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Western Mail, Thursday 9 February 1933, page 2
Spoils to the Victors
En route for Damascus on the east side of the Jordan River, the 9th Light Horse was the spearpoint. The 10th, following after, found all the debris on the road waggons, ambulances, etc., abandoned by the Turks, marked, "Captured by the 9th L.H."
Next day the 10th was in the van and some wag carried on the good work. Tho 9th, following after, found various articles along the road, including a dead donkey and a stone roller with "Captured by the 9th L.H." chalked on them.
After the armistice an out-of-bounds 10th man was caught by a 9th patrol in the town. "Captured by the 10th LH." he gasped. However, they were sports and released him on return to camp.
Just about this time Lieut.-Colonel Tom Todd rang up the 9th Light Horse headquarters on the 'phone. The conversation at our end was something like this:-
Colonel Todd: "I wish you would remove your livestock from our lines."
"Yes. Livestock!"
"All right, a corporal and a couple of men will do."
Half an hour later a corporal and two troopers of the 9th rode over, were taken to the regimental headquarters horselines and shown a tortoise with "Captured by the 9th L.H." neatly painted on its carapace.
J. Ryder (ex-10th L.H.) Lake Biddy.
Those in the story:
Colonel Tom Todd = Major Thomas John TODD, a 41 year old Accountant from Subiaco, Western Australia. He enlisted on 2 October 1914; and subsequently Died of Disease, 23 January 1919.
Narrator J. Ryder = 218 Sergeant James RYDER, a 36 year old Farmer from Maylands, Western Australia. He enlisted on 20 October 1914; and at the conclusion of the war Returned to Australia, 27 January 1919.