Which Light Horse Regiment?

[Jerrymurland]

This is one for you Aussie experts I think. This guy ended up in the 15th Battalion but clearly origionally joined a Light horse Regiment. Can't read the name of the unit clearly but someone with a knowledge of LH regiments may recognise the unit name.

[Bob Doneley]

It says "Unalloted Light Horse" Simply means that he originally wanted a light horse posting, was allocated to the light horse, but not to a regiment. Then re-posted to the infantry - 15th Bn.

[Jerrymurland]

Nice one Bob! I thought it might have been Nualloter Light Horse and could find no reference to it anywhere. Thanks.

Jerry

[Bob Doneley]

During WW1 all LH regiments were numbered (1-15); it was only the pre-war peace-time militia regiments that had regional titles. In October 1918 the Australian Government directed that militia units would adopt the numbering system of the AIF "to keep the traditions alive". For example, my Battalion was raised in 1911 as the 11th Australian Infantry Regiment, "The Darling Downs Regiment", recruiting from the Darling Downs region of Queensland. In March 1915 the 25th Battalion was raised in Brisbane from Queenslanders, but completely separate from the 11th AIR. In October 1918 the 11th AIR was re-titled the 2nd Battalion 25th AIR (it was deemed that the 1st Battalion was the 25th, still serving in France) and in 1921 it became simply the 25th Battalion, the Darling Downs Regiment.

[Jerrymurland]

Not sure what your point is here Bob...... the 15th Battalion was also raised from Queensland and Tasmania I believe.

[Bob Doneley]

Sorry Jerry... What I was getting at is that on AIF enlistment papers you won't find a regional unit name (other than the section on previous service). You'll find that all AIF units simply have a number eg 15th Bn, 25th Bn, 2nd LHR, etc. The use of regional titles such as the Darling Downs Regiment (25th) or Oxley Regiment (15th) were wholly for militia units, both pre- & post-war.

Did that make it clear, or did I muddy the water even further?

Bob

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

Just to add to Bob's answer.

When a soldier enlisted in the LH he under went training as such in one of a number of LH camps but due to this he was not given a AIF number untill allocted to a formed unit or Reinforcement for a formed unit. Any number given at this stage was about five of six numbers long and was not used after allocated to a reinforment or unit.

These training Sqn's were in Queeensland near Enoggera north west of Brisbane, and once his training was over he was allocated to an Infanrty unit instead of LH unit. It happens still.

His number in the AIF (1817) of the 4th Reinforcment to the 15th Bn AIF, this would have been given once he was allocated to that reinforcment. These were gathered after there training and they could be in this Reinforcment stage for any number of days or months before embarking.

I've seen it before and a soldier went where the need was not where he whated to go.

You now see the Army and how it sometimes works.

Cheers

S.B

Edited 19 December , 2005 by stevenbecker

[Jerrymurland]

Ah!..... I seee now, thanks guys the fog has lifted.

Jerry