British Official History of the Great War

[JackM]

I'm trying to obtain information about the activities of the British and Australian Light Car Patrols in Palestine and have managed to glean some small detail from the on line Australian Official History.

Is there equivalent on line access to the British Official History ?

Or am I obliged to find a copy of the relevant Volume (if I can), in my local West Australian Library and its connected satellites.

Jack

[Guest]

Is there equivalent on line access to the British Official History ?

Jack

Just this volume, as far as I know Click and not sure if it is of much use. I have a copy of the searchable DVD, so can have a look if you give me dates and units.

Mike

[JackM]

Mike,

Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.

I am looking at 1916 and 1917 and the units were 1,2,3,4, and 5 Light Car Patrols. I've also seen a few references in the Australian Official History, to a Kiwi named McKenzie and his unit, 7 LCP - so it would be logical to assume there may have been a 6 LCP as well !

It is my present understanding from a recorded oral history, that the 1st LCP was the Australian unit and the one of most interest to me, though I wouldn't discount any reference to the LCPs.

The paragraph below is taken from the Australian Light Horse Studies Centre site at

http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/index.blog/1817896/1st-australian-armoured-car-section/

On the 3rd. December (1916), orders were received by the unit for all cars, guns, and vehicles, to be returned to G.H.Q. Cairo and the unit to proceed South and take over the Ford Light Cars and Lewis guns of a Light Car Patrol and the Australian unit was to take the name of No. 1. Light Car Patrol. The unit proceeded South by rail to Oasis Junction on 6th. December. Next day they travelled by a narrow gauge Military Railway which had been built across the desert to Kharga Oasis and the unit detrained at Rail head at what was known as Water Dump A. A camp was made near railhead in the sand, and work was commenced on the Ford cars which had been taken over in a very dilapidated condition and which had apparently been allowed to run almost to destruction. All ranks worked night and day for the next couple of weeks overhauling and reconditioning the vehicles also in practising on the new Lewis guns. The strength of the unit was increased by the addition of some extra drivers also some dispatch riders with motor cycles who soon became very expert with their machines on the desert.

[Guest]

i will certainly have a look. Give me a day or so. Am painting

Mike

[Guest]

Jack, have had a quick look

Altogether there appears to be about 22 references to "Light Car Patrol"

Don't see much for 1916?

Jan 1917 Western Force

Bikanir Camel Corps

230th and 231st Bdes

Detachments RA dismounted (seven 15 pdr guns, two 9 pdr Krupp guns, two naval 4-in guns

5 Armoured Motor Batteries

6 Light Car Patrols (Fords)

etc etc

By April 1917 there were 6 light car patrols and three light armoured motor batteries in what had originally been the Western Frontier and Southern Forces, then combined as the Delta and Western Force.

Order of Battle EEF Oct 1917

Australian Mtd Div (Part of Clayton's Force)

3rd Aus Light Horse Bde

8th Regt ALH, 9th Regt ALH, 10th Regt ALH

4th Aus Light Horse Bde

4th Regt ALH, 11th Regt ALH, 12th Regt ALH

5th Aus Light Horse Bde

14th Regt ALH, 15th Regt ALH

Attached French Regiment Mixte de Marche de Cavalerie

Artillery XIX Bde RHA (Notts Bty RHA, A & B Bty's HAC)

Engineers Aus Mtd Div Field Sqdn

Corps Troops

Machine Gun Corps No's 11 and 12 Light Armoured Motor Btys

Nos. 1 and 7 Light Car Patrols

Is that any help?

Mike

[spof]

Jack

Their war diary is available to download from AWM https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm4/24/34/awm4-24-34-1.pdf

Glen

[JackM]

Mike and Glen,

Thank you both for the information. I had no luck with finding a copy of any volume of the (British) Official History here in West Australia, so I appreciate your help with the DVD Index, Mike.

Glen, I was aware that the AWM held some of the War Diaries in accessible form, but hadn't checked for the Australian Armd Car Sect. I will print that off and transcribe it for my own use. I suspect there's a lot of relevant info there.

Jack