"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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Formed in October 1914 as part of the 3rd Contingent and attached to the Australian Division, the 3rd Light Horse Brigade was made up of Light Horsemen from three different states.
Outline of the 3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade, AIF
Formed in October 1914 as part of the 3rd Contingent and attached to the Australian Division, the 3rd Light Horse Brigade was made up of Light Horsemen from three different states. The Regiments included:
8th Australian Light Horse Regiment
This Regiment was recruited exclusively Victoria.
9th Australian Light Horse Regiment
Originally recruited as "B" Squadron for the 7th Light Horse Regiment, this Squadron was expanded to a composite Regiment recruited from South Australia and Victoria.
"A" Squadron recruited from South Australia.
"B" Squadron recruited from South Australia.
"C" Squadron recruited from Victoria.
10th Australian Light Horse Regiment
Originally recruited in Western Australia as "C" Squadron but extended to become a Regiment in its own right. It was recruited exclusively from Western Australia.
3rd Signal Troop
The 3rd Signal Troop was created on 1 April 1916 by drafting in four signallers from each of the 12 Regiments at the Suez Canal.
3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance
Originally recruited at Melbourne in October 1914 to form part of the 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance, when Military Order 575 of 1914 created the 3rd Light Horse Brigade and the unit became the 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance.
3rd Light Horse Brigade Train
The 3rd Light Horse Brigade Train was primarily recruited around Melbourne and trained at Broadmeadows. After Gallipoli, this unit underwent some name changes from 3rd Supply Section in February 1916 to 35th Australian Army Service Corps Company in February 1917.
8th Mobile Veterinary Section
After the formation of the Anzac Mounted Division, the three individual Regimental Veterinary sections were brigaded to form the 7th Mobile Veterinanry Section.
3rd Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron
In July 1916, all Regimental Machine Gun Sections were to be excised and brigaded to form a Machine Gun Squadron. The 8th, 9th and 10th Machine Gun Sections were combined to form the 3rd Machine Gun Squadron under the command of the Brigade.
Artillery
Artillery support was provided for the 3rd Light Horse Brigade from British batteries. The first British battery attached to the Brigade was the British 4th (Territorial Force) Horse Artillery Brigade, Inverness Battery. This battery remained until the re-organisation of February 1917 when the Inverness Battery was replaced by the British 19th Horse Artillery Brigade, 1/1 Nottingham Battery.
3rd Light Horse Training Regiment
Formed in Egypt during March 1916, this unit trained incoming reinforcements while allowing the wounded and sick a place to recover before returning to active service. The Training Regiment contained three squadrons, each duplicating the Regiments within the Brigade to whom it supplied the reinforcements. The Training Regiment was disbanded in July 1918 to be replaced by the Australian Light Horse Training Regiment when recruits were no longer tied to a Regiment but placed in a general pool of reinforcements called the General Service Reinforcements.
3rd Light Horse Double Squadron
Formed Egypt 6 July 1916 from 3rd Light Horse Brigade reinforcements. It was officered and administered by the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. This Double Squadron was broken up in November 1916 with the men being transferred to the newly formed Imperial Camel Corps Battalions.
Embarkation
The Brigade embarked to Egypt during the months of February and March 1915. In Egypt additional training occurred at the Mena Camp.
See:Troop transport ships for information and photographs about the various ships employed in transporting the troops to Egypt.
Colour Patch
To assist with identification of the various units within the AIF, Divisional Order No 81 (A) Administration was issued at Mena on 8 March 1915 detailing the Colour Patch for the 3rd Light Horse Brigade as others received their colours. The colour patch was made of cloth 1¼ inches wide and 2¾ inches long and worn on the sleeve one inch below the shoulder seam. The colour patch for the 3rd Light Horse Brigade was plain yellow.
3rd Light Horse Brigade Colour Patch
The individual units attached to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade carried the white colour as a lower triangular part of the colour patch, the unit itself having their colour on the top. This is illustrated with the above description about each individual unit.
Commanders
Brigadier General Frederic Godfrey Hughes, 17 October 1914 to 8 October 1915
Brigadier General John MacQuarie Antill, 8 October 1915 to 8 August 1916
Brigadier General John Robinson Royston, 8 August 1916 to 30 October 1917
Brigadier General Lachlan Chisholm Wilson, 30 October 1917 to August 1919.
Attachments
Formed Australia September 1914.
Attached to the New Zealand and Australian Division from December 1914 to April 1915. Attachment ceased on the Division's deployment to Gallipoli.
Attached to the New Zealand and Australian Division at Gallipoli from May 1915 to February 1916.
Attached to the Anzac Mounted Division March 1916 until February 1917.
Attached to the Imperial Mounted Division February 1917 until August 1917.
Attached to the Australian Mounted Division August 1917 until August 1919.
Bir el Abd, Sinai, 9 August 1916, Roll of Honour, 3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade Topic: AIF - 3B - 3 LHB
Bir el Abd
Sinai, 9 August 1916
Roll of Honour
3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade
Poppies on the Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial, Canberra
The Roll of Honour contains the names of all the men from the 3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade known to have served and lost their lives during the Battle of Bir el Abd.
Battle of Romani, Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916, 3rd LH Bde, AIF, War Diary Account Topic: AIF - 3B - 3 LHB
Battle of Romani
Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916
3rd LH Bde, AIF, War Diary Account
War Diary account of the 3rd LH Bde, AIF.
The transcription:
4 August
The Brigade less on Squadron 8th Light Horse Regiment (which joined at Dueidar) moved out from Ballybunion at 0945 for Hill 70 - Kantara, arriving at the latter place about noon. The Brigade moved out in light marching order and within two hours from receiving the order.
Inverness Battery who only received their ten ##### a few hours previously, fitted same and joined the Brigade at Dueidar before it moved on, with 3 guns and 2 wagons. The Brigade was composed as follows:
Brigade Headquarters and Supply Section;
1/1 Inverness Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, and Ammunition Column;
No wagons were taken except Ambulance Carts. Camel Convoy with Ammunition and 24 hours rations and water left Ballybunion at 1000 and arrived Hill 70 at 1430. No first line transport accompanied Brigade but each man carried all his kit, 200 round small arms ammunition, unexpired portion of day's rations and one emergency ration. Brigade and convoy left Hill 70 for Dueidar at 1100, the former arriving at 2030 and the latter at 2200.
5 August
Supplies were drawn at 0300 and Brigade left Dueidar for Bir el Nuss at 0500 both the object of attacking Hod el Enna arriving at 0900, and there joined New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade. As enemy had retreated, Ammunition Column joined up and the whole Column moved on to Hamisah and general engagement took place through the afternoon. 9th, 10th Light Horse Regiments and Inverness Battery taking part with 8th Light Horse Regiment in reserve.
The 9th Light Horse Regiment attacked with 2 Squadrons and 2 Machine Guns, one Squadron in support. The 10th Light Horse Regiment and Brigade Scouts, 4 Machine Guns made a wide detour to encircle the enemy's left, which was accomplished resulting in the capture of some 439 prisoners, 3 Machine Guns with Camels and Field Cookery complete and a quantity of ammunition and rifles. At this stage an enemy howitzer battery brought heavy and effective fire to bear on our troops. At dusk the Brigade rationed and camped one mile west of Nagid for the night leaving out Officer's Patrol.
Battle of Romani, Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916, Roll of Honour, 3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade Topic: AIF - 3B - 3 LHB
Battle of Romani
Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916
Roll of Honour
3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade
Poppies on the Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial, Canberra
The Roll of Honour contains the names of all the men from the 3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade known to have served and lost their lives during the Battle of Romani.
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