The August Offensive

Gallipoli, August 1915

Aerial Reconnaissance Report, 17 August 1915

Aerial Reconnaissance Report, 17 August 1915

The use of aircraft for scouting and reconnaissance purposes was very much in its infancy. So too was aerial photography.

The above page from an intelligence file is an illustration of an aerial reconnaissance report tendered after a mission.

17th August

Reconnaissance

Pilot - Commander Samson, RN.

Started - 0630

Returned - 0810

Reconnoitred Suvla - Anzac and Krithia Fronts, also in direction of Tursche Keui - Boghali - Maidos - Kilid Bahr.

No movement observed.

Dropped morning reports at Cape Helles.

At Ak Bashi Liman - 5 steamers 300' and 15 small craft.

The note: "Dropped morning reports at Cape Helles" is quite interesting as it is a literal statement. Apart from scouting duties, Commander Samson was also the mailman for the army on that day. To undertake this last duty, Samson would have flown low over a specific point at Cape Helles and dropped his report to the waiting signallers below in a protective canister before departing to fly elsewhere. This seemingly simple task was fraught with danger as it required the aircraft to slow down to almost stalling speed while no more than 200m from the ground. It became an easy target for Turkish guns or an aircraft, should one become available. As it turned out, the Turks did not molest him and it turned out to be an uninterrupted flight.

The Pilot

Charles Rumney Samson (8 July 1883 - 5 Febrary 1931)

Awards

DSO - 21 October 1914 and Bar - 19 January 1917;

MiD - 17 February 1915;

LoH, C - 12 January 1916; 

MiD - 14 March 1916;

AFC - 1 January 1919;

CMG - 3 June 1919; and,

2nd Prize, 'Gordon-Shephard ' Competition, 1922.

Promotions

Midshipman, 1898

Sub Lieutenant, 15 May 1902

Lieutenant, 30 September 1904

Acting Commander, January 1912

 

Flying Chronology to the taking of the Reconnaissance Flight

1911: U/T Pilot, Eastchurch

October 1911:  Officer Commanding, NAS Eastchurch

1 April 1912:  Officer Commanding, Naval Flying School - NAS Eastchurch 

May 1912: Commandant, Naval Wing, RFC.

1 July 1914:  Officer Commanding, Eastchurch (Mobile) Squadron RNAS (renamed No 3 Sqn RNAS)

1 September 1914: Officer Commanding, No 3 Sqn RNAS (renamed No 3 Wing)

October 1914: Officer Commanding, No 3 Sqn RNAS (renamed No 3 Wing)

March 1915: Officer Commanding, No 3 Wing RNAS. (Gallipoli)

1915: Officer Commanding, HMS Ben My Chree. (Palestine/Red Sea)  

Source: Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

http://www.rafweb.org/index.html

Note: The ship, HMS Ben My Chree, played a pivotal role in providing air cover for the Egyptian Expeditionary Force during 1916. Also included were Anne, Raven, and Empress, all of which were dedicated aircraft carriers.

Further Reading:

The August Offensive, Gallipoli, August 1915

Gallipoli Campaign

Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920

Citation: Aerial Reconnaissance Report, 17 August 1915

Posted by Project Leader at 8:14 PM EADT

Updated: Monday, 12 July 2010 12:11 PM EADT

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9th LHR, AIF

Pro Gloria et Honore - For Glory and Honour

Regimental March -  Marching Through Georgia

The Diary

1914

Sunday, July 5, 1914

See 4th Military District, South Australia for militia activities.

1915

Monday, July 5, 1915

9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Reserve Gully

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - No Entry.

3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary - Colonel Hughes back in hospital ship but did not land.

Motor Driver hanger reported.

Lieutenant Colonel White back to duty.

Canterbury 1W Turks very quiet but for shelling which continues. Heavy shelling by a large gun from E, otherwise it was very quiet during day.

Carew Reynell Diary   - We had quite and interesting second half to our fortnight in the trenches.

On Sunday week the Turks concentrated about ten guns of assorted sizes and from various directions on our trenches at day break and bombarded us solidly for two and a half hours. Major Gregory the second in command of the 8th Light horse Regiment was killed, also the adjutant and several men and most of us had headaches, and some were quite deaf and have remained so for some days. We fully expected that the bombardment would be followed by an attack as a very heavy rifle fire was kept up from the Turks trenches in front of us. This was the heaviest bombardment we have had by a long way. A few evenings previously they had given us a fairly hot time and I still have a little momento of it in the shape of a sore which has festered and which was caused by gravel thrown by the explosion of a shell which also killed one sergeant and wounded another. The Sunday morning affair, however, was "It".

On Monday morning at 0030 they made a real attack on our trenches after having made two demonstrations - one at 2130 and one at 2230. The attack was easily repulsed and they left from two to three hundred dead in front of our trenches. About 15 prisoners were also captured who gave a lot of interesting information. One of them was an Armenian who had thrown himself down in a hollow and let the attacking force go on and when it was all over, crawled in over our parapet. We also got another, unwounded, who had lain out all day among the dead.

Captain Herbert and I got another poor devil who was badly wounded and would have died of thirst. I also had an interesting experience in the so called Secret Sap on the said morning.

Our losses during the six weeks we have been here in killed and wounded amount to 80, which is nearly 20% of our strength on landing. We have also nearly a third of our original strength away sick in hospital. A great many more have been away sick and come back but at the moment we actually have 135 absent sick and they are going every day faster than they come back. A few of the wounded have rejoined and more will later.

1916

Wednesday, July 5, 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

Thursday, July 5, 1917

9th Light Horse Regiment Location - El Shellal

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - The Regiment undertook routine work for the day. The Regiment was preparing for a move into reserve at Abasan el Kebir.

 

1918

Friday, July 5, 1918

9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Solomon's Pools

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Usual Bethlehem and Jerusalem leave parties.

1919

Saturday, July 5, 1919

9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Moascar

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Men being as fully equipped as possible with what remained in Quarter Master stores - indents on Dados not yet having been fulfilled.

Previous: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 4 July

Next: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 6 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 Light Horse Regiment AIF

Bert Schramm Diary

9th Australian Light Horse Regiment, Roll of Honour 

Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Tuesday, 14 September 2010 11:21 PM EADT

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Diaries of AIF Servicemen

Bert Schramm

5 July 1918

Bert Schramm

2823 Private Herbert Leslie SCHRAMM, a 22 year old Farmer from Whites River, South Australia. He enlisted on 17 February 1916; and at the conclusion of the war Returned to Australia, 10 July 1919.

During part of the course of his military service with the AIF, Bert Schramm kept a diary of his life. Bert was not a man of letters so this diary was produced with great effort on his behalf. Bert made a promise to his sweetheart, Lucy Solley, that he would do so after he received the blank pocket notebook wherein these entries are found. As a Brigade Scout since September 1918, he took a lead part in the September Offensive by the Allied forces in Palestine. Bert's diary entries are placed alongside those of the 9th Light Horse Regiment to which he belonged and to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade to which the 9th LHR was attached. On this basis we can follow Bert in the context of his formation.

The Diaries

The complete diary is now available on the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre Site at:

Bert Schramm Diary

Finding more about a service person. See:

Navigating the National Archives Service File 

Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 30 June - 6 July 1918

[Click on page for a larger print version.]

Bert Schramm 

Friday, July 5, 1918

Bert Schramm's Location - Solomon's Pools, Bethlehem, Palestine.

Bert Schramm's Diary - Went into Bethlehem on leave this afternoon and saw some very interesting places.

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary

9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Solomon's Pools, Bethlehem, Palestine.

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Usual Bethlehem and Jerusalem leave parties.

9th LHR AIF War Diary, 5 July

Darley, TH, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, Adelaide, Hassell Press, 1924.

No Entry

Previous: Bert Schramm's Diary, 4 July 1918

Next: Bert Schramm's Diary, 6 July 1918

Sources Used:

Bert Schramm's Diary

National Archives Service File.

Embarkation Roll, AWM8.

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour

Nominal Roll, AWM133, Nominal Roll of Australian Imperial Force who left Australia for service abroad, 1914-1918 War.

War Diaries and Letters

All War Diaries and letters cited on this site should be read in conjunction with the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre, War Diaries and Letters, Site Transcription Policy which may be accessed at:

Australian Light Horse Studies Centre, War Diaries and Letters, Site Transcription Policy 

Further Reading:

Bert Schramm Diary

Bert Schramm Diary, Album

Bert Schramm's Photo Album

9th Australian Light Horse Regiment, AIF

9th Australian Light Horse Regiment, War Diary, Day by Day Account

Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920

Citation: Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 5 July 1918

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Wednesday, 1 June 2011 6:14 PM EADT

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King Edward's Horse

Oversea Dominions' Regiment

Military Order 209, 1910

Military Order 209, 1910

The transcription:

Affiliation of Australian and Imperial Regiments

His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the 8th Australian Light Horse Regiment (Victorian Mounted Rifles) being shown in the War Office Army List as allied to the "King's Colonials - Yeomanry."

Military Order 209, 1910 establishes an exchange relationship between the 8th Australian Light Horse Regiment, also known as the Victorian Mounted Rifles and the "C" Squadron, King's Colonials, Imperial Yeomanry, later known as King Edward's Horse. 

The original 4th County of London Imperial Yeomanry (King's Colonials) was formed in November 1901 at Charing Cross, London, as a yeomanry regiment from overseas volunteers resident in England, with four "colonial" squadrons:

"A" Squadron ("British Asian")

 

"B" Squadron ("British American" or Canadian)

 

"C" Squadron (Australasian)

 

"D" Squadron ("British African" or South African)

An additional New Zealand Squadron was formed in 1902, leaving "C" Squadron as wholey Australian in make-up.

In 1905, the regiment was renamed as The King's Colonials, Imperial Yeomanry. In 1909, the separate "colony" squadrons were discontinued and in 1910, the regiment was again renamed, as King Edward's Horse (The King's Overseas Dominions Regiment). The regiment was transferred to Special Reserve and lost yeomanry status in 1913 and 21st March 1924, it was disbanded.

Further Reading:

King Edward's Horse

The Light Horse

Australian Light Horse Militia

Militia 1899 - 1920

Posted by Project Leader at 6:12 PM EADT

Updated: Thursday, 17 December 2009 8:04 AM EAST

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One of the most cherished pieces of handiwork performed by the Australian Field Sqadron Engineers was to assist in the construction of the tea rooms for Mrs Alice Isabel Chisholm (née Morphy) (1856–1954) at Kantara.

Cookhouse, Mrs Chisholm's Canteen, Kantara, 1916

The engineers spent some time constructing the various buildings required by Mrs Chisholm for her ongoing work. This expanded to include dormitories and dining-rooms and eventually had the capacity for handling thousands of men.

Mrs Chisholm’s canteen became a cherished institution in the Middle East. Soldiers flocked there in their spare time or when on leave. For a small price they found care, comfort, food, and the luxury of showers. Most of all they were provided with a small touch of home.

References:

Australian Dictionary of Biography -  Mrs Alice Isabel Chisholm (née Morphy) (1856–1954)

Australian War Memorial -  Mother Chisholm

Posted by Project Leader at 5:37 PM EADT

Updated: Sunday, 29 March 2009 10:30 AM EADT

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