Gallipoli Campaign - 1915

Bridges Disembarkation Orders, 18 April 1915, Part 1

 
DISEMBARKATION ORDERS

By Major General W. T. BRIDGES, C.M.G., Commanding 1st Australian Division.

Transport A11 Minnewaska, 18th April, 1915.


Transfers before leaving Lemnos.

1. - The transfers shown in Table "A" attached are to be made before leaving LEMNOS.

Sequence of disembarkation.

2.(i) The sequence of disembarkation is given in Table "B" attached; approximate hours at which disembarkation will begin are shown in this table,

Tables showing the composition of "tows", and the number of troops to be embarked in each, for the disembarkation of "A" echelons have been issued to military transport officers. Commanding officers will detail troops to tows accordingly.

Beach control personnel.

3. - The detail of the military beach control personnel and beach parties is shown in Table "C" attached.

Hold Parties have been allotted to transports; when they have not been detailed the work will be carried out by personnel of the last echelon to land.

Extracts from Paragraphs 59 to 63 of the Manual of Combined Naval and Military Operations are issued herewith (Table "D") and explain the arrangements for clearing the beach.

Forming-up places and rendezvous.

4. - Four forming up places and two rendezvous will be selected by

Major DJ Glasfurd, General Staff, 1st Australian Division
Major CH Villiers-Stuart, General Staff, A & NZ Army Corps.

These officers will land with the first portion of the covering force. They will draw from the beach parties the necessary personnel for guides and to mark forming-up places and rendezvous.

Order of dress; articles to be landed.

5. –

(i ) Troops will land in service dress.

(ii) Horses will be landed harnessed.

(iii) Infantry battalions will land all entrenching tools under regimental arrangements.

All wire cutters are to be carried.

Canvas water bags issued to units will be filled and taken ashore.

(iv) Engineer units will land all tools and explosives.

(v) Mounted units will land the canvas trough equipment in their possession.

(vi) All vehicles will be placed in boats so that they can be landed pole leading.

All vehicles will be with their authorised loads, less articles landed with "A" echelons, before troops begin disembarkation.

(vii) Planks will be landed from the LAKE MICHIGAN to assist in unloading vehicles from horse boats on shore.

(viii) Grapnels a empty sacks for crossing wire entanglements will be landed with No. 2 Field Company.

Conduct of troops in boats

6. -- Silence will be observed in the boats, no one is to stand up; rifles are not to be loaded; magazines will be charged and cut offs closed; rifles will be carried in the hand and not slung. Equipment will be loosened and shoulder straps unbuttoned. On arrival at the beach all troops are to remain seated in their boats until the naval officer, or petty officer, in charge of the boat, gives the order to land.

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Further Reading:

Gallipoli Campaign

Citation: Gallipoli Campaign - 1915, Bridges Disembarkation Orders, 18 April 1915, Part 1

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 3 July 2009 9:47 AM EADT

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Gallipoli Campaign - 1915

Bridges Disembarkation Orders, 18 April 1915, Part 2

 
DISEMBARKATION ORDERS

By Major General W. T. BRIDGES, C.M.G., Commanding 1st Australian Division.

Transport A11 Minnewaska, 18th April, 1915.

Rations

7(i) A hot meal will be arranged for all troops as late as possible before leaving their ships.

(ii) Troops will land with the current day's rations and two iron rations. The iron rations are for consumption on the second and third days.

(iii) Under Army Corps arrangements seven days' suppies will be landed - that for the lst Australian Division will be taken over subsequently by the Officer Commanding Divisional Train who will arrange for landing the necessary supply details from the Atlantian.

Ammunition

8(i) Infantry will carry two hundred (200) rounds on the man: artillery and engineers  fifty (50) rounds per man; A.S.C twenty (20) rounds per man.

(ii) Machine guns and belt boxes will be carried by hand; (3,500) rounds per machine gun will be carried in belt boxes.

(iii) The regimental reserve now in possession of units will be left in regimental vehicles and landed with them.

(iv) 176 rounds per gun will be landed with each battery.

(v) Arrangements have been made by the Army Corps to 1and a reserve of small arm and gun ammunition on the beach. The DADOS will take over from this depot the ammunition for the Division.

Disposal of unfit personnel and animals etc.

9. - ( i ) All men unfit for disembarkation will be transferred to the stationary hospital before leaving MUDROS; those becoming unfit subsequently will, as opportunity offers be transferred to the transport CLAN McGILLIVRAY, by the military transport officer of the transport.

(ii) Unfit animals will be left on transports in charge of a party detailed under regimental arrangements.

(iii) After tho disembarkation of "A" echelons military transport officers will see that remaining personnel is divided in proper prorortions to the "B" and "C" echelons.

(iv) The extra blankets will he baled, labelled, and left on transports in charge of military transport officers, who will apply for instructions as to their disposal before ships are finally cleared.

(v) Hold parties, military transport officers, and their signals parties, will remain on board until all echelons are landed. They will then be transferred under divisional arrangements to the DERFFLINGER, taking with them any sick remaining in their transports.

C.B.B. WHITE

Lieut.Colonel 1st Australian Division.

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Further Reading:

Gallipoli Campaign

Citation: Gallipoli Campaign - 1915, Bridges Disembarkation Orders, 18 April 1915, Part 2

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 3 July 2009 9:46 AM EADT

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Return of the 9th LHR, AIF

Advertiser, 12 August 1919

The transcription follows:

NINTH LIGHT HORSE.

HEARTY WELCOME HOME.

The members of the 9th. Light Horse Regiment, who returned by the transport Oxfordshire on Sunday, received a hearty welcome front the citizens of Adelaide on Monday morning, when they passed through several of the principal streets. At 9 o'clock the men paraded in the vicinity of the Cheer-up Hut, and half an hour later marched to King William-street, and along Grenfell, Poultney and Rundle streets. Members of the Cheer-up Society formed a strong post at the Anzac Arch, and the troops received on ovation from them. The men had a good reception all along the route of their march.

The Cheer-up Society entertained during the day a large number of light horsemen from the other States who are on their way home.

In the evening the members of the 9th Light Horse Regiment were tendered a welcome home dinner at the Cheer-up Hut, which was tastefully decorated with the colours of the regiment, green and yellow.

The president of the Cheer-up Society (Sir William Sowden) presided, and with, him were the Military Commandant (Brigadier-General Antill), the Minister of Repatriation (Hon. E. A. Anstey), Commander Bracegirdle, Major Brinkworth, O.C. of the 9th Light Horse, and Messrs. George Brookman and J. W. McGregor. The chairman mentioned that the original banner presented to the 9th Light Horse by Mrs. R. W. Bennett, at Montefiore Hill, in November, 1914, had been entrusted to the custody of Mrs. Seager, and was now hanging in the hut. Speaking of the illustrious dead, he said that twelve officers and 169 men connected with the regiment had paid the final price of victory, and the A.I.F. Mounted Division in Egypt lost 2,424 men by death and 5,004 were wounded. At his request the memory of departed comrades was honoured in silence.

The Military Commandant welcomed the comrades with whom he was associated ''on the other side." When he went away he was perhaps the most hated man of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. He was the man who had to do all the dirty work. The 3rd Light Horse Brigade, of which the 9th Light Horse Regiment formed a part, was the finest light horse brigade in the world. Since he left for France he had watched their career with interest, for he knew they would keep up the record they had established on Gallipoli. He could say, as a professional man, that no regiment ever did finer work than that which had just returned from abroad. The casualties of the brigade were no less than 134 per cent. Within 14 days of their operations in Palestine the brigade had captured 11,025 prisoners, 22 big guns, and 183 others. He had lately received a special order of the day from General Allenby, in which the latter expressed his admiration and gratitude for the work they had done and said they had responded to every call. The work of the Light Horse during the past five years had been characterised by the greatest generals of the day as second to none of any troops in the world. (Applause.) He felt sure the men of the 9th Light Horse would always do their best to maintain the traditions they had made abroad.

Major Brinkworth, in responding, thanked the Cheer-up Society for their efforts on behalf of the men. After recounting experiences at the front, he said it was generally recognised that it took seven years to make a cavalry man. The Australian Light Horse, however, were given swords and turned into cavalry men in a fortnight. (Applause.)

Subsequently the men were entertained at a smoke social at the Y.M.C.A. Soldiers Lounge by the women of the 9th and 11th Light Horse Regimental Clubs and the 9th Light Horse Comforts Fund. Mr. B. S. Roach presided, and an entertaining programme was contributed by Misses Muriel Cheek and G. Campbell, and Mrs. Templer.

When the Oxfordshire, with the 9th Light Horse regiment on board, steamed into the Outer Harbor on Sunday she proudly flew the colours of the regiment. These consisted of (at the top foremast) the green and gold flag bearing the rising sun, the emblem of the regiment. Below that was the flag presented to them before leaving for the front, while third on the string came a flag of crimson satin, which was captured from the Turks at Damascus by the 9th. This flag is worked with gold, and has a gold fringe, with on one side Turkish wording, and on the other six medallions representing honours conferred on the Turks. The flags are at present in charge, of Major H.M. Parsons, D.S.O., of Victoria, the O.C. of the regiment.

Further Reading:

9th Light Horse Regiment, AIF

Posted by Project Leader at 10:16 AM EADT

Updated: Monday, 22 June 2009 10:18 AM EADT

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Australian Light Horse Regiments, AIF

Full Marching Order Kit 

The following Marching Order was adopted throughout the Australian Light Horse from March 1917.

FULL MARCHING ORDER - MOUNTED

On the Horse

Horse neck   

Head Rope or Chain.

Muzzle.

Built up Rope.

Spare Bandolier. (90 rounds)

Saddle front

Wallets.

Sandbag (2 feeds).

Great Coat.

Oil Sheet.

Near Side.    

Shoe Case (2 spare shoes)

Wire Cutters (on shoe case)

Mess Tin (on cantle of sddle)

Water Bucket (covering Mess tin & tied to cantle).

 

Off Side.    

Nose Bag (one feed) tied short to Crupper D.)

 

Sursingle pad underneath on sursingle.

Body or Dandy Brush in Water Bucket.

 

Underneath

Horse Blanket - folded small

Sleeping Blanket - folded small

On the Man

Haversack - Left side, both straps under waist belt.

Water bottle - High up under right am with strap over both shoulders.

Field Dressing - Service jacket, in inside pocket. Drill jacket, pinned with safety-pin in improvised pocket as in Service jacket.

Belt Pouches - To the front.

Previous: Australian Light Horse Regiments, AIF, Marching or Service Order Field Kit

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Further Reading:

The Australian Light Horse, AIF, Contents

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Wednesday, 1 July 2009 10:39 AM EADT

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Order Of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, April 1916

Part 1,  General Headquarters

As part of the Official British War History of the Great War, Captain Cyril Falls and Lieutenant General George MacMunn were commissioned to produce a commentary on the Sinai, Palestine and Syrian operations that took place. In 1928, their finished work, Military Operations, Egypt and Palestine - From the outbreak of war with Germany to June 1917,  was published in London. Their book included Appendix 2 which specifically detailed the Order Of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, April 1916 and is extracted below.

MacMunn, G. & Falls, C., Military operations: Egypt and Palestine, (London 1930), p. 380:

ORDER OF BATTLE OF THE EGYPTIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, APRIL 1916.

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS.

Commander-in-Chief -

Lieut.-General (temp. General) Sir A. J. Murray, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., C.V.O., D.S.O.

Chief of the General Staff -

Major-General A. L. Lynden-Bell, C.B., C.M.G.

Deputy Adjutant-General -

Major-General J. Adye, C.B.

Deputy Quartermaster-General -

Major-General W. Campbell, C.B., D.S.O.

Attached

Major-General, Royal Artillery -

Colonel (temp. Major-General) S. C. U. Smith.

Engineer-in-Chief -

Colonel (temp. Brig.-General) H. B. H. Wright, C.M.G.

HEADQUARTERS OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND DEPARTMENTS.

Director of Army Signals -

Brevet Colonel (temp. Brig.-General) M. G. E. Bowman-Manifold, D.S.O.

Director of Works -

Lieut. Colonel (temp. Brig. General) E. M. Paul.

Director of Supplies and Transport -

Lieut. Colonel (temp. Colonel) G. F. Davies.

Director of Railways -

Temp. Colonel Sir G. Macauley, K.C.M.G.

Director of Ordnance Services -

Colonel P. A. Bainbridge.

Director of Remounts -

Brig. General C. L. Bates.

Director of Veterinary Services -

Colonel (temp. Brig.-General) E. R. C. Butler, C.M.G.

Director of Medical Services -

Colonel (temp. Surgeon-General) J. Maker, C.B.

Director of Army Postal Services -

Major (temp. Lieut.-Colonel) P. Warren, C.M.G.

Command Paymaster -

Colonel J. C. Armstrong.

INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF COMMUNICATION AND LEVANT BASE.

Commandant and Inspector- General of Communications -

Major-General (temp. Lieut.-General) Sir E. A. Altham, K.C.B., C.M.G.

Previous:  AIF, MEF and the EEF

Next: Order Of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, April 1916, Part 2, Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division

Further Reading:

AIF & MEF & EEF, Contents 

AIF, MEF and the EEF

Citation: Order Of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, April 1916, Part 1, General Headquarters

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Saturday, 4 July 2009 4:28 PM EADT

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