"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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One of the wonderful things about being involved in history is occasionally coming across a mystery which exposes a fabulous story of a life well lived. Out of the blue, this empty envelope turns up in a private collection. It is as seen in the picture below. Nothing else. The letter is long gone.
Envelope of letter for 1081 Lance Corporal William Colin McELIWEE
Regimental number 1081 Religion Church of England Occupation Tailor Address 263 Richardson Street, Middle Park, Melbourne, Victoria Marital status Single Age at embarkation 25 Next of kin Father, Mrs D G McElivee, 263 Richardson Street, Middle Park, Melbourne, Victoria Enlistment date 8 June 1915 Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll 15 June 1915 Rank on enlistment Private Unit name 8th Light Horse Regiment, 7th Reinforcement AWM Embarkation Roll number 10/13/2 Embarkation details Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A57 Malakuta on 23 September 1915 Rank from Nominal Roll Private Unit from Nominal Roll 8th Light Horse Regiment Fate Returned to Australia 29 April 1919
After service as Orderly Room Corporal for the 8th LHR during the Great War, William Colin "Will" McElwee became president and long serving secretary for the 8th Light Horse Regimental A.I.F. Association.
Desert Mounted Corps Routine Orders - 1 October 1917 Topic: AIF - DMC
Apart from the War Diary which presents a reflected view of Regimental history, one of the best sources of understanding the immediate challenges facing a regiment is to be found in the Routine Orders. They are a wealth of detail.
Desert Mounted Corps Routine Orders - 1 October 1917
Desert Mounted Corps Routine Orders, 1 October 1917, p. 1.
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Desert Mounted Corps Routine Orders, 1 October 1917, p. 2.
The following weeks will see the various pages of the Hotchkiss Machine Gun Pack for Cavalry. The Hotchkiss Gun was introduced in the Light Horse formations during the early months of 1917. The introduction of this robust and portable gun gave the Light Horse Regiments additional mobile fire power which considereably added to their ability to sustain light combat situations and defend against vastly numerically superior forces. Apart from being an excellent weapon, it was in much demand by the Turkish forces who considered the capture of a Hotchkiss Gun well worth any risks involved in the process. This is a manual produced in 1917 and illustrates the method by which the Hotchkiss Gun was packed and moved throughout the Palestine campaign.
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 21.
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 - Moved off to El Ferdan, watered horses and proceeded to Ballah.
Crossed Canal and having watered horses left for Bally Bunnion
1917
Saturday, July 28, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Tel el Marakeb
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Maygar, Lieutenant Colonel LC, VC DSO, commanding the Brigade inspected the Regiment at 1100 - men standing to their horses in the lines.
Wastell, Lieutenant MF; and, two Other Ranks left for Imperial School of Instruction, Zeitoun.
1918
Sunday, July 28, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Madhbeh
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 1330 Enemy shelled watering area in Wadi Auja from 1330 to 1400 also shelled 2nd Light Horse Brigade who had casualties in men and horses.
1919
Monday, July 28, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - SS Oxfordshire
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Normal routine work.
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