"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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''For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in an attack. He led his troops for a distance of 2 miles, capturing a number of prisoners, motor and mule-drawn transport. He personally shot five of the enemy who tried to resist. It was owing to his dash and good leadership that two roads were so quickly seized and held.'' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 23 Date: 12 February 1919
Other details
Medals: Military Cross, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
'At Jenin, on 20th September 1918, he displayed great gallantry and devotion to duty in the final assault on the town. With his troops he made a mounted charge against masses of the enemy on the north side, with the result that their resistance was broken down and their capture completed. Later, with only a few men, he held a portion of the Nablus road, and compelled the surrender of many more, repeating this effort several times. He did fine work.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 10 Date: 29 January 1920
Other details
Medals: Military Cross, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
'He was in charge of a section of the brigade scouts acting ahead of the brigade on its advance from Jisr ed Damie to Es Salt on 20 April, 1918. He and one member of his section advanced to within 25 yards of an enemy observation post, unobserved, and captured two of the enemy and killed the remaining enemy.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 135 Date: 11 December 1919
Bar to Distinguished Conduct Medal
'For gallantry and devotion to duty on the night of 27-28 September, 1918. When the regiment forced the crossing across the river Jordan in the face of heavy machine gun and rifle fire, this non-commissioned officer, after his troop leader was wounded, assumed command and gallantly pushed on against the enemy's position, which resulted in the capture of fifty prisoners and two machine guns.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 42 Date: 20 May 1920
Reading the service records of these remarkable men adds to their human qualities as they give a brief dot point outline of their careers including all the highs and lows of their lives in the military.
Bert Schramm's Diary, 30 March 1919 Topic: Diary - Schramm
Diaries of AIF Servicemen
Bert 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, 30 March 1919
Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 26 - 30 March 1919
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Diaries
Bert Schramm
Sunday, March 30, 1919
Bert Schramm's Location - Zagazig, Egypt.
Bert Schramm's Diary - Toby and I have been out all day on a patrol with a troop of the 9th Regiment. Had a long days ride but things are quiet. Railway lines and telegraph lines are in a bad way.
In late March the 8th LHR was selected to provide and lead a long range expedition into the Sinai with the objective of discovering problems and techniques required for such an action. The reason for the 8th LHR’s selection lay with one man, the leader of the Brigade Scouts, Captain Albert Ernest Wearne. He was considered to be the best Scout Officer in the Light Horse and so was a natural choice.
The aim of the expedition was to mount a reconnaissance overland to Wadi um Muksheib where earlier on in the year, the Turks were reported employing work parties to improve the water cisterns in the wadi’s catchment area. In addition they were ordered to inspect the water supply at Moiya Harab and El Hassif. Finally they were to report on their impressions of the land regarding distances and time required for travel, water supplies and other preparations necessary to move a large body of men across arid plains.
Two novelties were to be employed. The first was air support. An aircraft was allocated to fly in advance of the column. The pilot was given specific instructions to report on the countryside ahead of the column with a careful eye out for Turkish troops. This reduced the need for the column to send out advanced guards which then allowed the column greater speed and flexibility. The other novelty was the use of wireless. A radio transmitter was to be carried for the specific purposes of maintaining constant communication with the Anzac Mounted Division at the Canal.
By use of both technologies, it was hoped that mounted men could move rapidly because their need for supplies would be kept to a minimum. Such long-range reconnaissances then would have the ability to strike the Turks hard and disappear before the Turks were able to respond in any effective manner. Since they would have speed on their side, they could make their getaway in relative safety, always knowing the location of any pursuing enemy. If this could be achieved, a long-range raid could sever communication link over the Darb el Maghaza, the new route the Turks were developing, which ran through Bir el Jifjafa. Cutting off this route would restrict any further Turkish advances to the more established Darb el Sultani that followed the coast by way of Katia. The impact on British strategy would be huge, allowing the British to concentrate their defence of Egypt on a confined front.
The raid on Jifjafa was undertaken to fulfil this strategic imperative. Here is Gullett's account.
"Major W. H. Scott was ordered to proceed with a squadron of the 9th Light Horse Regiment (South Australia and Victoria), under Captain Wearne, to capture the position, destroy the well sinking machinery on which the enemy was reported to be working, and observe the country generally. Scott had, after allowing for the horseholders, about ninety rifles available for action, in addition to thirty-two officers and men from the Australian and Royal Engineers and the Army Medical Corps; but, when his column was complete with transport camels and their native Bikanet escort, it included no less than 320 officers and men, 175 horses, and 261 camels."
The raid was most successful and the Turks were confined to attacking from the coast. Wearne's ability on both expeditions was in no small part the reasons for their success. He begins to carry with him a mystique that projects him larger than life, as he would have been by the time Henry Bostock joined the camp at Bally Bunion for a couple day's induction into the scouts. I believe they only stayed there for 5 days, not much time to transfer all the skills. It was just enough time to work out who the new chums were by the time they hit the road and headed towards Hill 70 and Romani.
Bert Schramm's Diary, 29 March 1919 Topic: Diary - Schramm
Diaries of AIF Servicemen
Bert 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, 29 March 1919
Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 26 - 30 March 1919
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Diaries
Bert Schramm
Saturday, March 29, 1919
Bert Schramm's Location - Zagazig, Egypt.
Bert Schramm's Diary - Nothing much worth recording and things are generally quiet. The weather is infernally warm and a lot of men going down with malaria.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Aikman, Lieutenant GE; and, 24 Other Ranks from C Squadron relieved the Ghurkhas guard at Abu el Akdar station. Ten Other Ranks, B Squadron, relieved the 3rd Machine Gun Squadron personnel at No 4 Post, Belbeis line.
Darley
Darley, TH, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, Adelaide, Hassell Press, 1924.
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