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"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
The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre aims to present an accurate history as chroniclers of early Australian military developments from 1899 to 1920.
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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 88.
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
2nd LHR, AIF
2nd Light Horse Regiment
William Alfred Elliott
A brief military biography of William Alfred Elliott from The AIF Project:
| Regimental number | 318 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Station hand |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 31 |
| Next of kin | Father, Alfred Elliott, 'Leedswood,' Albert Road, Bromley, Kent, England |
| Enlistment date | 20 August 1914 |
| Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | 20 August 1914 |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 2nd Light Horse Regiment, B Squadron |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 10/7/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A15 Star of England on 24 September 1914 |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Warrant Officer (Class I) |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 2nd Light Horse Regiment |
| Fate | Returned to Australia 30 October 1919 |
Further Reading:
Diaries of AIF Servicemen
Bert Schramm
3 October 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:
Finding more about a service person. See:
Navigating the National Archives Service File
Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 2 - 4 October 1918
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Bert Schramm
Thursday, October 3, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Khan Kusseir
Bert Schramm's Diary - Things have been fairly quiet today. We have been collecting prisoners' guns etc. There are hundreds of acres of beautiful vineyards around here and we have been doing justice by the grapes. Damascus is a fairly large town, electric cars etc has a population of 250,000. The outskirts of the town are really beautiful; hundreds of acres are more like a botanical park. I think this is probably as far as we will go for now. We all need a rest.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Khan Kusseir
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 1400 Freebairn, Lieutenant DT, with troop from B Squadron moved out and mounted an outpost at B in Wadi Maraba to guard this approach to Damascus from the north. Local inhabitants were very friendly disposed towards our troops bringing many presents of oranges, eggs etc into the lines. Khan Kusseir was surrounded with flourishing vineyards and orchards being abundantly watered. The grapes were ripe and of exceptionally good quality and flavour and were used chiefly for drying into raisins. Twenty one Other Ranks marched in from Ludd. Harvey, 3542 Trooper AH, died of wounds.
3rd Light Horse Brigade War Diary
On 3rd October 1918, the Brigade bivouacked in the vicinity of Duma and moved to south - west of El Mezze on 5th October 1918. One squadron 9th Light Horse Regiment was left at Duma to watch Homs road and other approaches to Damascus. While on this duty they collected three more mountain guns abandoned by the enemy. 10th Light Horse Regiment less two squadrons, with two squadrons of 8th Light Horse Regiment moved to Kaukab and took over guard of over 16,000 prisoners.
The condition of these prisoners when taken over by us was lamentable. Prior to capture they had been marching for some ten days - a beaten army. Their supply system had of course, at once, broken down - they were practically starved. They had been closely pursued by the British cavalry, continually bombed by our aeroplanes, and hard pressed by the local Arabs. As soon as these last saw how things were going they swarmed in for loot and revenge. Stragglers or small detached parties of the fugitives were attacked and usually killed. The result of this stress was that the fugitives were physically and mentally exhausted - 3,000 of them were sick. When we took them over they were in a mob under some scattered palm trees near Kaukab on the bank of a creek. They had no cover even for the sick. There were a large number of Officers with them but they were also in a dazed condition and would not make the slightest effort to organise, or ameliorate the condition of the men. Few of the men had blankets, they had no medical organisation. There were no drugs, bandages, or food fit for sick men, no sanitation. Food for the prisoners was scarce. Men were dying at the rate of 170 a day. Todd, Lieutenant Colonel TJ, took the control of the compound in hand and soon put a different complexion on the matter. Very little assistance could be obtained from the local Arab authorities of Damascus, now had taken possession of the Turkish Army Stores. They demurred from doing anything, unless paid exorbitant rates in gold. They did not like English paper money. However, by bluff and threats, blankets for the men were got out of them; sheep were requisitioned from the surrounding country. Prisoners were organised into companies of 100, each under their own Non Commissioned Officers, arrangements were made fur the daily cleaning of the area; three Syrian Doctors were obtained from amongst the prisoners; the worst of the sick were removed under cover in a neighbouring village, and the daily death rate was reduced from 170 to 15. About 1,500 died during the period that we controlled the camp. About a week after we took over, Todd, Lieutenant Colonel TJ, started to reduce the numbers by daily convoys of 1,000 each down the lines of communication, via the north of the Sea of Galilee. These parties could not go regularly but by the end of the month when we handed over, the camp had been reduced to 3,000 or 4,000.
Darley
Darley, TH, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, Adelaide, Hassell Press, 1924, pp 158 - 162.
The Fall of Damascus
At 2 p.m. on the 3rd October Freebairn, Lieutenant DT, with a troop of B Squadron, moved out and mounted an outpost in the Wadi Maraba to guard the approaches to Damascus from the north. The inhabitants of these parts were very friendly disposed towards our men, bringing baskets of grapes, eggs, etc., into our lines. The country surrounding the bivouac was covered with flourishing vineyards and orchards which were abundantly watered. The grapes were ripe and of exceptionally good quality and flavour, being grown chiefly for drying into raisins.
Previous: Bert Schramm's Diary, 2 October 1918
Next: Bert Schramm's Diary, 4 October 1918
Sources Used:
Bert Schramm's DiaryNational 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:
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, 3 October 1918
9th LHR, AIF
War Diary, 3 October
Pro Gloria et Honore - For Glory and Honour
Regimental March - Marching Through Georgia
The Diary
1914
Saturday, October 3, 1914
Formation of the 7th Light Horse Regiment "B" Squadron at Morphettville Race Course, South Australia.
1915
Sunday, October 3, 1915
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Rhododendron Hill
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Weekly state: 16 Officers, 321 Other Ranks.
1916
Tuesday, October 3, 1916
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Bir el Abd
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Moved out of camp at 0800 and proceeded to Bir el Abd. The Regiment was then divided as follows along the line:
"A" Squadron under Major Parsons to Bada;
Headquarters and "B" Squadron to a point about 1½ miles east of Bir el Abd; and,
"C" Squadron to a point about 1 mile east of Hisha.This move was completed by 1200 on the 3rd inst and the line of day Operation Posts taken over.
At night the line is held by 16 Outposts placed at intervals from the Salt Lake on the north to the right side of Bada on the south joining here with the 5th Mounted Brigade (Yeomanry).
In addition Officers Patrols leave at 1900 and 2000 each night and patrol country towards Salmana and a day Patrol of 1 Officer and 9 Other Ranks patrols about 6 miles east of Salmana. The hods east of Bada for about 6 miles and as far as Ganadil are also patrolled (from "A" Squadron) throughout the 24 hours.
All ranks Stand to Arms from 0430 to daylight.
1917
Wednesday, October 3, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Um Urgan
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Took our aeroplane contact patrol code - ET for first time. Hogan, Lieutenant LR; and, 16 Other Ranks left for Port Said Rest Camp. [Eighth Party] Wilkinson, Captain R, completed attachment to Brigade as Adjutant Trainee and resumed duties as adjutant.
1918
Thursday, October 3, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Khan Kusseir
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 1400 Freebairn, Lieutenant DT, with troop from B Squadron moved out and mounted an outpost at B in Wadi Maraba to guard this approach to Damascus from the north. Local inhabitants were very friendly disposed towards our troops bringing many presents of oranges, eggs etc into the lines. Khan Kusseir was surrounded with flourishing vineyards and orchards being abundantly watered. The grapes were ripe and of exceptionally good quality and flavour and were used chiefly for drying into raisins. Twenty one Other Ranks marched in from Ludd. Harvey, 3542 Trooper AH, died of wounds.
1919
Friday, October 3, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Adelaide
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Regiment disbanded.
Previous: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 2 October
Next: 9th LHR AIF War Diary, 4 October
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
2nd LHR, AIF
2nd Light Horse Regiment
Walter Henry Thompson
A brief military biography of Walter Henry Thompson from The AIF Project:
| Regimental number | 394 |
| Place of birth | Horfield, England |
| Religion | Wesleyan |
| Occupation | Plumber |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 24 |
| Next of kin | Father, R.Thompson, 22 Falmouth Road, Bishopston, Bristol, England |
| Enlistment date | 22 August 1914 |
| Place of enlistment | Mount Morgan, Queensland |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 2nd Light Horse Regiment, B Squadron |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 10/7/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A15 Star of England on 24 September 1914 |
| Regimental number from Nominal Roll | 294A |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 4th Light Trench Mortar Battery |
| Fate | Returned to Australia 9 March 1919 |
Further Reading:
The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre is a not for profit and non profit group whose sole aim is to write the early history of the Australian Light Horse from 1900 - 1920. It is privately funded and the information is provided by the individuals within the group and while permission for the use of the material has been given for this site for these items by various donors, the residual and actual copyright for these items, should there be any, resides exclusively with the donors. The information on this site is freely available for private research use only and if used as such, should be appropriately acknowledged. To assist in this process, each item has a citation attached at the bottom for referencing purposes.
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