"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.
The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre site holds over 12,000 entries and is growing daily.
Contact:Australian Light Horse Studies CentreLet us hear your story:
You can tell your story, make a comment or ask for help on our Australian Light Horse Studies Centre Forum called:
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 182.
Colonel Hüsnü, Yildirim, Page 182.
[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, 5 January 1919 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, 5 January 1919
Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 5 - 10 January 1919
Bert Schramm's Diary, 4 January 1919 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, 4 January 1919
Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 28 December 1918 - 4 January 1919
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Diaries
Bert Schramm
Saturday, January 4, 1919
Bert Schramm's Location - Tripoli, Lebanon.
Bert Schramm's Diary - Nothing doing. About two hundred repatriated Russian prisoners from Turkey arrived here today. The poor devils look as if they haven't had too good a time.
The Battle of Beersheba, Palestine, 31 October 1917, 4th LHFA, AIF, Unit History Account Topic: AIF - 4B - 4 LHFA
The Battle of Beersheba
Palestine, 31 October 1917
4th LHFA, AIF, Unit History Account
4th LHFA Bearers on Parade, Palestine, 1917
Lieutenant Colonel Clive Vallack Single produced a unit history of the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance, AIF, in which included a section specifically related to the battle of Beersheba and extracted below.
Lieutenant Colonel Clive Vallack Single, 4th Australian Light Horse Field Ambulance, 19 February 1917 - March 1919, pp. 6 - 8:
Fall of Beersheba
[6] The Mobile Section of the Ambulance left Fara at 1700 on October 28 and travelled with the Brigade to Esani. this constituted the first night's march. Here we halted and bivouacked till 1830 on the following day, when the journey was resumed to Khalasa, which was the second bivouac site. During the night's march strict discipline was maintained. Smoking or talking was not permitted. The weather was ideal for travelling. The white chalk and sandstone cliffs between Esani and Khalasa stood out conspicuously in the moonlight, and presented a picture of exquisite grandeur. As the columns moved onwards all hearts were gay, and in each face could be discerned an appearance of eagerness for contact with the enemy. The past six months of quiescence were monotonous for most men, and now that operations were to commence, all were keen and alert in anticipation of striking a severe blow on the enemy who had repulsed two assaults on Gaza earlier in the year.
The Brigade moved from Khalasa at 1700 on October 30. As the columns left the bivouac area, the moon rose from behind the Eastern Hills and the journey throughout the night was made with no difficulty than would have been experienced if travelling had been by day. On arriving at Asluj at 0200, it was found that the Australian Receiving Station was utilising a brick building there as a hospital. After halting an hour at Asluj the troops moved on, and journeyed till 1130 on October 31, arriving at Iswaiwin. Here we off saddled, and rested till 1630. It was then time to move again. It was not clearly apparent to all that the attack would be made on Beersheba that night. Two officers with all the sand carts and bearers travelled in the rear of the Brigade which immediately [7] took up positions behind the hills to the East of Beersheba. The Tent division of the Ambulance did not go with the Brigade, but travelled northwards towards Khashim Zanna, where the Dressing Station was established pursuant to instructions from ADMS, Ausdiv.
The attack was launched at 1900 and it was only a matter of minutes before Beersheba was entirely in our hands.
Casualties Arrive
Casualties commenced to arrive at 2100. The bearers and sand carts travelled backward and forwards between the battle-field and Dressing Station till 0400 November 1. Forty-six Australian patients were treated and as most of the wounds were severe, the dressing staff was kept working continuously without any respite. When all patients had been dressed and fed, most of the staff went to bed. At 0600, however, hostile aircraft bombed the Station but no damage was done.
As soon as the Receiving Stations received the news of the fall of Beersheba, they left Asluj for the captured town in accordance with pre-arranged plans. Here they occupied the Turkish Hospital which was in a dirty condition and infested with vermin. This building was considered unsuitable for the reception of patients, so with as little delay as possible, the Station established itself in the Town Hall. At 1100 on November 1 the patients at Khashim Zanna were evacuated to the Australian Receiving Station at Beersheba and five men who had died of wounds in the Ambulance were conveyed by cacolet camels to Beersheba for interment in the Military Cemetery there.
Ambulance's First Casualties
Having cleared the Dressing Station of patients, the Ambulance moved on to Beersheba and occupied a camp-site in the Brigade area to the East of the town. The horses were watered and tents pitched. Just as the animals returned from water, the attention [8] of the men of the unit was attracted by the MG Squadron opening up fire. On looking skywards an enemy plane, flying very low, was seen approaching the Ambulance. All dived to the ground for shelter but it was then too late. The enemy had dropped his bomb in the midst of the bearer lines. The thunderous explosion was followed by an appalling spectacle. The horse lines were strewn with the intestines of eviscerated animals, and in the midst of this scene were lying many of our own personnel. Some had their limbs shattered, whilst others had their chest and abdomen torn away. Here and there were horses limping away on three legs. The scene was simply indescribable. The casualties were four killed and eight wounded, whilst 14 animals were also killed or had to be destroyed. These were the first casualties that were suffered since the inception of the Ambulance. The deceased soldiers were all buried in a gum tree plantation which was set apart from the Military Cemetery.
The Battle of Onverwacht, South Africa, 4 January 1902, Roll of Honour Topic: BatzB - Onverwacht
South African (Second Boer) War
The Battle of Onverwacht, South Africa, 4 January 1902
Roll of Honour
Allied Forces
Poppies on the Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial, Canberra
The Roll of Honour contains the names of all the Australian men from the Allied forces known to have served and lost their lives during the Battle of Onverwacht, 4 January 1902.
Roll of Honour
Somerset Light Infantry
Killed
Major J. M. Vallentin, killed.
19th Company Imperial Yeomanry
Died of Wounds
Lieutenant H. R. Johnstone, severely wounded, since dead;
Wounded
25881 Corporal G. Adams,
Private V. Brownlee,
25735 Private J. Cameron,
23893 Private A. Dott,
31001 Private T. E. Isaac,
Private R. Martin,
22559 Private A. Torbain,
24862 Private R. Wipper, severely wounded.
Royal Field Artillery
Wounded
Captain E. H. T. Parsons, severely wounded.
5th Queensland Bushmen
Killed in Action or Died of Wounds
Anders Gustav BELIN
Robert Edwin BERRY
Charles CHARDON
William George CLARKE
Alexander William EAGLETON
Frederick Thomas GOODALL
Robert Shaw KELLY
William LILLEY
Warwick MACARTNEY
John MACFARLANE
James Charles POWER
Edward Hugh SALT
James Patrick SHANNON
Wounded
8 Bugler W. Busbie,
23 Private D. D. Arnold,
840 Private W. Batchelor,
93 Corporal C. Byrne,
Captain H. R. Carter, severely wounded forearm,
510 Private H. Dobe
465 Corporal F. J. Fenwick,
Lieutenant J. R. Higginson, severely wounded thigh,
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.
Please Note: No express or implied permission is given for commercial use of the information contained within this site.
A note to copyright holders
The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre has made every endeavour to contact copyright holders of material digitised for this blog and website and where
appropriate, permission is still being sought for these items. Where replies were not received, or where the copyright owner has not been able to be traced, or where
the permission is still being sought, the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre has decided, in good faith, to proceed with digitisation and publication. Australian Light
Horse Studies Centre would be happy to hear from copyright owners at any time to discuss usage of this item.
