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[page 93]
1918
later the General Armistice with Germany was signed.
More reinforcements arrived at intervals from the Training Regiment and were taken on strength after a general overhauling and cleaning of saddlery and equipment, the Regiment formed up under Major Irwin at Brigade H.Q. on November 29 and official photographs were taken. Next day there was a very successful regimental sports meeting.
There was much discussion in the Regiment as to dates of embarkation and demobilisation. The educational facilities offered to all ranks during the period of the Armistice and the subsequent period of demobolisation were made known and explained by the C.0. By January, 1919 there were an agricultural school at Jaffa, a mechanical school at Ramleh, a tractor driving school at Ludd, and, under the aegis of the Y.M.C.A., classes on veterinary science, internal combustion engines, bookkeeping and languages.
Football and cricket grounds were made, and on December 4, 1918, there were Brigade Sports. Horse racing was the most popular of all the sports and so a Divisional Race Meeting was held, proving a great success.
On December 17 came the order to remove to the demobilisation area at Rafa. All tents and spare gear were carted to the railway for transit to Rafa; wheeled transport was brigaded and marched ahead of us. When we reached Gaza on December 20, it was interesting to ride over the old Turkish positions for the last time, and to see how well chosen those positions were; every movement along the Wady Ghuzze to Shellal had been under direct observation by the enemy. The camping area at Rafa was reached on December 23, and 1 L.H. bivouacked on the old battlefield, close to the graves of many of the Anzacs who had fallen in that fight. The whole of the Division was now encamped there, and a lot of work was put into laying out and constructing the camp and waking roads as it was anticipated we should have to spend several months here while waiting transport to Australia.
Lectures and mounted training were carried out daily, but plenty of leave to Jerusalem, Beersheba and Cairo was granted and the opportunity was taken to see the graves of the fallen men were in good order. A party under Lieut. W.H. James, M.C., had sailed for Gallipoli with 7 L.H. in November to carry out graves registration there.