Fred Garrett: Background and Close Analysis

Fred Garrett wrote his war diaries over the course of 2 years and updated it almost daily. He wrote over 650,000 words in this diary and it contains information varying from talking about going to church to fighting in battle and watch his ally be captured by the enemy. His official title was Sergeant F. Garett and was part of the 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment. It was fascinating to read through his diaries because of the fact that he often traveled numerous miles in one day and as a class we are used to reading about the trench wars and a soldier not moving for months. However, Fred's war experience was almost the complete opposite never staying in one base for more then a week or two. Also because of the fact that Calvary use has been outdated for years and this was one of the last wars where armies effectively used cavalry. This reading from the diary talks about a trip through the deserts of Egypt while their unit aides the Allies in a attack on the Turks.

Left for the scrap at about 10.00 a.m. and watered at SALMANA about 7 miles east. From SALMANA to MAZA is waterless. At about 8.00 a.m. we halted in a rather deep gully, for these parts. The track clearly defined running below. Halted fed up and had brekker, boiled billy. The last hour of this part of the journey was specially a snorter, horses pouring sweat, hot sun and no wind. The Brigade Field Ambulance rigged up a marque hospital and a couple of bell tents. A scouting Taube came over, circled around once or twice and made off. We are supports to the 2nd and 3rd Brigades and the Camel Corps (Imperial?). Who attacked 2,300 Turks, strongly entrenched at MAZA.
At about midday these Brigades passed us going back. They made no serious attack and from what I can see of the stunt it was only a reconnaissance in force. Their horses had not been watered since the previous day and were feeling it. Brought back between 20 and 30 prisoners, regulars and Bedouins.. Regulars are dressing in a light yellowish cloth, red sash and Bedouin style head gear, good puttees. Rifles are Martini-Peabody (U.S.A.) a little wallar on a donkey and two young cow camels, several camels, and 1 Turk Officer. We had several casualties, one officer killed, 5 killed and 20 wounded, I heard, but perhaps wrong, that two batteries, RHA, supported our chaps.
Colonel COX is in charge of our Brigade. We started back at about 2.00 p.m. SALMARA at 6.00 p.m., watered, salty water. BIR EL ABD at 8.30 p.m., drew rations and water and slept. The other Brigades operating from HOD ES AMARA not ROMANI.

This passage from his diary is just one of the many like it. Because of the fact that the Australians were not a primary country involved in war but a territory that came in to help their home nation, there are multiple accounts of his brigade coming in and helping another army. There are only a couple passages where his brigade gets into a fight that they spark themselves. One interesting thing was the fact that the used and took weapons and equipment from dead enemy soldiers. The most fascinating thing about Garrett's war diaries is the fact that his brigade is never called in or requested from another army in distress. They regiment rolls around getting orders from their superiors and if they see another Ally army in battle or in need of aide, they help them. They dont seem to have a firm sense of what to do but just ride their horses all throughout Europe fighting any Central Powers that they encounter. This example is seen in this passage. Also, it but it into perspective how many causalities there were in WWI reading a diary because of the fact that in just one battle, we read about 30 people dying for the enemy and having 5 wounded on their side. In this passage, we see various nations fighting for one cause. It is interesting to see how people from all over the world will unite and come together to accomplish one goal and after this goal is accomplished, go back to their regular lives. Despite all the friends and allies from around the world Fred meets, after he is sent back, he never hears from them again.

Source: http://www.grantsmilitaria.com/garrett/