9th Light Horse Regiment (Australia)

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9th Light Horse Regiment
First World War
Insignia
Unit colour patch

The 9th Light Horse Regiment was a

battle honours
.

During the inter-war years, the regiment was re-raised as a part-time unit based in

Second World War but it was disbanded in early 1943 without having been deployed overseas. In the post war period, the regiment was re-raised as an amalgamated unit along with the 3rd Light Horse designated the 3rd/9th Light Horse (South Australian Mounted Rifles)
.

Formation

The 9th Light Horse Regiment was raised at

Victoria.[1] The regiment comprised twenty-five officers and 497 other ranks serving in three squadrons, each of six troops.[2] Each troop was divided into eight sections of four men each. In action one man of each section, was nominated as a horse holder reducing the regiment's rifle strength by a quarter.[3] Once formed the regiment was assigned to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, serving alongside the 8th and 10th Light Horse Regiments.[1]

All

Waler horse.[5]

Operational history

Further information: Military history of Australia during World War I

Gallipoli campaign

9th Light Horse trench Gallipoli

In February 1915, the 9th Light Horse Regiment left Melbourne for Egypt, arriving on the 1 February 1915.

Lieutenant Colonel Albert Miell, was one of those killed.[6] The regiment was involved in the brigade's next attack at Hill 60 on 27 August, which resulted in the death of the replacement commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Carew Reynell the next day.[7] From then until December 1915, when the regiment was withdrawn, they were only used in a defensive role.[1]

Sinai and Palestine campaign

9th Light Horse crossing the Suez canal

On the regiment's return to Egypt, together with the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, they were assigned to the newly raised

The Jifjafa Raid. They missed the early battles of the Sinai and Palestine campaign, but were involved in the pursuit of the Ottoman forces into Palestine, following their defeat in the Battle of Romani.[1]

In December 1916, the regiment took part in a

Second Battles of Gaza.[1]

The next

Es Salt. On 21 September, the regiment captured Jenin and Sa'sa', and entered Damascus in October. The war in the Middle East ended shortly afterwards when the armistice of Mudros was signed in October 1918. Afterwards, the regiment returned to Egypt to assist in putting down a revolt, before sailing for Australia in July 1919. The war cost the regiment over 100 per cent casualties, 190 killed and 481 wounded.[1]

Perpetuation

In 1921, Australia's part-time military forces were re-organised to perpetuate the numerical designations of the AIF following its demobilisation.[8] Through this process, the 9th Light Horse was re-raised as a Citizens Forces unit within the 4th Military District in the state of South Australia, drawing lineage from the 24th Light Horse (Flinders), which had been formed in 1913 and which traced its origins back to the 17th Australian Light Horse Regiment that had been formed in 1903 as part of the amalgamation of Australia's colonial forces into the Australian Army after Federation.[9]

Later, this unit was amalgamated with the

1st Cavalry Division.[10] In December 1941, the 9th was re-raised in its own right and converted into a motor regiment, adopting the designation of the "9th Motor Regiment (Flinders Light Horse)".[9] The regiment was deemed surplus to requirements and, as part of a gradual demobilisation of the Australian Army, on 19 February 1943, it was disbanded without having seen operational service during the war.[9]

In the post war period, Australia's part-time force was re-raised and in 1949 the regiment was reformed as an amalgamated unit with the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, adopting the designation of the 3rd/9th Light Horse (South Australian Mounted Rifles).[11]

Battle honours

The 9th Light Horse Regiment was awarded the following battle honours:

  • Palestine 1917–1918.[1]

Commanding officers

The following officers commanded the 9th Light Horse Regiment during the First World War:

References

Citations
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "9th Light Horse Regiment". First World War, 1914–1918 units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  2. ^ Gullett 1941, p. 54.
  3. ^ Horner and Williams, Chapter: Setting up the Light Horse
  4. ^ Gullett 1941, p. 29.
  5. ^ Gullett 1941, p. 38.
  6. ^ a b "Lieutenant Colonel Albert Miell, MID". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Lieutenant Colonel Carew Reynell, MID". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  8. ^ Grey 2008, p. 125.
  9. ^ a b c Festberg 1972, p. 45.
  10. ^ Finlayson 2012, p. 200.
  11. ^ Festberg 1972, p. 15.
  12. ^ "Brigadier General William Grant, CMG, DSO (Bar), MID". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  13. ^ "Lieutenant Colonel John McLean Arnott, CMG". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  14. ^ "Colonel William Henry Scott, CMG, DSO and Bar". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  15. ^ "Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Joseph Daly". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
Bibliography

Further reading

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