Topic: AIF - 3B - 9 LHR
9th LHR, AIF
War Diary, 2 August
Pro Gloria et Honore - For Glory and Honour
Regimental March - Marching Through Georgia
The Diary
1914
Sunday, August 2, 1914
See 4th Military District, South Australia for militia activities.
1915
Monday, August 2, 1915
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Reserve Camp
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - No Entry.
3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary - Conference with General Godley, New Zealand and Australian Division regarding attack.
Carew Reynell Diary - Since last entry nothing interesting has happened. We knew through the Secret Service that the Turks had been reinforced by upwards of 100,000 and intended to make a grand attack on us either on or before 27th July [last day of 1st fortnight of Ramazan]. I slept up in the front trenches most of the time and we were very hopeful once or twice. Especially one night when they were throwing incendiary shells round us to set bush on fire and bombing us heavily. That night six of our men were bombed while asleep quite close to me without it waking me. However it all ended in smoke and no attack came off, we haven't heard yet why it didn't come off. We are going to make a big attack on the Turk position within a few days now so there will be a fresh crop of casualties as the Turks hold a strong position. I believe our job will be to take the trenches across the Nek so that our casualties are bound to be very heavy indeed as we shall have to cross a confined space under fire of a half circle of Turk trenches thus:
The first job will be to take the trenches this side of the Nek, but that will be easily done although they will be well supported by fire from the trenches on the hill the other side of Nek.
However, I have every confidence in our fellows and even if 75% of us are knocked out I believe the other 25% will get there. I am going to have a talk to them and prepare their minds for heavy losses and impress on them the necessity of getting there or dying in the attempt. However, I believe they will behave well and do or die anyway. In any case we have the comforting reflection that if we don't win our way through to the Narrows during the next month or six weeks we shall die where we are of starvation, because the continuous gales will prevent the landing of supplies here and we can be certain never to be taken off. Moreover, Greeks who know the peninsular say that it will be quite impossible to live here in winter anyway as the torrential rains simply change the surface of the country every year. So as the old saw says - If we go forward we die, if we go backwards we die, better go forwards and die. However we shall go forward and some I trust, self included, will live to fight again. Naturally speculation is very rife and certainly a great deal hangs on the next few weeks - we shall either be made or broken.
I suppose there will be a lot of promotion, but as far as I can see my chances are nil. If the Brigade command becomes vacant they don't seem disposed to put Colonel Meill, the senior Regimental Commander, in - and unless he goes up or out, my cake's dough. Without wishing anyone bad luck there is a lot in the old toast - "Here's to bloody wars and sickly seasons and quick promotion". Well some of us will be making room for others before long I guess and it's all in the game. I see big stacks of new stretchers being made just near by our bivouac.
1916
Wednesday, August 2, 1916
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Bally Bunnion
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Routine work.
1917
Thursday, August 2, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Tel el Marakeb
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Syllabus of work for week ending 9 August 1917 issued.
Musketry.
1918
Friday, August 2, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Madhbeh
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Kildea, Lieutenant FJ; and, 32
Other Ranks marched in from Moascar.
Usual routine carried out during the day.
1919
Saturday, August 2, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - SS Oxfordshire
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Normal routine work.
Previous: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 1 August
Next: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 3 August
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, 2 August
