Heliopolis

Heliopolis itself was the product of a grand project with concepts that were well before its time. A syndicate of Belgians established the suburb in an effort to rival the more famous Monaco and its casino Monte Carlo.

 Map of Heliopolis

Like its Monte Carlo inspiration, the Heliopolis Casino was designed to be the centrepiece of their project. Although thinking that a licence was a done deal before undertaking their works, the Egyptian government officials overseeing their end of the project awaited until the near completion of the project to ask for the additional fees associated with the granting a of casino licence. Sadly, by this stage the syndicate had expended all its capital and they were not able to raise the funds necessary for the final bribe to get a casino licence, so the area languished.

 The main boulevard at Heliopolis

Apart from the racecourse, there was 'The Palace' hotel, reputably the second largest hotel in the world boasting some 1700 world class rooms. The hotel complex housed a Casino, modern shops, restaurants and a fun park known as Luna Park, which was also home to a novel ice-skating rink, a fashionable spot for children of the Cairo elite.

 Luna Park Ice Skating Rink

When war broke out The Palace Hotel and Casino were taken over and used as a Military Hospital, thus saving the Belgium syndicate from total ruin. After the Gallipoli operations, the military hospital took over the skating rink for less serious cases. It took little time for the hospital to fill with men suffering from pneumonia, broken limbs, eye and ear troubles, and various other complaints.

Further Reading:

Egypt - Heliopolis

Citation: Heliopolis

Posted by Project Leader at 11:06 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 24 July 2009 2:03 PM EADT

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Another entry from the book written by Lieutenant Colonel Hüseyin Hüsnü Emir, called Yildirim. Every day, one page of the book will be posted. This is Page 19.

[Click on page for a larger print version.]

Posted by Project Leader at 10:52 AM EADT

Updated: Saturday, 26 July 2008 11:18 AM 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 26, 1914

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

1915

Monday, July 26, 1915

9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Walkers Ridge

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - No Entry.

3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary - Captain Wiek, Adjutant 9th Light Horse Regiment, appointed Staff Captain in place of MacFarlane transferred to 8th Light Horse Regiment.

CO 4 Section held conference of COs and 2ICs about counter attack in event of attack with objective Baby 700.

Carew Reynell Diary   - No Entry.

 

1916

Wednesday, July 26, 1916

9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Roadhead Serapeum.

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Routine Patrol and Outpost Work.

Training in musketry and mounted work.

Order received from Brigade to move out from "Roadhead" to "Bally Bunnion" about 6 miles east of Ballah. 12th Light Horse Regiment to take over camp and duties.

2300 - One Squadron 12th Light Horse Regiment under Major Moray, arrived and took over patrols and outposts.

1917

Thursday, July 26, 1917

9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Tel el Marakeb

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - The Regiment undertook routine work for the day.

Six Other Ranks marched in from Moascar 3rd Light Horse Brigade Training Squadron.

1918

Friday, July 26, 1918

9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Madhbeh

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - FGCM [Field General Court Martial] held at 10th Light Horse Regiment Lead Horses, Wadi Nueiameh to try Virgo, 915 Temporary Staff Sergeant Major RA, 9th Light Horse Regiment; Lindsay, 438 Temporary Farrier Sergeant B, 9th Light Horse Regiment; and, Waldon, 527 Temporary Corporal JW, 9th Light Horse Regiment, charged with leaving Jerusalem leave party without permission.

Luxmoore, Captain EM, reported from Moascar.

1919

Saturday, July 26, 1919

9th Light Horse Regiment Location - SS Oxfordshire

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Normal routine work.

Previous: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 25 July

Next: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 27 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: Wednesday, 15 September 2010 6:54 PM EADT

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Diaries of AIF Servicemen

Bert Schramm

26 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, 26 July - 1 August 1918

[Click on page for a larger print version.]

Bert Schramm

Friday, July 26, 1918

Bert Schramm's Location - Madhbeh, Jordan Valley, Palestine.

Bert Schramm's Diary - Things very quiet. Have been hearing good news from France. Our last day on line.

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary

9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Madhbeh, Jordan Valley, Palestine.

9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - FGCM [Field General Court Martial] held at 10th Light Horse Regiment Lead Horses, Wadi Nueiameh to try Virgo, 915 Temporary Staff Sergeant Major RA, 9th Light Horse Regiment; Lindsay, 438 Temporary Farrier Sergeant B, 9th Light Horse Regiment; and, Waldon, 527 Temporary Corporal JW, 9th Light Horse Regiment, charged with leaving Jerusalem leave party without permission. Luxmoore, Captain EM, reported from Moascar.

9th LHR AIF War Diary, 26 July

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

No Entry

Previous: Bert Schramm's Diary, 25 July 1918

Next: Bert Schramm's Diary, 27 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, 26 July 1918

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Thursday, 2 June 2011 4:13 PM EADT

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The last tram to Mena

The post card below illustrated in a comic manner a very real problem for Egypt and the tramways of Cairo due to the influx of 20,000 well paid Australian and New Zealand troops.

The last deserter left & the last tramway to the Pyramids.

Catching the last tram to Mena camp was always precarious for everyone. If the men did not get back to the camp before their leave ran out, which was usually midnight, they were crimed for AWL (absent without leave) which cost the unlucky man usually a couple days' pay. The tramways were not designed to carry such volumes of men and two things happened. To cope with the sheer volume, men were compelled to sit on the roof of the carriage. This is illustrated in the cartoon picture. Below is a picture of how this happened in reality.

Men crowded on the roof tops of the tram.

In Cairo it must have seemed a bizarre sight with the Australians crowded on the tram roof. The bemused Egyptian pedestrians are looking at the progress of this tram.

Less entertaining was the desire of tram conductors to check every ticket regardless of the time it took to perform or the crowded state of the trams. This caused great tension between both the tram conductor and the men. This officious behaviour often cost a tram load of men to be crimed for AWL purely because of the conductors’ behaviour. There were many cases occurring of angry Australian soldiers taking out their frustrations on particularly officious and lugubrious conductors. Many complaints were lodged at Mena Camp Headquarters by conductors who were assaulted for carrying out their duties. On other occasions, conductors were assaulted and tossed off the trams if it was felt that the behaviour would result in the tram arriving late to Mena.

Posted by Project Leader at 11:31 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 25 July 2008 11:41 AM EADT

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