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.
For a comprehensive listing of photographs in the album, see:
Should any further details be sought, see Australian Light Horse Studies Centre
Friday, November 1, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Homs, Syria
Bert Schramm's Diary - We arrived at Homs at 5.30 this morning and we are at present camped about two miles north of the town. I think we will probably stay here until the results of the armistice is known. Homs is a fairly decent town and much cleaner than most of the places we have seen yet. Homs has a population of eighty thousand people.
Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 1 November 1918
Saturday, November 2, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Homs, Syria
Bert Schramm's Diary - Have been camped all day. News official this morning states the results of the armistice with Turkey, which are free access of the allies to the Dardanelles, Bosporus and Black Sea and the occupation of all forts in the places by our troops and the return of all allied prisoners in Turkey. So we are no longer at war with Turkey. Official news also states that the Italians have had a great victory against the Austrians. As things are looking splendid for us and I feel sure we will have peace all round by the end of the year.
Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 2 November 1918
Sunday, November 3, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Homs, Syria
Bert Schramm's Diary - Had more official news today concerning the Turkish armistice and it practically amounts to an unconditional surrender and demobilisation of the whole army. We are to have full control of all railways and the Tories Tunnel.
[Note: Tories Tunnel = The Taurus rail tunnel. Ed.
The fifty-four-kilometer Taurus Tunnel complex, as the final link of the Berlin - Baghdad Railway, was completed through the Taurus Mountains during October 1918. Many Allied POW's were employed on this project as forced labour. The original idea was to penetrate the range by one tunnel, but a series of twelve tunnels and bridges had to be built. The concrete bridges have a total length of 362 yards, and the tunnels a total length of 7 miles 580 yards.]
Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 3 November 1918
Monday, November 4, 1918
Bert Schramm's Location - Homs, Syria
Bert Schramm's Diary - No news today. We hear we are to move near the coast in the course of a few days. I am feeling pretty confident we will have peace by Xmas.
Diaries of AIF Servicemen, Bert Schramm, 4 November 1918