19 July
Next: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 21 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, 20 July
