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NARRATIVE OF OPERATIONS OF THE 3rd LIGHT HORSE Bde., AUSTRALIAN MOUNTED DIVISION
From 27th October 1917, to 4th March 1919.
Brigadier-General L.C. Wilson, C.M.G., D.S.O., Commanding.
With a view to understanding the references to other mounted troops in this narrative, the organisation of the mounted troops on the Palestine-Syria fronts, is set out as follows:-
The mounted troops on the front, with the exception of a few squadrons, of Divisional Calavary, etc., formed the Desert Mounted Corps, (Lieut.-General Sir H.G. Chauvel, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., Commanding). In the early part of the period covered by this narrative the Desert Mounted Corps consisted of 3 Divisions and Imperial Camel Corps, viz:- (1) A. & N.Z. Mounted Division, consisting of 1st and 2nd Light Horse Brigades, and N.Z. Mounted Rifle Brigade. (2) Australian Mounted Division consisting of 3rd and 4th Light Horse Brigades, and 5th Mounted Brigade, (Imperial Yeomanry), and (3) the Yeomanry Mounted Division, (3) Yeomanry Brigades). (4) The I.C.C. Brigade consisting of 3 A. & N.Z.Battalions and 1 Imperial Battalion.
In the middle of 1918 the Desert Mounted Corps was reorganised, certain of the Yeomanry Regiments were sent to Europe as machine gunners, and 12 Indian Cavalry Regiments were brought to this front. The I.C.C. Brigade was broken up and the 5th Light Horse Brigade, (2 Regiments), was formed from the Australian personnel and this new Brigade went into the Australian Mounted Division in lieu of the 5th Mounted Brigade (Yeomanry). Therefore, in the September and October 1918 operations the Corps consisted of 4 Divisions, namely:-- The A.& N.Z. Mounted Division, the Australian Mounted Division, the 4th Cavalry Division and the 5th Cavalry Division, each of these two last mentioned Divisions were one third British Yeomanry and two thirds Indian Cavalry. As the 5th Light Horse Brigade had only 2 Regiments, during the final operations of September and October the French Regiment of Mixed Cavalry was attached to that Brigade for those operations.
The 3rd Light Horse Brigade as above stated forms part of the Australian Mounted Division (Major-General W.H. Hodgson, C.V.O., C.B., Commanding). The Brigade consists of the following Units:- Brigade Headquarters, 8th, 9th and 10th Light Horse Regiments, 3rd Australian Machine Gun Squadron, 3rd Signal Troop, 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance, and the 8th Mobile Veterinary Section - Total establishment varied from slightly over 2,000 to slightly under that number. In addition to the above Units there were usually attached a troop of the Australian Engineers and a battery of British Royal Horse Artillery. (The Notts Battery, 4 guns, 13 or 18 pounders). After the second battle of Gaza, April 1917, the Turkish Army occupied a line from the coast at Gaza to Beersheba. The British line ran from the coast at Gaza to Gamli, about 4 mile south of Shelal, on the Wadi Ghuzzee. On our right flank there was, therfeore, a distance of about .15 [possibly this should be 1.5] miles between our entrenched line and the enemy entrenched line at Beersheba. For the 6 months prior to the big offensive in the end of October,1917, this country was patrolled and reconnoitred by the Desert Mounted Corps. One division held a line on the Wadi Ghuzzee, Shellal-Gamli, and watched the right flank westerly to Ghabi, the second division was bivouaced in support at Abasan El Kebir, and the third division was in reserve on the beach near Khan Yunus. The front line division usually held the position for about a month and then went into reserve. This Brigade took it's tour of duty of patrol and reconnaissance work. This work was not uninteresting. The country is open and undulating with no obstacles to Cavalry. The Turks sent out their cavalry patrols daily, sometimes they would support them with infantry and guns.