"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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Wednesday, 24 December 2008
Jordan Valley 1918, Jordan Valley Maps, Outposts - The "W" Series Topic: BatzJ - JV Maps
Jordan Valley 1918
Jordan Valley Maps
The "W" Outposts in the Jordan Valley
The "W" Outposts in the Jordan Valley
[Click on map for enlarged version.]
During the defence of the Jordan Valley, various sectors were formed and each has a specific identifying letters.
The "W" Outposts included the following names:
Wart;
Wane;
Wild;
Wood; and,
Wasp.
These outposts run consecutively from west to east. All except Wood sit on the heights on the west side of Wadi el Abeid while Wood stradles Wadi Sebata a hundred metres to the west of Wadi el Abeid. Both wadis drain into Wadi el Auja which was the only permenant water course draining into the Jordan River.
The area consisted of a loose front line to the Ottoman forces. Consequently, the region experienced constant conflict characterised by small scale raids from both sides.
Bert Schramm's Diary, 24 December 1918 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, 24 December 1918
Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 21 - 27 December 1918
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Diaries
Bert Schramm
Tuesday, December 24, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Tripoli
Bert Schramm's Diary - Very well again today. Went into Tripoli this afternoon. A fair amount of liquor about and some of the lads are going to have a merry Xmas.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Tripoli
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - One hundred Other Ranks proceeded to El Mina for delousing and hot baths. Extra rations, local vegetables etc purchased for Christmas Day.
Darley
Darley, TH, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, Adelaide, Hassell Press, 1924.
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 - Arrived at 1000 from El Magdhaba and night bivouac in hod.
1917
Monday, December 24, 1917
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Suffa.
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - 20 Other Ranks marched in from led horses.
1918
Tuesday, December 24, 1918
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Tripoli
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - One hundred Other Ranks proceeded to El Mina for delousing and hot baths. Extra rations, local vegetables etc purchased for Christmas Day.
1919
Wednesday, December 24, 1919
9th Light Horse Regiment Location - Adelaide
9th Light Horse Regiment War Diary - Regiment disbanded.
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 170.
Colonel Hüsnü, Yildirim, Page 170.
[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.
The Battle of Magdhaba, Sinai, 23 December 1916, 3rd LH Bde, AIF, War Diary Account Topic: AIF - 1B - 1 LHB
The Battle of Magdhaba
Sinai, 23 December 1916
3rd LH Bde, AIF, War Diary Account
War Diary account of the 3rd LH Bde, AIF.
The transcription:
3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade
Operations of 23rd December 1916.
Upon receiving orders from Brigadier General Chaytor, the Brigade moved to a commanding ridge north and a little east of the Stone Huts of Magdhaba and about 4 miles distant.
From this point at 0930 the 10th Light Horse Regiment and two Sections of the Machine Gun Squadron were despatched to operate on the extreme left flank, keeping in touch with the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade on their right with the object of encircling the enemy right and getting behind them if possible. This was done on my own initiative. This was done and no doubt their position of the Regiment by 1600 materially added to the success of the operation by 1630. Two Squadrons had worked into the nullas south of the huts.
At this point they were opposed by an enemy redoubt but having made touch with the 1st Australian Light Horse Brigade this position was captured; a certain part of the ridge being galloped with fixed bayonets which apparently demoralised the enemy.
Some three to four hundred prisoners were captured on this side of the position which included some senior officers the chief ???? of the Turkish Desert Force, ???? of them. Sixty (60) camels with supplies and ammunition were also captured and sent in.
The remainder of the Brigade was held in reserve on the high ground previously gained until 1300 when orders were received to push the remainder of the Brigade into the attack. The 8th and 9th Light Horse Regiments went forward with two Sections of the Machine Gun Squadron with the former. The right of the right Regiment (the 9th Light Horse Regiment) was directed on the guts of Magdhaba. The 8th Light Horse Regiment extending to the left and being in touch with the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade.
Two Sections of the Machine Gun Squadron under Major Nicholas supported the attack on the right flank but the ground worked over gave little assistance for overhead covering fire; the guns at all time being pushed well forward into the firing line, which necessitated their being manhandled for a distance of 1,000 yards as horses could not be brought up owing to the nature of the ground.
As soon as launched this attack pushed steadily forward to the final stage when bayonets were fixed, but by this time the enemy were surrendering on all sides. In one case the bayonet got home and one man of the 9th Light Horse Regiment received a bayonet wound. As soon as the general surrender was evident steps were take to collect the killed and wounded and prisoners; the Turkish Hospital being made the collecting point. At this point between 700 and 750 prisoners were sent to the rendezvous, having been collected by the Brigade together with the number sent in by the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade and the 1st Australian Light Horse. The casualties in the Brigade were as follows:
Killed in Action - 3 Officers; 8 Other Ranks Wounded in Action - 2 Officers; 30 Other Ranks
During the operations the bearing of all ranks was excellent.
In conclusion I wish to state that from the time the two Regiments were put into the attack on the trenches, no time was lost and I cannot do otherwise than compliment the three Commanding Officers for the prompt way they got their Regiments into action.
Mention must be made of the excellent work done generally by the Lewis Gun Detachments. They proved splendid weapons for covering the bounds.
John R Royston Brigadier General Commanding 3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade Masa'id, 25th December 1916.
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