BACKGROUND

Claude Powell was born in 1891 in Murwillumbah, son of William & Isabella (Rankin) Powell. According to NSWBDM he was one of 9 children with one sister & 7 brothers. Three of his brothers enlisted- Ernest, Charles Frederick & Henry Powell. As well, two of his cousins also enlisted -David Rankin & Stanley Thorburn. Both his parents and two of his sisters are buried in Tweed Heads Old General Cemetery.

ATTESTATION

Claude travelled to Brisbane on the 31^st July 1915 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as assistant inspector of stock. His next of kin was his mother, Isabella, of Boyd St. Tweed Heads. Claude had spent time in the 4^th ALH. He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER

On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”

OATH

He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Claude Powell, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law

He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

SO, HELP ME, GOD.” 

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MEDICAL EXAMINATION

Claude was 24 years 3 months old. He was 5ft 9 ½ inches tall (1.77m) and weighed 126lbs (58kgs). He had a dark complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. His eye sight was good. He had a long scar on his right foot and a small scar on his left shin Claude was Presbyterian

CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER

The medical examiner certifies I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -

Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.

He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

This is completed during the recruits training. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him as a private with the 11^th Light Horse Regiment, 6^th reinforcements with service number 1211

CHERMSIDE TRAINING CAMP

The land known as Marchant’s Paddock at Chermside was transformed into “Camp Chermside” during WWI. It was a major training ground where soldiers, including the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, camped, drilled, and broke in horses before heading to war. The recruits began their military training amid the dust and bustle of one of this new camp. The Light Horse Depot was a lively place — rows of tents and stables stretched across the paddocks, with constant movement as new recruits learned the routines of mounted service.

They would have spent their first weeks learning the fundamentals of soldiering: drill, physical fitness, and discipline, before moving on to the skills that defined the mounted man. They were taught to ride with a military saddle, to control their horse at all paces, and to manoeuvre in close formation. Daily sessions included mounting and dismounting at speed, guiding the horse with knee and rein, and practising extended trots and canters across open ground. The instructors — many veterans of earlier campaigns — were firm but fair, ensuring each man could care for his mount as well as himself.

Horsemanship was only one part of the training. They learned the use of the Lee-Enfield rifle both on foot and in the saddle, as well as the sword or bayonet for close work. They were trained to move quickly from mounted to dismounted action — the Light Horse fought on foot, using their horses mainly for mobility. Camp life also included route marches, stable duties, grooming and feeding routines, cleaning tack and gear, and long days of drill under the Australian sun.

INNOCULATIONS

All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.

THE UNIFORM

The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.

SOLDIER’S KIT

Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.

·      Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.

·      Braces: worn with breeches.

·      Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.

·      Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.

·      Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.

·      Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.

·      Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.

·      Jersey

·      Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.

·      Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.

·      Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.

·      Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.

·      Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.

·      Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.

·      Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.

·      Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.

·      They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.

·      No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid five shillings a day

After many weeks of this hard routine, the men would have been a confident and capable Light Horseman — fit, disciplined, and bonded with his horse

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM SYDNEY TO EGYPT

On the 2^nd October 1915 his unit caught the troop train from Melbourne to Sydney and on the 4^th October 1915, they embarked on the HMAT A47 Mashobra

Alongside his comrades, Claude marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.

The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On the voyage, due to overcrowding, training was limited to mainly to lectures and a little physical training.

SAILING WITH HORSES

When Claude stepped aboard the Mashobra he was not only beginning his own long journey to war but also taking responsibility for a living companion — his horse. Unlike the infantrymen who embarked with little more than their rifles and kit, the Light Horsemen spent much of the voyage tending to the animals that would carry them through future battles.

Below decks, the ship had been fitted with rows of stalls. Each morning at first light, Claude and his comrades made their way down into the cramped, airless hold to feed, water, and clean up after their horses. The heat, smell, and flies could be overpowering, but the routine was strict and unrelenting: feed measured out carefully, water rationed, and the heavy work of mucking out stalls done daily to keep the animals healthy. When weather allowed, the horses were brought on deck to stretch their legs, led slowly around the ship, or lifted in slings to keep their muscles supple.

The rest of the day was divided between horse duty, parades, and training. On deck, the men drilled with their rifles, practised bayonet work, and kept up their physical fitness. The ship was crowded, hammocks and bunks jammed together, and meals were plain—bully beef, hard biscuits, and tea—but the men kept themselves occupied with cards, writing letters, or impromptu concerts. Seasickness was common, especially in the early days, and many struggled with the reek of horseflesh combined with the rolling sea.

There were lighter moments, too. The men organised boxing matches and games, and the bond between soldier and horse grew stronger each day. Claude, like many of his regiment, came from country life and was used to handling horses; brushing down his mount or leading it carefully around the deck gave him a small sense of normality amid the voyage’s monotony.

The journey was not without loss. Some horses sickened and died despite the best efforts of their handlers and veterinary officers. Their bodies were solemnly hoisted up from the holds and buried at sea, a sight that reminded the men of the fragility of both beast and soldier in the campaign ahead.

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to Egypt the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.

SECURITY

By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes.

APPROACHING EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the sandy training grounds of Egypt, preparing for what lay ahead.

EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMP LATE NOVEMBER 1915

The ship arrived in Egypt in late November 1915 and the recruits were marched into one of the Egyptian training camps. When the train finally rattled into the siding near the camp, Claude found himself staring at an extraordinary sight — the vast Pyramids looming on the horizon, their ancient stones glowing gold in the late afternoon sun. Rows of khaki tents stretched out across the sand, the dust curling in little eddies around the tent pegs.

During an interim period, soldiers typically:

·      Recovered from the voyage: After long sea travel from Australia, troops needed time to rest and regain strength.

·      Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.

·      Received equipment and uniforms: Egypt's heat made the heavy wool uniforms uncomfortable. As a result, lighter clothing was often issued or obtained locally. Soldiers frequently wore:

ü Khaki cotton shirts without the tunic

ü Lightweight drill uniforms made from cotton

ü Shorts on some occasions, particularly in camp

ü Pith helmets or sun helmets for fatigue duties and work in the sun, although the slouch hat remained the iconic Australian headgear

·      Were assigned to training battalions: Administrative processing sorted soldiers into reinforcement drafts for specific front-line battalions.

·      Drilled lightly: They performed light drills, parades, and familiarisation routines while waiting for formal training slots to open. Then formal training began

Life at the camp was nothing like the camp back home. Here, the desert heat was intense even in the early hours, and the days began with the bugler’s call well before sunrise. The men formed up on the sandy parade ground, rifles over their shoulders, boots sinking into the powdery surface as they marched in formation. Drill sessions were longer and harder than anything they had experienced in Australia — endless turns, wheeling movements, and column changes designed to make the battalion move as a single, disciplined unit.

Weapons training was constant. Each man practised rapid loading and firing with his Lee–Enfield until the action felt like second nature. Bayonet drills took on a fierce intensity: lunging, parrying, and withdrawing in perfect rhythm under the watchful eye of the instructors. There was musketry practice at the range, too, where the sound of rifle fire cracked sharply across the desert, the targets standing out as black specks against the glaring sand.

Route marches tested endurance. Fully equipped with packs, rifles, and webbing, the men marched for miles through the heat haze, learning to pace themselves and conserve water. Sand found its way into every seam of clothing, into boots and rifles, and the men soon understood that maintaining their kit — keeping it clean and in working order — could mean the difference between life and death.

There was also instruction in trench construction and maintenance. Under the relentless sun, the recruits helped dig and reinforce shallow practice trenches, learning how to build firing steps, drainage channels, and parapets. Though the work was exhausting, it gave the men an idea of the conditions they would soon face on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Evenings brought some relief. After the day’s training, Claude and his mates might head into Cairo, where the narrow lanes bustled with traders calling their wares and the air was rich with the smell of cooking fires, sweet pastries, and tobacco smoke. The muezzin’s call to prayer echoed over the rooftops, mingling with the laughter of soldiers from across the Empire. On rest days, they visited the Pyramids and posed for photographs, the Sphinx silent and inscrutable behind them.

Yet even in those moments of wonder, the reality of war was never far away. Each man knew their time was coming when they had to face the brutal realities of desert warfare. The reinforcements were acclimatised to desert conditions, issued with additional equipment, and continued their mounted training. The Light Horse reinforcements spent long hours in the saddle, practised reconnaissance, outpost duties, signalling, and manoeuvres over the desert terrain that they would soon encounter on active service.

REGIMENT’S REFORMATION- 22^ND FEBRUARY 1916

Following the evacuation from Gallipoli, the Australian Light Horse regiments were being rebuilt and reorganised in Egypt. On that date Claude marched into the 11th Light Horse camp upon the regiment's reformation. The regiment was rebuilding its strength after the Gallipoli campaign and integrating reinforcements such as Claude into its ranks. He would have met veterans who had survived the fighting on Gallipoli and learned from their experience while adapting to the routines of an active regiment.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH MARCH 1916

On 12 March 1916 he was taken on strength of A Squadron. This marked the point at which he ceased to be merely a reinforcement and became a fully integrated member of the regiment. During the following weeks the 11th Light Horse was engaged in intensive preparation for the defence of the Suez Canal and forthcoming operations against Ottoman forces in the Sinai Desert.

CAMEL TRANSPORT APRIL 1916

On 30 April 1916 Claude marched into the Camel Transport and General Base Depot at Tel el Kebir. This was one of the major military centres in Egypt, containing training establishments, depots, hospitals and transport units. His stay there may have been administrative, connected with training, equipping, or movement arrangements. Such transfers were common and often lasted only a short period.

MAY 1916

By 17 May 1916 he had marched out to Serapeum on the Suez Canal. At that time Serapeum was one of the principal bases for the ANZAC Mounted Division. The area was a hive of military activity as mounted troops prepared to carry the war eastward across the Sinai Peninsula. Claude would have participated in patrols, route marches, field exercises and the constant work of maintaining horses in the harsh desert environment. Watering, feeding and caring for horses remained a major daily responsibility.

MID 1916 TO EARLY 1917

After arriving at Serapeum in May 1916, Claude joined the 11th Light Horse as the regiment prepared to move from a defensive role along the Suez Canal to offensive operations across the Sinai Desert. The Australian mounted troops were tasked with driving the Ottoman forces away from the canal and securing the vast desert that lay between Egypt and Palestine.

Throughout the winter of 1916, Claude and his comrades spent long periods on patrol. These patrols could last for days and involved travelling across harsh desert country in extreme heat, often with limited water supplies. The men became highly skilled in navigation, reconnaissance and mounted warfare. Much of their time was spent guarding wells, escorting supply columns and watching for enemy movements.

AUGUST 1916 BATTLE OF ROMANI

In August 1916, the 11th Light Horse took part in the Battle of Romani.

All was quiet, then, in the early hours of 4 August 1916, the silence of the desert shattered. Turkish troops surged forward under cover of darkness, aiming to punch through the thin defensive line and sweep around the escarpment to outflank the Australians. The fighting was chaotic and brutal. William’s regiment, part of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade, was thrown into the fray—charging, retreating, and counterattacking across the dunes.

The battle raged for two days. The Australians, though outnumbered, used their mobility and knowledge of the terrain to devastating effect. Chauvel had anticipated the Turkish maneuver and placed troops on the high ground, who now sprang into action and repelled the flanking force. By 5 August, the Ottoman dream of capturing the canal was shattered. Over 9,000 enemy casualties, including 4,000 prisoners, marked the scale of the defeat.

For the soldiers, Romani was more than a battle—it was a turning point. The victory secured the canal and marked the beginning of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, where the ANZAC Mounted Division would shift from defence to offense, pursuing the retreating enemy deep into the desert.

This was a pivotal engagement fought east of the Suez Canal when a large Ottoman force attempted to threaten the canal once more. The Australians, New Zealanders and British troops successfully halted the attack and then pursued the retreating enemy across the desert. Claude would have experienced the exhausting conditions of mounted warfare, with men and horses operating for long hours in deep sand under intense summer temperatures.

SEPTEMBER 1916

Following Romani, the regiment participated in the advance eastward through Sinai. In September 1916, the 11th Light Horse was involved in operations around Katia and Bir el Abd, where the mounted troops continued to pressure the withdrawing Ottoman forces and deny them opportunities to regroup.

As the railway and water pipeline were extended across Sinai, the regiment advanced steadily towards the Palestinian frontier. The work was often monotonous and physically demanding, involving patrols, picket duties and long marches through barren country, but it was essential to maintaining the momentum of the campaign.

BATTLE OF MAGDHABA DECEMBER 916

In December 1916, Claude would have been present during the Battle of Magdhaba. The desert dawn on 23 December 1916 broke cold and clear, the kind of morning that carried a deceptive stillness. The men were part of a swift-moving column under Major General Harry Chauvel, tasked with striking the Ottoman garrison at Magdhaba—a remote outpost nestled along the Wadi el Arish, some forty kilometres inland.

The Turks had fortified the position with a series of redoubts—low, sandbagged emplacements linked by trenches and bristling with machine guns. It was not a town so much as a scattering of huts and dugouts, but its location made it a threat to the British advance. Chauvel knew speed was essential. The enemy had to be crushed before they could regroup or retreat.

As the sun climbed higher, the Light Horse dismounted and began their advance on foot. The sand was soft and treacherous, the air dry and biting. Willia moved in silence, rifle at the ready, eyes scanning the horizon for the telltale glint of gun barrels. The Australians fanned out, encircling the redoubts with methodical precision. Artillery thundered from the rear, sending plumes of dust skyward, while the troopers pressed forward in short, sharp bursts—advancing, firing, ducking for cover.

The Turks fought stubbornly, their machine guns raking the open ground. But the Australians were relentless. By mid-afternoon, the outer defences had begun to crumble. In one daring manoeuvre, two troops charged directly into the heart of the Turkish line, breaking through and sowing confusion. William, caught in the surge, found himself scrambling over sandbags and into the enemy trench, the acrid smell of cordite thick in the air.

By late afternoon, the resistance had collapsed. Chauvel demanded unconditional surrender, and the Turkish commander, seeing his position untenable, complied. Over 1,200 prisoners were taken, along with weapons, supplies, and—most crucially—intact wells that would sustain the next leg of the campaign.

Magdhaba was a hard-earned victory. It wasn’t just the triumph of tactics or firepower—it was proof that the Light Horse could fight and win in the deep desert, far from the comforts of supply lines or established bases. The battle marked a turning point, the beginning of a new phase in the war where mounted troops would lead the advance into Palestine.

The 11th Light Horse formed part of the ANZAC Mounted Division that attacked the Ottoman garrison defending the oasis. After a hard day's fighting, the position was captured, yielding a significant victory and opening the route further into Sinai.

BATTLE OF RAFA JANUARY 1917

Only a few weeks later, in January 1917, the regiment took part in the Battle of Rafa near the Palestine border. Rafa, a former police post on the Egypt-Palestine border, was the scene of action between the Desert Column and Turkish forces on 9 January 1917. Rafa was one of two Turkish outposts guarding the Palestine frontier and when the other, Magdhaba, fell on 23 December 1916 it became the focus of British and dominion operations. The main Turkish defences were located on a bare hill about one and a half kilometres south of the town, and consisted of a strong network of trenches sited around a central redoubt. The attacking force consisting of the ANZAC Mounted Division, the Imperial Camel Corps, and the 5th Yeomanry surrounded Rafa before dawn but the subsequent attack made slow progress. By mid-afternoon the commander of the Desert Column, Lieutenant General Sir Phillip Chetwode, considered calling the operation off as reserves, ammunition and water were getting short; a definite decision to break-off was precipitated by the approach of two strong groups of Turkish reinforcements. The orders to the assaulting brigades were, however, ignored at unit level and both the cameleers and troopers of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade succeeded in overrunning the redoubts to their front. The Turkish defence then rapidly. Once again, the mounted troops conducted a long approach march before attacking entrenched Ottoman positions. The battle lasted throughout the day and ended in another Allied victory. Rafa effectively completed the conquest of Sinai and placed the Allied forces on the threshold of Palestine.

By early 1917 Claude had therefore participated in one of the most successful mounted campaigns of the war. In less than a year, the Australian Light Horse had helped defend the Suez Canal, driven the Ottoman Army across the Sinai Desert, and captured the key positions at Romani, Magdhaba and Rafa. These victories laid the groundwork for the subsequent advance into Palestine and the famous battles that would follow later in 1917.

HOSPITALISED APRIL 1917 INJURED LEFT EYELID

On 28 April 1917 Claude was admitted to the 14th Australian General Hospital at Abbassia suffering an injury to his left eyelid. Eye injuries in the Middle East were not uncommon. They could result from accidents involving horses, equipment, flying sand, dust storms, or debris during military operations. The injury was evidently not severe enough to keep him from duty for long.

DISCHARGED MAY 1917

After treatment and recovery, Claude was discharged on 19 May 1917 to Moascar, another major Australian camp near Ismailia. From there he was returned to duty and taken on strength of his unit the same day.

MAY 1917

After returning from hospital in May 1917, Claude rejoined the 11th Light Horse while the regiment was preparing for the next phase of the Palestine campaign. The First and Second Battles of Gaza had already been fought, and the mounted troops spent much of their time patrolling, training, improving defensive positions and conducting reconnaissance of Ottoman lines.

IMPERIAL SCHOOL INSTRUCTION JULY 1917

On 7 July 1917 Claude was sent to the Imperial School of Instruction. These schools provided additional training in military skills such as musketry, signalling, scouting, map reading, leadership, fieldcraft and mounted tactics. Being selected generally indicates that a soldier was considered capable and reliable.

The entry of 28 July, "Rejected by School of Instruction," does not necessarily mean failure. Men were often returned to their units because courses were oversubscribed, because they were required elsewhere, because of medical reasons, or because they were not considered suitable for the specific course. Without further documentation it is impossible to know the exact reason.

REJOINED UNIT AUGUST 1917

He returned to the 11th Light Horse on 4 August and was taken on strength at Marakeb (often recorded as Marakeb or El Marakeb) on 10 August 1917.

AUGUST 1917 AND FEBRUARY 1918

Between August 1917 and February 1918, the regiment was heavily engaged in the campaign that broke the Ottoman defensive line in southern Palestine.

During this period Claude would have participated in:

·      The concentration before the Third Battle of Gaza.

·      The capture of Beersheba on 31 October 1917.

·      The advance through southern Palestine.

·      The capture of Gaza after the Ottoman withdrawal.

THE FIRST BATTLE OF GAZA MARCH 1917

The coastal city of Gaza was the heart of the main Turkish defensive position in southern Palestine. Three major battles were launched in 1917 by British and dominion forces to capture Gaza - only the third succeeded in this object.
The first battle of Gaza took place on 26 March 1917. Two British infantry divisions were to attack it from the south while the mounted troops of the Desert Column would attack from the flanks and north. When the attack was launched the infantry made slow progress but the mounted troops succeeded in capturing high ground to the north of the city and advancing into it. Concerned by the lack of progress made by the infantry, and fearing the water supplies vital for the mounted troops would not be captured that night, Lieutenant General Dobell, the British officer commanding the operation, ordered a withdrawal at dusk. The next morning, after realising his mistake, Dobell attempted to resume the battle with the infantry, but with the troops exhausted and the Turks having received reinforcements, the attack floundered.

·      Operations towards Jerusalem.

·      The difficult winter campaign in the Judean Hills.

Although the 11th Light Horse was not part of the famous mounted charge at Beersheba, it played an important role in the wider operations. The regiment spent much of the period scouting, screening the advance, guarding communications and pursuing withdrawing enemy forces.

DECEMBER 1917

By December 1917 the Allied forces had captured Jerusalem. The campaign then slowed as winter rain, mud and difficult terrain hampered further advances.

REST CAMP FEBRUARY 1918

On 16 February 1918 Claude proceeded to a rest camp at Port Said. Such camps gave exhausted men a brief respite from front-line conditions. Soldiers could receive clean clothing, medical attention, better food and a period away from operational duties.

REJOINED UNIT MARCH 1918

On 2 March 1918 he left the rest camp and returned to duty, rejoining the regiment, which was then operating in the Jordan Valley area.

JORDAN VALLEY MARCH AND APRIL 1918

In March and April, the Australian mounted troops conducted operations east of the Jordan River in support of attempts to disrupt Ottoman communications and threaten Amman. Conditions in the Jordan Valley were notoriously harsh. Temperatures were extreme, insects were everywhere, and disease was common. Nevertheless, the mounted regiments carried out frequent patrols, reconnaissance missions and attacks against enemy positions.

SECOND TRANSJORDAN RAID APRIL AND MAY 1918

On 30 April and 1 May 1918, the ANZAC Mounted Division participated in the Second Transjordan Raid, aimed at capturing Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt. The operation met determined Ottoman resistance. Fighting was fierce, confusing and spread over difficult mountainous country.

The Second Battle of the Jordan, also known as the Second Es Salt Raid or the Second Transjordan attack, was a failed British Empire offensive fought from 30 April to 4 May 1918 east of the Jordan River during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War. It involved forces from the Egyptian Expeditionary Force under General Sir Edmund Allenby, primarily comprising Australian, New Zealand, Indian, and British troops organized as Chaytor's Force and the 60th Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Harry Chauvel, crossing the Jordan at Ghoraniyeh to seize the town of Es Salt and push toward Amman with the aim of disrupting Ottoman supply lines along the Hejaz railway and supporting the Arab Revolt. Opposing them were Ottoman and German units of the Yildirim Army Group under Liman von Sanders, who mounted effective defenses reinforced by rapid arrivals via rail.

The operation began with a successful river crossing and rapid advance, capturing Es Salt by the evening of 30 April, but quickly stalled due to logistical difficulties, harsh terrain, adverse weather, and fierce Ottoman counterattacks, particularly at the fortified Shunet Nimrin position near Amman. British infantry assaults on 2 May were repulsed with heavy losses, and by 4 May, the EEF forces withdrew across the Jordan to avoid encirclement, marking a tactical victory for the Ottomans. Estimates place EEF casualties at approximately 1,650 (including killed, wounded, missing, and sick), with around 137 taken prisoner, while Ottoman and German forces suffered over 2,000 casualties, including 472 prisoners captured by the EEF; the battle highlighted the challenges of operating in the Jordan Valley's rugged landscape and poor coordination with Arab irregulars.

WOUNDED AND MISSING IN ACTION 1 MAY 1918

It was during these operations on 1 May 1918 that Claude was reported wounded and missing in action. Initially, nobody knew his fate. In the confusion of battle a wounded man might be left behind, become separated from his unit, or be captured while being evacuated.

COURT OF ENQUIRY MAY 1918

Consequently, on 6 May a Court of Enquiry concluded that Claude had been wounded and was a prisoner of war at Jericho.

As soon as possible after a battle/action a court of Inquiry was held to determine what had happened to all ranks within the battalion. All soldiers were then listed and what happen was ascertained to the best of the knowledge of the men involved. This was not always possible to confirm those missing unless they were seen by a survivor to be killed or wounded. In many cases those listed as missing and were not on the hospital or PoW reports from the Redcross or from the Enemy either German or Turkish were declared dead. The actual date of death was not determined until they made all enquiries and this process could take a few days to many months

Unfortunately, as months passed, no reliable information confirming his survival emerged. After the war, investigations into missing soldiers were conducted using Ottoman records, witness statements and reports from returned prisoners.

SECOND COURT OF ENQUIRY JANUARY 1919

KILLED IN ACTION AMMAN, PALESTINE 1^ST MAY  1918

A second Court of Enquiry on 8 January 1919 was held in London determined that Claude had in fact been killed in action on 1 May 1918.

The most likely scenario is that Claude was wounded during the fighting around Es Salt or Shunet Nimrin and was either killed during the action or died shortly afterwards before he could be identified or properly reported. The initial belief that he had become a prisoner was a reasonable assumption amid the confusion of the battle, but later evidence convinced the authorities that he had not survived.

The Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing enquiry Bureau was responsible for investigating missing in action soldiers. This bureau was established to handle the many thousands of inquiries from Australian families seeking information on wounded and missing soldiers during the war. The bureau gathered witness statements and conducted investigations to provide families with answers about the fate of their loved ones. In Claude’s case they had 15 documents that helped the court come to their decision. An example of their investigations is a statement from Pte Osborne who was in the same battalion and on the field the same day as Claude. He declares “Powell was my mate. It was during the retreat from El Salt he was hit in the stomach and as in great pain- he was conscious and asked the lads that wanted to try and get him out to leave him as he was done. He was a very popular chap”

BURIAL NO KNOWN GRAVE

Claude is memorialised in the Jerusalem Memorial, Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel, panel 59

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service Claude was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal

His name is recorded on the Roll of Honour in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial Number 8 among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War

MEMORIAL SCROLL, MEMORIAL PLAQUE, VICTORY MEDAL

His mother received his memorial scroll on the 3^rd October 1921, his memorial plaque on the 19^th December 1922 and his Victory medal on the 5^th February 1923

PERSONAL EFFECTS

His mother received a package containing his personal effects on the 11^th October 1918. The package contained 2 belts, 1 drill tunic, 1 pr boots, parts of 6 watched, 3 prs socks, 1 Balaclava cap, 1 chest warm, 1 pr knee warms, 1 leather pouch, 1 pr mittens, 1 housewife, 1 nail clipper, 1 diary, 1 military note book and 1 devotional book

WILL

Claude made a will on the 25^th January 1918 and left all his personal estate to his mother, Isabella

If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.