"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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Saturday, 29 November 2008
Australian Imperial Forces, Marching Songs, Finding the Australian National Song Topic: AIF - Marching Songs
Australian Imperial Forces
Marching Songs
Finding the Australian National Song
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL SONG
Words by Arthur H Adams, Music by Theodore Tourrier
[From the Queenslander, 29 August 1914, p. 30.]
During 1914, the Musical Association of New South Wales conducted an international competition to produce the quintessential Australian National Song. To add to the creative pool, a prize of £100 was offered. Over the competition period, some 558 entries were received from within Australia and overseas. The winning lyrics were written by Arthur Henry Adams, the well known editor of the Sydney Sun. These were then set to a musical arrangement and the winner of that segment was Theodore John Tourrier, of Glenferrie, Victoria.
Australian Imperial Forces, Marching Songs, Marching Song of the AIF, September 1914 Topic: AIF - Marching Songs
Australian Imperial Forces
Marching Songs
Writing the AIF Marching Song
COO-EE! COO-EE! HERE COME THE KANGAROOS
[To be sung to the tune of "Marching through Georgia"]
Writing the AIF Marching Song
When the AIF's 1st Contingent was preparing to embark, someone hurriedly penned the following song in an effort to give a patriotic flavour to the Australians going overseas, something that was a bit more than Tipperary which was the only popular marching song available at the time. The song that emerged was printed off and distributed to all the troops anticipating the day they sailed to Britain. The aim was to have Australian troops thoroughly inculcated with this distinctly Australian song that the AIF would be instantly recognisable in the foreign lands.
It is hoped that this song, which is characteristic of our country, will be adopted by the Australian Troops and sung on the march, gatherings, etc.
Copies have been distributed to all Australian Transports.
Pull yourselves together, boys, we're marching to the front, Off to join the British Tommies in a little hunt, Kaiser Bill will have to leave his sauerkraut and shunt; Cooee my boys for dear Australia.
Chorus.
Cooee, Cooee, here come the kangaroos, Cooee, Cooee, we never get the blues, When we're marching home again, We'll bring the beat of news Cooee my boys for dear Australia.
Verse 2.
Boys we are who've gathered right from Darwin to the Bight, Boys from Kosciusko where the snow is always white, Boys from Oodnadatta, and we all know how to fight, Cooee my boys for dear Australia.
Chorus.
Verse 3.
Fellows right from Ballarat and right from Bendigo, Fellows right from Coogee where the breezes always blow, Fellows right from Bunbury and Launceston; what ho: Cooee my boys for dear Australia.
Chorus.
Verse 4.
When we join the Britishers we'll sing God. save the King, When we join the Frenchman then the Marseillaise we'll sing, When we join the Belgians we will dance a Highland Fling, Cooee my boys for dear Australia.
Chorus.
Verse 5.
When the camp fire's burning through the watches of the night, And we yarn together as we set our pipes alight, Then we'll think of pretty lips and eyes that shine so bright, Cooee my boys for dear Australia.
Chorus.
Verse 6.
Though we travel many thousand miles across the foam, Though in distant countries with our guns we have to roam We can ne'er forget that old Australia is our home, Cooee my boys for dear Australia.
Chorus.
Verse 7.
Pretty girls who smile at us in other lands we'll find, Girls who sing and girls who dance and girls of every kind None can hold a candle to the girls we leave behind, Cooee my boys for dear Australia.
Chorus.
Verse 8.
England is our Motherland, we're vary proud to say, England puts her trust in us, a trust we'll ne'er betray, If she fights we'll fight with her until, she wins the day, Cooee my boys for dear Australia.
Chorus.
Verse 9.
We are fighting laddies and we do not care to boast, But we mean to help to smash the mighty German host, We'll catch Kaiser William and we'll serve him up on toast Cooee my boys for dear Australia.
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 - 0400, 1100 Private CW Collins, A Squadron killed while observing in Kidd Sap. Bullet in head. These two casualties prove that the snipers were using the snow on the parados as a background. Snow ceased to fall today but the north wind was terrific and freezing.
1916
Wednesday, November 29, 1916
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Bir el Malha
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Duty Regiment. Send patrol to Hill 316. Two patrols [1130 and 1900] to meet with 1st Light Horse Brigade at Bir el Zoabatia. Two, day observation posts undertaken by the Regiment. C Squadron takes over night outpost line at 1700 from 8th Light Horse Regiment.
1917
Thursday, November 29, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Barfiliya.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 0500 Arrived at Innaba, thence to Berfilya arriving 0630. Orders received were to gain touch with 52nd Division and 54th Division. Freebairn, Lieutenant DT, with patrol was sent forward to gain touch and at 0900 returned reporting mission fulfilled.
At 1530 Regiment moved to 1/2 mile south of El Burj where horses were handed over - one man to every four horses and at 1700 the led horses with Ragless, Captain BB; and, two officers per Squadron left for Khirbit Deiran. Daly, Major TJ, returned in charge of Brigade led horses. A Echelon remained in hills with dismounted portion of the Regiment, also 23 pack animals, CO's and Adjutant's chargers.
At 1845 the Regiment dismounted 223 strong, moved up and took over the front line J27 and J14 central from 4th Royal Scots and 4th Royal Scottish Fusiliers. Regimental Command Post established at a point ½ mile west of El Burj.
Relief completed by 2200. Enemy fairly active during the night from south of Shilta. A Squadron were in Square J21. B Squadron J20 and C Squadron J20a. C Squadron unable to touch up with 54th Division of infantry on the left.
At 2400 one troop of Gloucester Yeomanry was attached to this regiment and put into the line 800 yards on the left of C Squadron. Owing to the hilly and rocky nature of the country, patrolling very difficult.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - One troop C Squadron proceeded to beach to swim. Ragless, Captain BB; and, Shelley, Captain JE, were appointed Regimental Representatives AIF educational scheme.
1919
Saturday, November 29, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Adelaide
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Regiment disbanded.
Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 29 November 1918 Topic: Diary - Schramm
Diaries of AIF Servicemen
Bert Schramm
29 November 1918
Bert Schramm
2823 Private Herbert Leslie SCHRAMM, a 22 year old Farmer from Whites River, South Australia. He enlisted on 17 February 1916; and at the conclusion of the war Returned to Australia, 10 July 1919.
During part of the course of his military service with the AIF, Bert Schramm 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 Offensive 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.
The Diaries
The complete diary is now available on the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre Site at:
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - One troop C Squadron proceeded to beach to swim. Ragless, Captain BB; and, Shelley, Captain JE, were appointed Regimental Representatives AIF educational scheme.
Nominal Roll, AWM133, Nominal Roll of Australian Imperial Force who left Australia for service abroad, 1914-1918 War.
War Diaries and Letters
All War Diaries and letters cited on this site should be read in conjunction with the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre, War Diaries and Letters, Site Transcription Policy which may be accessed at:
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 145.
Colonel Hüsnü, Yildirim, Page 145.
[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.
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