"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, 27 October 2008
Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 27 October 1918 Topic: Diary - Schramm
Diaries of AIF Servicemen
Bert Schramm
27 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:
Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 27 - 31 October 1918
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Bert Schramm
Sunday, October 27, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Kaukab
Bert Schramm's Diary - Things are still quiet. Rumours of Turkey suing for peace and the news from France is exceptionally good etc. But Toby invalided. We moved from camp at 9.30 this morning and tonight we are camped around a small village called Harista about four miles north of Damascus on the Aleppo Road. Confirmed officially that Aleppo had been occupied by our troops on 24th inst. Aleppo is nearly two hundred miles from Damascus.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Kaukab
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 0945 The Regiment moved out on first stage to Homs, joined remainder of Brigade and proceeded by main road through Damascus to Jobar arriving at 1540 and bivouacked for night. Twenty one Other Ranks and 70 spare horses were left at Divisional Depot Damascus to collect reinforcements. Charley, Major WT, left as Officer in Command Divisional Depot.
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 Battle of El Buqqar Ridge, 27 October 1917, 91st Anniversary Topic: BatzP - El Buggar
The Battle of El Buqqar Ridge, 27 October 1917
91st Anniversary
The scene from El Buqqar Ridge, Hill 720, facing north west
[Photo by courtesy Gal Shaine]
27 October 1917 was the opening battle in the Third Battle of Gaza. While a comparatively small action when compared to Beersheba which followed, it was hard fought and necessary to ensure the next phase of the battle could occur with the movement of the Allied forces remaining screened and thus undetected.
The action itself produced the first VC in this battle, that given to Major "Laffy" Lafone.
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 112.
Colonel Hüsnü, Yildirim, Page 112.
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
These are events that led to the capture of Beersheba, 31 October 1917.
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.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Formation of Regiment occurring at Morphettville Race Course Camp, Adelaide, while "C" Squadron is formed at Broadmeadows Camp, Victoria.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Air officers paraded for inspection and a further 200 Other Ranks put through.
1917
Saturday, October 27, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Um Urgan
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Turks attacked at dawn and gained possession of line 630 - 720 - El Buggar.
8th Mounted Brigade was holding line.
3rd Light Horse Brigade ordered out in support and to regain possession of line. Regiment moved from bivouac at 0900.
Watered at Um Urgan and moved towards El Buggar in following order: CO, Regimental Headquarters, C, B, and A Squadron.
A Squadron finding right flank guard. When four miles west of Point 720, B Squadron was sent forward at the trot with orders to support and relieve a squadron of Yeomanry who were surrounded on 720. There were to act boldly. C Squadron was sent forward 20 minutes after with similar orders. When these two squadrons got within two miles of 720 it was learned that the Yeomanry squadron had been captured by the enemy.
B & C Squadrons advanced to within about one mile of 720 but the position was too strongly held to advance further. Late on the afternoon our infantry were moving up in support. At 1600 Smith, Lieutenant PT, with patrol of one Sergeant [Sloan] and 14 Other Ranks of C Troop A squadron made good 720. The dead bodies of 14 Yeomanry were on top of 720. They had been stripped of everything except shirts. At 2100 our infantry started to take over the line and were all in position by 2300.
The Regiment withdrew at 0030 arriving back in bivouac at 0345 on morning of 28th October.
Left bivouac 0900 and arrived at a point on Fara Beersheba Road one and half miles due south of U in Beit Abu Taha. At 1200 two squadrons advanced to the high ground one and half miles west and south west of Point 720. The enemy were located holding 720 and the high ground on both flanks. Extent of enemy front on this sector approximately one mile. At 1320 the line advanced to within one mile of 720. At this point - Yeomanry sergeant major informed the squadron that the squadron of Yeomanry had been captured. Touched up with 10th Light Horse Regiment on right but could not get in touch with any of our troops on the left. At 1400 the enemy were observed to be working round our left but after an hour they withdrew to their original position half mile north west of 720. At 1425 the line advanced to within 1600 yards of 720. About 5 enemy machine guns were located on high ground 01500 yards south west of 720. These machine guns commanded the front of 720.Still unable to gain touch with any troops on left flank.
At 1500 74th Division moving up on right.
1600 situation unchanged.
At 1700 an officer's patrol was dispatched to 720. This patrol gained 720 at about 1800 and found the enemy had withdrawn but owing to darkness their disposition could not be located. The bodies of 14 dead Yeomanry were on 720. They had been stripped of all clothing and equipment with the exception of shirts. A new trench had been dug by enemy on north west slopes of 720 capable of holding 100.
At 1815 the patrol withdrew from 720 at which no infantry was in the vicinity of 720 although infantry were observed moving up from Karm about two miles west of 720. It is presumed that the first infantry to occupy 720 was in position there at about 2045.
At 2200 Parsons, Major HM, gained touch with 53rd Division Reserves quarter mile west of 720. This Division had not as yet joined up with 74th Division. Parsons, Major HM, proceeded to get in touch with 74th Division with orders to them to push forward on to El Buggar Ridge. This was effected at about 2300. The Regiment withdrew at 0030 and arrived at bivouac at 0345 on morning of 28th inst.
Our Casualties - one officer one other Rank wounded. Animals, one riding horse killed, one wounded.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 0945 The Regiment moved out on first stage to Homs, joined remainder of Brigade and proceeded by main road through Damascus to Jobar arriving at 1540 and bivouacked for night. Twenty one Other Ranks and 70 spare horses were left at Divisional Depot Damascus to collect reinforcements. Charley, Major WT, left as Officer in Command Divisional Depot.
1919
Friday, October 27, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Adelaide
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Regiment disbanded.
Battle of Romani, Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916, 1:250,000 German map of Romani area Topic: BatzS - Romani
Battle of Romani, Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916, 1:250,000 German map of Romani area
German map of Area around Romani
[Click on map for larger version.]
The above map was drawn up by the Prussian Army Mapping Section for the Turkish War Ministry on orders of Djemal Pasha, the Commander of the 4th Army, after the Battle of Romani although produced using the original 1915 map as its key source. The rail line snaking its way from Romani to El Arish gives the dating of this map. However, apart from that feature, this is the very map used by the Ottoman forces in 1916. Key features were overlaid with Ottoman Script to allow those literate enough to understand the importance of the locations. The map illustrates the terrain and locations seen from the Canal Expeditionary point of view which puts emphasis upon different locations. The map was captured at Beersheba on 31 October 1917 by Lieutenant Colonel M Bourchier, Commanding Officer of the 4th Light Horse Regiment and leader of the famous Charge at Beersheba.
Calculating distances on this map is simple. Each square is 25km by 25km.
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