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Western Mail, Thursday 6 July 1933, page 2
Aussie Initiative.
While the battle of Romani was raging a certain captain was detailed to take a batch of badly-needed reinforcements to the 3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade. Leaving railhead at Serapeaum, his destination was marked on the map as Hill 60, near a razor-back sand hill. They travelled by night with map and compass. Having journeyed the distance that should have brought him to his destination, the captain called a halt, but there was no Hill 60, and no razor-back - in fact nothing but sand, and apparently plain and flat. To his dismay, he discovered that his compass was not working, sand had got in it, and how long it had been jammed he did not know.
He explained the position to the party and after they had gleaned what his instructions had been, all had their own idea of where they should have gone.
"The Eighth will be out here, if they are on the left," said some one.
"The Tenth's on the right. That star ought to pick them up," said another, and they started in the direction indicated.
"Steady lads," called the captain, "follow me."
"Aw, follow you be damned." came a voice from the darkness, "Yer aven't got enough brains to grease a gimlet."
A minute later the captain and his groom were alone, He decided to push on to Brigade headquarters and report. However it was two days before he found it and when he did, he waited for General Antill to speak first. The General warmly congratulated him on not only having got through with his party; but on having delivered the men to their individual units!
"Emma Gee," Duranilian.
Note: The events in this story occurred between 31 July - 4 August 1916.
Those in the story:
3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade, see:
https://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/index.blog?topic_id=1105382
Hill 60 = Hill 70 Camp. The mistake is easy since there were two major battle fronts at points called Hill 60, Gallipoli and the Western Front. In contrast, Hill 70 had no glamour attached to it apart from being a staging post to Romani. See:
General Antill = Lieutenant Colonel John Macquarie ANTILL, a 48 Soldier from Jarvisfield, Picton, New South Wales. He enlisted on 17 October 1914; and subsequently Returned to Australia, 26 September 1917.
Narrator Emma Gee = 531 Private Edward GEE, a 30 year old Teamster from Perth, Western Australia. He enlisted on 25 September 1914; and at the conclusion of the war Returned to Australia, 24 July 1919.