"At a mile distant their thousand hooves were stuttering thunder, coming at a rate that frightened a man - they were an awe inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze - knee to knee and horse to horse - the dying sun glinting on bayonet points..." Trooper Ion Idriess
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Monday, 21 July 2008
Colonel Cameron, 12th LHR, letter to Dr Bean Topic: BatzP - Beersheba
After the first draft of the Oficial British War History regarding the Palestine and Sinai campaigns was written by Cyril Falls, he circulated the various drafts amongst those officers who particpated in the events described in the particular chapters to ascertain veracity. This particular note was returned to Dr CEW Bean by Lieutenant Colonel Cameron, the former Commanding Officer of the 12th Light Horse Regiment regarding the planning of the soon to be famous charge.
Extracts from Colonel Cameron's letter to Dr Bean
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
The extracts transcribed:
Page 20.
General Grant informed Colonel Bourchier and myself at 4 p.m. that he had been ordered to attack Beersheba. It is evident that the method of attack was left to him, and of that I feel sure, since he asked for our opinion. It was clear to me that the job had to be done before dark, so I advised galloping the place as our only chance. (I had some experience of successful mounted surprise attacks on the Boer camps in the South African war.)
Page 21, lines 17 - 18
"Some squadrons swept straight on to Beersheba" should read "What was left of two squadrons of the 12th LH swept on ..." The 4th Regiment stopped at the trenches with the exception of some six men who were carried along with the 12's squadrons.
The impression given is that Grant was given a free hand in developing the charge, either mounted or unmounted. Grant had opted for the unmounted charge. Cameron recalls his Boer War experience and influences the discussion calling for a charge by horse - a successful tactic used against the Boer lagers.
One caveat must be made. This document needs to be treated with a bit of caution as there was a major personal conflict between Cameron and Grant - Cameron hated Grant with a passion.
Another entry from the book written by Lieutenant Colonel Hüseyin Hüsnü Emir, called Yilderim. Every day, one page of the book will be posted. This is Page 14.
Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 21 July 1918 Topic: Diary - Schramm
Diaries of AIF Servicemen
Bert Schramm
21 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's Handwritten Diary, 19 - 25 July 1918
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Bert Schramm
Sunday, July 21, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Madhbeh, Jordan Valley, Palestine.
Bert Schramm's Diary - Squadron went out and demounted tonight. I am on guard but will join them tomorrow. We had good news from France today also had a letter from Jim.
[Jim was 5752 Corporal James Kintore SCHRAMM, 10th Battalion, 18th Reinforcement.]
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Madhbeh, Jordan Valley, Palestine.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - A Squadron moved out to Abu Tellul to take up counter attack position remaining there dismounted strength, five Officers and 63 Other Ranks. The lead horses at Wadi Nueiameh Sq 127 C7a. Strength one Officer, 42 Other Ranks, 120 animals.
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:
The following entries are extracted and transcribed from the 9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary, the originals of which are held by the Australian War Memorial. There are 366 entries on this site. Each day has entries as they occurred from 1914 to 1919. In addition to the 9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary, when appropriate, entries from the 3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary and other regiments with the Brigade will also appear. Entries from the unit history, Darley, TH, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, Adelaide, Hassell Press, 1924 will also appear from time to time. The aim is to give the broadest context to the story and allow the reader to follow the day to day activities of the regiment. If a relative happened to have served in the regiment during the Great War, then this provides a general framework in which the individual story may be told.
3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary - Issued with additional 3.7 mortar which is installed.
Two acetylene search lights installed, one on Bully Beef Sap to light salient in front of No. 1 Post, the other at head of Secret Sap to light between main fire trench and cliff.
Casualties:
9th Light Horse Regiment, six wounded, all by bombs.
Wellington Mounted Rifles, one wounded.
Reporting for duty:
Brigade Headquarters, 1;
9th Light Horse Regiment, 2;
10th Light Horse Regiment, 2.
Special Operations Order No. 9 issued with special instructions by GOC New Zealand and Australian Division in view of probable attack at any moment. Special precautions have been taken in every possible way to provide for every contingency but the personnel of Regiments is rapidly decreasing from overwork and sickness. This has been represented to higher authority.
The Brigadier, Brigade Majors of 5, 8, 9 and 10th Light Horse Regiments were taken by destroyer to view the left flank toward Amafarta and Chocolate Hills. Enemy is daily strengthening all positions and installing new guns and machine guns. Enemy has two trench mortars which are very active and cause casualties regularly.
Summarising eight weeks in regular occupation of trenches, a vast amount of good work has been carried out. Daily sapping and road work by regiments continuously. A good rest is urgently needed.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Routine Patrol and Outpost Work. Training in musketry and mounted work.
Owing to shortage of drinking water the ration is reduced to one gallon per head.
Regiment inspected by the General Officer Commanding Brigade (Brigadier General Antill) after having been turned out at 0830 on a Practice Alarm.
1917
Saturday, July 21, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Abasan el Kebir
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Legate, Captain Chaplain RM, marched in and is attached to the Regiment.
Received order from Brigade Headquarters. Intention - to move to the beach in vicinity of Tel el Marakeb on the 22nd July 1917 on being relieved by the Yeomanry Mounted Division.
1918
Sunday, July 21, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Madhbeh
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - “A” Squadron moved out to Abu Tellul to take up counter attack position remaining there dismounted strength, five Officers and 63 Other Ranks.
The lead horses at Wadi Nueiameh Sq 127 C7a.
Strength one Officer, 42 Other Ranks, 120 animals.
1919
Monday, July 21, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - SS Oxfordshire
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 2000 Concert on boat deck forward.
9th LHR Routine Order No 851, 22 January 1918, Entitlement to wear the Anzac "A" Badge Topic: AIF - Badges
9th Light Horse Regiment
Routine Order No 851, 22 January 1918
Entitlement to wear the Anzac "A" Badge
Anzac "A" Badge
Apart from the War Diary which presents a reflected view of Regimental history, one of the best sources of understanding the immediate challenges facing a regiment is to be found in the Routine Orders. They are a wealth of detail.
9th Light Horse Regiment Routine Order No 851, 22 January 1918, is important in that it lists all the surviving Gallipoli veterans in that Regiment on that date. At the time, by gazetting the relevant men in this manner, it allowed them to wear the "A" badge in the middle of their regimental colour patch.
This is the particular Routine Order
9th LHR Routine Order No 851, 22 January 1918, p. 3.
[Click on page for a larger version.]
9th LHR Routine Order No 851, 22 January 1918, p. 4.
[Click on page for a larger version.]
The list of Gallipoli Veterans within the 9th Light Horse Regiment as per Routine Order No 851, 22 January 1918 included these men.
Anzac "A" Badge Recipients
Hugh George ADAMS.
George Ernest AIKMAN.
William ANDREWS.
William Henry ANDREWS.
Charles ARBLASTER.
Sydney Hamilton AYLIFFE.
Samuel John BAILIE.
William BAKER.
Harry Forrest BANKS.
Titan BARRINGTON.
Arthur William BEARD.
Arthur Augustine BELL.
William John BENNETT.
John Thompson BERRIMAN.
Arthur Leslie BETTERIDGE.
Harold Frank BISHOP.
Arthur Charles BLAND.
Felix Baron BOCKELBERG.
George Baron BOCKELBERG.
Aubrey Oswald BOWER.
Roy BROOKER.
Francis George BROWN.
John Kennard BROWN.
Angus Robert BURLEY.
Harold Francis CARLYLE.
William CARMICHAEL.
James CATTERALL.
Hurtle William CHESSON.
Hugh Angus COCHRANE.
Arthur Thomas COLLER.
Sidney COLLINS.
William Arthur Leslie COOK.
Arthur Alderson COOPER.
Thomas COOPER.
Eric Osborne COULTHARD.
Ernest Lindsay COZENS.
Maurice CROTTEY.
George Frederick CRUDDAS.
Cyril William DAVIES.
George Henry DEER.
George Wilfred DIBBEN.
Arthur DOUEAL.
Arthur Christopher DOWN.
Leonard Seagram DRISCOLL.
Paul Joseph DUIGAN.
William Frederick EDGERLEY.
Rayston Cooper ELEY.
Frank FARMER.
Archibald Roy FERRIS.
George Fred FISCHER.
John Lester FOREMAN.
Joseph Raymond FORRESTER.
Thomas FRY.
Horace GANDY.
Bernard Edward GIBNEY.
Alan Clifford GILSON.
Roy GOSLING.
John GREENBANK.
William James GRIBBLE.
George Edmund HAGEL.
Howard James HAHN.
Noell St John HALL.
Thomas Ian HAMILTON.
William HAMILTON.
Arthur Edward HARDINGHAM.
George James HAYHOE.
Joshua James HEALEY.
Charles Spearman HEYWOOD.
Joseph D HILLGROVE.
Sydney HILTON.
Ronald George HOGG.
Frank Lewis HOLTHOUSE.
Harry Raymond HOWARD.
William INGLIS.
George Alexander JACKSON.
Arthur Alfred JOHNS.
Joseph James JOHNSON.
Stanley Richard JOHNSON.
Charles JOLLY.
Albert Edward JONES.
Gordon James KEARNEY.
Harold Vernon KELLY.
James KERR.
Archibald KINCAID.
Albert Ernest KING.
John Fleming KITHER.
George Charles KLINE.
Ernest Percy LEE.
Thomas LEONARD.
William Alexander LOGAN.
Henry Thomas MACKERETH.
Francis Leonard MARRON.
Gerald Gustave MASSON.
Haswell Charles MAXWELL.
Frank MAYFIELD.
Donald Spence MCCORD.
James Ross MCLAREN.
John Lawrence MCLAREN.
Charles Hayden MEREDITH.
Harold Edgar MILLER.
James Mclntyre MILLOY.
Charles Leslie MITCHELL.
Frederick Richard MORGAN.
Allen Lorimor MOUNSEY.
Rosalyn James MUSGRAVE.
Royal John MYREN.
John Hovenden NEWNHAM.
Edward Pringle NEYLAND.
Joseph Ralph PADDICK.
Alfred PARKER.
Harold PATERSON.
Lawrence POLLOCK.
Frank PORTER.
Henry Leonard PORTER.
William Allen PORTER.
Gillard John PRETTEJOHN.
Walter Henry PRETTEJOHN.
Frederick Gregory PRICE.
Harold Tennyson PRISK.
Arthur Albert RANDALL.
Reginald RANKINE.
David RETALLICK.
James John RIPLEY.
James Oxen ROBERTS.
William Henry ROBERTS.
Arnold RUMBALL.
Timothy RUNDLE.
Henry Edward RUNN.
Percy Samuel SARGENT.
Horace Oliver William SHORT.
Gavin SHUTTLEWORTH.
John SIMPSON.
Gilby Roy SMART.
Egbert Charles SMITH.
George Victor SMITH.
Hubert Roy SMITH.
Thomas SMITH.
James Norman SMYTH.
Harold Edwin SNELL.
Henry Herbert STEPHEN.
Robert STRAIN.
Edward Leonard TAYLOR.
Angus THOMAS.
David Norman THOMPSON.
Phillip TOD.
William TREVORROW.
Arthur Ernest TRINNE.
Eddil TRITHSCHLER.
Arthur Leslie TURNER.
Roland Arthur VIRGO.
Leonard Nelson WAINWRIGHT.
John Wilberforce WALDON.
Reginald Alanby WAMSLEY.
William Henry WATSON.
Claude Thomas WATTS.
Raymond Meredith WELFARE.
John Lynne WHARTON.
Joseph WHELAN.
Stanley WHITING.
William Thomas WIDLAKE.
Horace William WILLIAMS.
George WILLIAMSON.
Robert Watmaugh WISHART.
William Ferguson WOOD.
John Dunstan WOON.
Benjamin George WUCHATACH.
Richard YATES.
Albert Roy YEO.
William YOULA.
The wearing of the Anzac "A" Badge is illustrated in the picture below.
Light Horse Officer with Anzac "A" and 1914 Leave Rosette
[From: Cossum, Australian Army Badges, p. 57.]
The men wore the "A" with great pride and jealously guarded their right to wear it. During the 20's and 30's, there are many letters from the various RSL branches seeking information about a particular ex-serviceman and his right to wear the "A".
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