[Editor: This long extract from a letter written by Victor Neville Brady, an Australian soldier, was published in The Week (Brisbane, Qld.), 15 February 1918. Brady served as a machine-gunner with the 4th Light Horse Regiment during the First World War (1914-1918). This letter tells of Brady’s experiences during the Battle of Beersheba (1917). The first paragraph is an introductory sentence written by the staff of the newspaper.]
Capture of Beersheba.
Queensland soldier’s experiences.
Extract from letter from Machine Gunner Victor Brady, of the Light Horse Brigade, youngest son of Mr. A. B. Brady writing in Palestine on 25th November last.
At last I have secured some writing paper, so will now endeavour to tell you a little of our doings during the last month. I wrote a few lines to you a few days ago, telling you I was O.K.
Well, on 28th October, we left our bivouacs on the wadi, where I often wrote from, and rode during part of the night towards Beersheba. On the night of the 29th, we rode on a bit further and on the night of 30th, we rode from 6 p.m. till 9 a.m. on the 31st October, to the other side of the town, and about five miles east of it. We hung about all day preparing to attack.
At 4 o’clock in the afternoon, word came that our brigade was to attack the main trenches and redoubt in front of the town. At 4.45 p.m., we started to charge at the gallop for a couple of miles. The last half mile was very hot with bullets, shrapnel, and high explosives, but that did not stop us. I cannot explain how I felt, but I just sat on the saddle waiting for an issue.
We galloped within a hundred yards of the Turks in the redoubts, and then dismounted, and got our gun into action. Jacko was taken by surprise; they were running in all directions, in and out of their bivouacs, and we turned our deadly weapon right on to them. They surrendered in hundreds, but nevertheless, their high explosives burst and screeched overhead. We lost a lot of horses in front of the redoubts. Before I dismounted, a bullet went through a part of the range taking instrument hanging on my back.
Right in view of us, at about 2,000 yards was the town, with its mosque standing out very prominently. The fellow who took my horse when I dismounted got shot through the back, but he is getting all right now in hospital at Cairo. We then advanced on foot towards the town, carrying the gun, tripod, and ammunition. I was absolutely done when we got there; we passed under the big viaduct, and mounted our gun again on the railway embankment.
What a commotion when we got into the middle of the town around the wells — revolvers and rifles shooting everywhere. There was one mass of men in the vicinity, prisoners, Tommies, and our fellows. Just before we entered the town there were two huge explosions of buildings of military value. It was quite dark when we reached the town. We captured all their field guns, machines, in fact, everything they had. The Turks who tried to escape towards Gaza were caught by the infantry.
The Taubes were very active, too, at a low altitude.
We camped the night in the town of Beersheba, and moved out a little way east in the morning. We spent three days about Beersheba, and then moved off towards Gaza, and had some tiresome, dusty rides. On 6th November, we stood to all day, in case of an enemy cavalry attack, and we could see the infantry attacking strong enemy positions, which they took. Our artillery did magnificent work, and was very deadly. There was a ceaseless bombardment all day.
On 7th November, we got into action again at a place called Tel el Sharia, and we got a very warm time, especially with Jacko’s high explosives. I had some very irregular feeds during the shell fire, one does not get very hungry.
My old regiment suffered very heavily this day, and one of our chaplains was killed, also fellows who left Brisbane with me. When the Turks were driven back we discovered one of their bakeries, and we got in a good stock of black bread.
Next day the Turks had retreated, and we followed them for 8 or 9 miles, passing enemy dumps of all descriptions, including ammunition. The Irish and Scotch Infantry will do me after what I have seen, they face anything. We were in view of the sea from our stopping place that afternoon, so you can see how we closed in on them, but a lot got away from Gaza before we could cut them off.
On 9th November we travelled nearly all night in pursuit of Jacko. Our horses were very tired and thirsty not having had a drink for over 60 hours. We watered our horses at an Assyrian village next day.
During the afternoon of 10th November, some of our squadron got into action, and one of the number was killed. We had a “starve” horses and selves this day, no rations having been issued. On Sunday, 11th November, we had Turkish black bread and tea for breakfast; spent all day watering our horses at a village. There are villages every couple of miles.
On 12th November, the Turks counter-attacked us, but we soon blocked. Next day we attacked them at a railway station on the Gaza-Jerusalem line and drove them well back. It was pretty hot there for a while, but one gets used to the shells. We camped that night in the village taken from the enemy. Everywhere we went, and in all loot there was the trace of the German. We got quite a number of German prisoners in different scraps. This is where we saw 27 of our aeroplanes fly to bomb the retreating enemy. They made a terrible mess of things — dead Turks, mules, horses everywhere — the stench was terrible, and we had the job of burying some of it. We camped near this railway station for a couple of days — a nice modern station of stone with red tiled roof and planted round with trees.
On 17th November, we moved off towards the Holy City, and rode six or seven miles over very rugged country. We took up a position to attack again about 16 miles from Jerusalem, but the attack was abandoned, the country being too rough for the horses. The infantry carried out the work next morning. We could see quite distinctly the town of Ramleh, which is about six miles from Jafa. We returned that night to a Jewish village.
On 19th November, we rode north-west towards Jafa, and passed through luxuriant country — oranges, grapes, figs, and prunes growing in abundance.
It was beautifully fresh after the rains they had; the soil just like the Darling Downs, but beyond a distance of eight to 10 miles from the sea the country is very rugged. We all had a great feed of oranges. I bought 10s. worth of brown bread and jam in the Jewish town — this town contains many nice stone houses with red tiled roofs, so different to what we have been used to. It was quite a novelty to see white Jewish women. That night before we reached our camping ground near the town, it began to rain, and we got wet through. I snuggled up with my mate under wet blankets, and spent a very miserable night. We had our bivouac sheets issued us when the rain was all over.
It was beautifully fresh when the sun came out, and very cold.
I had to throw my shirt and riding breeches away, so I felt fairly cold in shorts and tunic.
On 21st November we moved back 16 miles towards Gaza. The nearest we got to Gaza was eight miles; of course our infantry are beyond there now. At present we are camped about two and a-half miles from the beach near the big Assyrian village of Mejdel, where Mary Magdalene was supposed to have been born.
I omitted to say that the morning after the Beersheba battle we took a stroll over the battlefield and saw so many of our fallen comrades. There were many of our horses and hundreds of dead Turks.
I saw a row of dead Australians lying awaiting burial, and one of them was Cotter, the great Australian cricketer. It was very impressive. The fellow who went on leave to Alexandria with me was also killed.
I obtained a nice pair of brass stirrups off a German’s pony, also a diary — but that was taken from me.
Don’t send warm clothing for winter, as I have plenty. Eatables and tobacco are all I want. We actually came to smoking tea leaves in this stunt. Don’t worry about me as I am always happy, but, nevertheless, will be glad when the day comes to return to dear old home and sunny Queensland.
Source:
The Week (Brisbane, Qld.), 15 February 1918, p. 35
Also published in:
The Brisbane Courier (Brisbane, Qld.), 9 February 1918, p. 6 (entitled: “Fighting in Palestine: Capture of Beersheba: A Queenslander’s experiences”)
The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld.), 9 February 1918, p. 16 (entitled: “Capture of Beersheba: Queensland soldier’s experiences)
Editor’s notes:
For further information about Victor Neville Brady, see:
1), “BRADY, Victor Neville”, Virtual War Memorial Australia
2) “BRADY VICTOR NEVILLE : Service Number – Q200852 : Date of birth – 22 Apr 1898 : Place of birth – BRISBANE QLD : Place of enlistment – BRISBANE QLD : Next of Kin – BRADY MARGARITA”, National Archives of Australia
A photograph of Victor Neville Brady was published in The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld.), on 27 January 1917 (p. 25), as part of a gallery of photos of Australian soldiers (the photograph of V.N. Brady is the first one on the 4th row). The Trove copy of that page is of very poor quality; however, the State Library of Queensland has a better quality image of that page, along with separate individual photos of the soldiers, including one of V.N. Brady.
See:
“V.N. Brady, one of the soldiers photographed in The Queenslander Pictorial, supplement to The Queenslander, 1917”, State Library of Queensland
“Queenslander Pictorial, Soldier Portraits 1917 > Soldier portraits, page 25, 27 January 1917”, State Library of Queensland
“Infantry”, The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld.), 27 January 1917, p. 25
It was decided to reproduce the version of this letter as published by The Week (15 February 1918), instead of the earlier version published by The Brisbane Courier (9 February 1918), as the 15 February 1918 version included extra text which was not published in the 9 February 1918 version. It appears that a copy of the same letter was sent to the two publications, and that some editing was carried out by the newspaper staff of the The Brisbane Courier.
There were some minor differences in punctuation in the two versions, as well as differing dating styles (The Brisbane Courier used the style of “October 28”, whilst The Week used “28th October”). However, The Week included extra text which did not appear in The Brisbane Courier, as noted below (the additional text has been rendered in italics):
1a) The Brisbane Courier: At last I have secured some writing paper, so will now endeavour to tell you a little of our doings during the last month.
1b) The Week: At last I have secured some writing paper, so will now endeavour to tell you a little of our doings during the last month. I wrote a few lines to you a few days ago, telling you I was O.K.
2a) The Brisbane Courier: On Sunday we had Turkish black bread and tea for breakfast
2b) The Week: On Sunday, 11th November, we had Turkish black bread and tea for breakfast
3a) The Brisbane Courier: Everywhere we went there was the trace of the German.
3b) The Week: Everywhere we went, and in all loot there was the trace of the German.
4a) The Brisbane Courier: They made a terrible mess of things — dead Turks, mules, horses, everywhere.
4b) The Week: They made a terrible mess of things — dead Turks, mules, horses everywhere — the stench was terrible, and we had the job of burying some of it. We camped near this railway station for a couple of days — a nice modern station of stone with red tiled roof and planted round with trees.
5a) The Brisbane Courier: We all had a great feed of oranges. It was quite a novelty to see white Jewish women.
5b) The Week: We all had a great feed of oranges. I bought 10s. worth of brown bread and jam in the Jewish town — this town contains many nice stone houses with red tiled roofs, so different to what we have been used to. It was quite a novelty to see white Jewish women. That night before we reached our camping ground near the town, it began to rain, and we got wet through. I snuggled up with my mate under wet blankets, and spent a very miserable night. We had our bivouac sheets issued us when the rain was all over.
It was beautifully fresh when the sun came out, and very cold.
I had to throw my shirt and riding breeches away, so I felt fairly cold in shorts and tunic.
6a) The Brisbane Courier: On November 21 we moved back 16 miles towards Gaza. The nearest we got to Jaffa was eight miles
6b) The Week: On November 21 we moved back 16 miles towards Gaza. The nearest we got to Gaza was eight miles
[Editor: It appears that “Gaza” was the correct place to mention in this context.]
7a) The Brisbane Courier: where Mary Magdalene was supposed to have been born.
7b) The Week: where Mary Magdalene was supposed to have been born.
I omitted to say that the morning after the Beersheba battle we took a stroll over the battlefield and saw so many of our fallen comrades. There were many of our horses and hundreds of dead Turks.
I saw a row of dead Australians lying awaiting burial, and one of them was Cotter, the great Australian cricketer. It was very impressive. The fellow who went on leave to Alexandria with me was also killed.
I obtained a nice pair of brass stirrups off a German’s pony, also a diary — but that was taken from me.
Beersheba = a city in Israel
bivouac = to set up a temporary casual encampment for the night, with little or no shelter (usually without setting up tents)
bivouac sheet = a sheet, made of waterproof or water-resistant material (sometimes called a groundsheet), which is used to make a bivouac shelter or a bivouac tent (usually small in size), sometimes in conjunction with other materials, nearby resources, or the local environment; two bivouac sheets can be used to create a rudimentary tent, by using one sheet as a tent roof and the other sheet as a groundsheet
See: “Bivouac shelter”, Wikipedia
Cotter = Albert (Tibby) Cotter (1883-1917), an Australian cricketer; he was born in Sydney (NSW) in 1883; he was killed in action at Beersheba (Israel) in 1917, during the First World War (1914-1918)
See: 1) G. P. Walsh, “Albert (Tibby) Cotter (1883–1917)”, Australian Dictionary of Biography
2) “Tibby Cotter”, Wikipedia
done = exhausted, very tired, worn out (also rendered as “done in”, e.g. “after running in the marathon, I was done in”)
Holy City = Jerusalem (the capital city of Israel); Jerusalem is regarded as a holy city in the religious traditions of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism
See: 1) “Jerusalem”, Wikipedia
2) “Religious significance of Jerusalem”, Wikipedia
hot = very dangerous, difficult, or risky; unpleasant
Jacko = a nickname for Turks (especially used during the First World War, 1914-1918) (plural: Jackos)
redoubt = a fort, a stronghold; a defensive military fortification or position (especially a small and temporary one); a protected place, a safe place of refuge; an organisation, movement, or ideological collective which defends a belief or a way of life (especially a belief or a way of life which is under threat and/or disappearing)
s. = a reference to a shilling, or shillings; the “s” was an abbreviation of “solidi”, e.g. as used in “L.S.D.” or “£sd” (pounds, shillings, and pence), which refers to coins used by the Romans, as per the Latin words “librae” (or “libra”), “solidi” (singular “solidus”), and “denarii” (singular “denarius”)
scrap = a fight, a brawl; a battle
stood to = past tense of “stand to”: stand to for action; a military situation of alertness whereby military personnel are take their positions, with weapons ready, and be prepared for action, for battle, or to resist an attack; to wait in readiness for action
stunt = a military action, a battle; an event, a function, an occasion, a social affair
Taube = an Austrian-designed areoplane; it was first produced in 1910, and was used by the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the First World War (it was also used by several other countries)
See: “Etrich Taube”, Wikipedia
Tommies = plural of “Tommy” [see: Tommy]
Tommy = (a shortened version of “Tommy Atkins”) a British soldier, British infantryman, British fighting man; the term was popularised by the poem “Tommy”, by British poet Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
wadi = a river, stream, or watercourse in North Africa or the Middle East which is dry except during the rainy season; a ravine, defile, gorge, gully, passage, or valley containing a stream bed or river bed which is dry except during the rainy season (also spelt: wady; plural: wadies)
warm = dangerous, difficult, or risky
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