Topic: AIF - 3B - 9 LHR
9th LHR, AIF
War Diary, 30 August
Pro Gloria et Honore - For Glory and Honour
Regimental March - Marching Through Georgia
The Diary
1914
Sunday, August 30, 1914
See 4th Military District, South Australia for militia activities.
1915
Monday, August 30, 1915
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Gazli Beit Dere
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 1630 Inspected positions to be held by 3rd Light Horse Brigade on Rhododendron Ridge and Tabletop in company with the Brigade Major and Lieutenant Colonel P Abbott.
Bivouacked at Gazli Beit Dere with D Squadron 9th Light Horse Regiment [late “C” Squadron 11th Light Horse Regiment].
The 9th Regiment less D Squadron is at present in No 6 Section under General Cox and are not expected back until the 4th September 1915.
Bivouac under fire from 2000 to 2100.
Mule transport under Lieutenant Levingston when proceeding along the beach at 2200 was shelled. But no casualties.
3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary - On 27 - 28 the 9th Light Horse Regiment were sent to capture position of a Turkish trench lost by a British Battalion. This they did [AB] the lost position being bombed out.
Same night Lieutenant Colonel Reynell 9th Light Horse attacked BC with Yeomen: He got into AB which was partly held by men of his Regiment[see C] then made for BC. This was shortly after midnight - he was seen to disappear with some of his men into some Turkish trenches. Some 20 afterwards were traced through Dressing Stations and four were wounded - the casualties reported as Lieutenant Colonel Reynell, Captain Callary, Captain Jaffray and 68 others =- this will probably be corrected later - on 28th -29th 9th Light Horse were again sent at the trench and link up with the 10th Light Horse which had about 0100.
The losses of the latter were, Killed Captain Fry, Second Lieutenant IC Burgess [wounded] CH MacBean and GA Leake killed and 3 others wounded 2nd Lieutenants Sanderson and Throssell, Other Ranks 54, Total 57.
The affair was a brilliant example of dash and courage as the Turks held some of the trenches and all in front from which with maxim fire, our men were bombed continuously, the captured Turkish trenches only 4 feet deep were nearly full of dead of both sides and these had to be cleared and deepened without any cover: Generals Cox, Godly and Russell spoke of the unit as very fine - Lieutenant Colonel Reynell was a splendid man and an exceptionally fine and dashing leader and his loss will be severely felt:
General Cox informs the Brigade that the post is so important that he will not contemplate the withdrawal of the 8th and 10th until the trenches have been made perfectly safe $$ and other troops broken into them. Hill 60 practically controls the North and East salients after another portion to its North has been taken. Under the new allotment and disposition of troops, 3rd Light Horse Brigade holds Table Top and the Northern slopes of Rhododendron and No 5 Section - $$ as and near the sea and the 1st Light Horse Brigade.
Extracts from Dispatch from Major WH Scott, Acting CO 9th Light Horse about recent operations:
Ninth Regiment arrived at Arshal Dere 2130 on 26th August and reported to General Cox and went into bivouac at 2200 and rested during 27th August till word came at 1900 to be prepared to send men to support General Russell who was in charge of part of attack on Knoll 60. , AAD at 2130. Second Lieutenant Phillis and 50 men were supplied and went into fire trench LF [see plan] towards right of sector, to assist New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade to hold trench then AAA.
At 2330 Major Parsons, Captain Jaffray and Temporary Second Lieutenant McDonald with 100 were supplied and twenty minutes late Captain Callary and 25 men were also sent AAA.
Of these last two parties, Major Parsons with 52 men of “A” Squadron bombed their way along fire trench BG to M, about 100 yards but had to retire about 20 yards and put up barricade at N AAA At 2430 Lieutenant Colonel Reynell, Captain Callary, Captain Jaffray and Temporary Second Lieutenant McDonald with about 75 men attempted to cross from D to E to join the New Zealanders there then fight their way along trench FG from N to G.
They appeared to lose direction in the scrub which abounds there and arrived at point C in trench BG which Major Parsons was holding. AAA They at once set out again for point E but came under a withering fire from rifles, a machine gun and bombs, and the party literally faded away. AAA Temporary Second Lieutenant McDonald, Squadron Sergeant Major Shaw and three men got back to safely and about twenty wounded crawled in. AAA One sergeant and fifteen men on right of party became detached and finally reached our trench about F. AAA Temporary Second Lieutenant McDonald after reaching safety then gallantly returned four times to the scene of disaster and brought in four wounded men. AAA Major Parson's party were then bombed back to P but when day broke fought back to C, his casualties altogether were about twenty. AAA During day of 27th both sides were quiet but a few men were hit by snipers. AAA At 0100 on 29th August, Temporary Second Lieutenant McDonald with a covering party fought their way with bombs to M and connected up with 10th Light Horse Regiment who had at the same time reached trench BGK from right and taken it. AAA Our men remained in trenches until 2100 when all except 25 were relieved. AAA The bodies of Lieutenant Colonel Reynell and Captain Jaffray were recovered on morning of 29th August and are being buried at 0900 today.
Major WH Scott, Acting CO, 9th Light Horse Regiment, 0800, 30 August 1915.
1916
Wednesday, August 30, 1916
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Hod Nabit
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Received Operation Order from Brigade for the Regiment to move out ot Bayud in support of the Mobile Column who were to make a drive of the country from Bayud to Aweida and 513.
Regimental Operation Order issued and attached.
1917
Thursday, August 30, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Abasan el Kebir
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Regiment carried out practice Dismounted Attack - 0630 to 0800. Three Other Ranks left to attend Shoeing School at Veterinary Hospital Belbeis.
1918
Friday, August 30, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Ludd area
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Usual routine carried out. Thirty four reinforcements arrived from Moascar.
Preparations carried out for inspection of General Officer in Command 3rd Light Horse Brigade.
1919
Saturday, August 30, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Adelaide
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Regiment disbanded.
Previous: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 29 August
Next: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 31 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, 30 August
