22nd Corps near Rheims June to Aug 1918

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

Someone the other month asked me about some ALH (Australian Light Horse) items found in a old Trench outside Rheims last year, I must addmit was was unaware of any LH involvment down there during the war.

A quick look found we (aussie LH) had a Mixed Regt attached to the 22nd British Corps and was sent to Rheims between June to Aug 1918.

This Regt know as the XXII Corps Light Horse or Mounted Regt was formed in 1918 following it being the 2nd Anzac (Corps) LHR since 1916, it was formed of two Sqn's of the 4th ALHR and one Composite Sqn of the Otago Mounted Rifles (NZ).

The 2nd Anzac LHR became the XXII Corps LH/MR Regt in 1918 when the Australian Corps was formed from both Anzac Corps but the Aust Corps needed only one LH Regt so the other was given to the XXIInd British Corps and renamed.

Between June and Aug the 22nd Corps fought the Germans outside Rheims and its this time and area I am looking at.

Do you have any accounts of the fighting between these dates which relate to the Aussie or NZ LH or MR and the attachment of these Sqn's to the 51st and 62nd British Div's South West of Rheims and the 15th and 34th British Divs west of Rheims.

These accounts can be either offical or not but I need to fill in may holes as this time and story of the ALH has slipped past the wicket keeper and should at last be told.

I should add I have both Offical Histories (British and Aussie) which cover this peroid in limited detail but I was after the more personal details or accounts.

Thanks for any ideas or accounts?

Cheers

S.B