"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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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 171.
Colonel Hüsnü, Yildirim, Page 171.
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
This chapter deals with Hüsnü observations of the Turkish response to Beersheba on other parts of the battlefield.
Bert Schramm's Diary, 25 December 1918 Topic: Diary - Schramm
During part of the course of his military service with the AIF, 2823 Private Herbert Leslie Schramm, a farmer from White's River, near Tumby Bay on the Eyre Peninsular, 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 1918 breakout 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.
Bert Schramm's Diary, 25 December 1918
Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 21 - 27 December 1918
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Diaries
Bert Schramm
Wednesday, December 25, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Tripoli
Bert Schramm's Diary - Xmas day and weather fine and we haven't had such a bad time. We had roast meat and plenty of plum pudding for dinner. Altogether the best Xmas I have spent since here.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Tripoli
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Christmas Day. Voluntary church services were held today as follows - other denominations 0845 at Protestant Church Tripoli near American Mission. Turner, Captain Chaplain RC, officiated. Roman Catholic service at 1000 at Convent of Sisters of Charity, Tripoli. Chaplain the Reverend Woods officiated owing to Chaplain Canon Moore's absence on leave; there was no C of E service.
Excellent rations, a sunny day and pleasant surroundings, this Christmas Day contrasted very greatly with the Regiment's previous Christmas which was spent in the hills holding the line at Suffa with horses at Katra.
Parsons, Major HM; Burns, Lieutenant AG; Gibney, Lieutenant BE; Stephen, Lieutenant HH; and, nine Other Ranks returned from leave in Egypt. Twenty Other Ranks marched in from Moascar.
Darley
Darley, TH, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, Adelaide, Hassell Press, 1924.
Jordan Valley 1918, Jordan Valley Maps, Outposts - The "W" Series Topic: BatzJ - JV Maps
Jordan Valley 1918
Jordan Valley Maps
The "W" Outposts in the Jordan Valley
The "W" Outposts in the Jordan Valley
[Click on map for enlarged version.]
During the defence of the Jordan Valley, various sectors were formed and each has a specific identifying letters.
The "W" Outposts included the following names:
Wart;
Wane;
Wild;
Wood; and,
Wasp.
These outposts run consecutively from west to east. All except Wood sit on the heights on the west side of Wadi el Abeid while Wood stradles Wadi Sebata a hundred metres to the west of Wadi el Abeid. Both wadis drain into Wadi el Auja which was the only permenant water course draining into the Jordan River.
The area consisted of a loose front line to the Ottoman forces. Consequently, the region experienced constant conflict characterised by small scale raids from both sides.
Bert Schramm's Diary, 24 December 1918 Topic: Diary - Schramm
During part of the course of his military service with the AIF, 2823 Private Herbert Leslie Schramm, a farmer from White's River, near Tumby Bay on the Eyre Peninsular, 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 1918 breakout 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.
Bert Schramm's Diary, 24 December 1918
Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 21 - 27 December 1918
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Diaries
Bert Schramm
Tuesday, December 24, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Tripoli
Bert Schramm's Diary - Very well again today. Went into Tripoli this afternoon. A fair amount of liquor about and some of the lads are going to have a merry Xmas.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Tripoli
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - One hundred Other Ranks proceeded to El Mina for delousing and hot baths. Extra rations, local vegetables etc purchased for Christmas Day.
Darley
Darley, TH, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, Adelaide, Hassell Press, 1924.
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 - Arrived at 1000 from El Magdhaba and night bivouac in hod.
1917
Monday, December 24, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Suffa.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 20 Other Ranks marched in from led horses.
1918
Tuesday, December 24, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Tripoli
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - One hundred Other Ranks proceeded to El Mina for delousing and hot baths. Extra rations, local vegetables etc purchased for Christmas Day.
1919
Wednesday, December 24, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Adelaide
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Regiment disbanded.
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