Cyril Charles SCHRAMM

Badge Number: S3821, Sub Branch: Tumby Bay
S3821

SCHRAMM, Cyril Charles

Service Number: 3366
Enlisted: 15 March 1917
Last Rank: Trooper
Last Unit: 9th Light Horse Regiment
Born: Whites River SA, 18 December 1897
Home Town: Tumby Bay, Tumby Bay, South Australia
Schooling: Whites River School
Occupation: Farmer
Died: Tumby Bay SA, 23 July 1973, aged 75 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Tumby Bay Cemetery
Memorials: Port Lincoln & District Honor Roll WW1, Tumby Bay RSL Portrait Memorials
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

15 Mar 1917: Enlisted AIF WW1, Trooper, 9th Light Horse Regiment
2 Nov 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 3366, 9th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Commonwealth embarkation_ship_number: A73 public_note: ''
2 Nov 1917: Embarked AIF WW1, Trooper, 3366, 9th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Commonwealth, Melbourne
11 Nov 1918: Involvement Trooper, 3366
3 Sep 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Trooper, 9th Light Horse Regiment

Help us honour Cyril Charles Schramm's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Geoffrey Stewart

Cyril was born on 18 December 1897 at Whites River to Abraham Lincoln Schramm and Catherine Schramm (nee Simes). He was the fourth youngest of 14 children in the family, 10 boys and 4 girls. His father was a farmer at Whites River

Cyril went to Whites River School, as did all his brothers and sisters, leaving at grade 7.  On completing his education he worked on the family farm until his enlistment in the Army on 15 March 1917 at the age of 19 years. At the time he gave his address as Whites River via Tumby Bay and his occupation as farmer.

After enlistment at Port Lincoln he went to Mitcham for processing on 27 March 1917 and then to Base Light Horse to commence training. On completion he was allocated to 30th Reinforcements/9th Light Horse Regiment (9th L H Regt). On 29 October 1917 he entrained for Melbourne; 3 days later he embarked aboard HMAT “Commonwealth” from Melbourne, bound for the Middle East, arriving on 15 December 1917 and marched into Reinforcements Holding Camp at Moascar (Egypt) for further training. He was finally taken on strength by his unit on 20 April 1918

The 9th L H Regt was raised in Adelaide in October 1914. Approximately ¾ of the Regt hailed from South Australia and the other ¼ from Victoria. The Regt saw action in Gallipoli, without their horses, before returning to Egypt in December 1915.  The 9th then joined the ANZAC Mounted Division and was deployed to protect the Nile Valley from bands of pro-Turkish Senussi Arabs. It played a significant role in turning back the Turkish advance on the canal at the battle of Romani on 4 August 1916.

The Regt re-joined the Allied advance across the Sinai in November 1916 and was subsequently involved in the fighting to secure the Turkish outposts on the Palestine frontier at Maghdaba on 23 December 1916.  The Regt's next major engagement was the abortive second battle of Gaza on 19 April 1917. The focus of British operations then moved to the Jordan Valley and it was at this time that Cyril joined his unit.

In early May 1918 the 9th was involved in the Es Salt raid. It was a tactical failure but did help to convince the Turks that the next offensive would be launched across the Jordan. Instead, the offensive was launched along the coast in September 1918. The mounted forces penetrated deep into the Turkish rear areas severing roads, railways and communications links. The 9th Light Horse took part in the capture of Jenin on 20-21 September 1918 and Sasa on 29 September. It was during this action that Cyril became ill and was taken to to 26th Casualty Clearing Station before being admitted to 44th Static Hospital at Kantara (Egypt); he remained there for 10 days before being evacuated to 14th Army General Hospital at Port Said with Influenza. He was released from hospital in Mid October 1918 to light duties at Moascar before returning to his unit on 23 October 1918, just in time for the surrender of the Turks on 31 October 1918.   

While awaiting to embark for home, the 9th Light Horse were called back to operational duty to quell the Egyptian revolt that erupted in March 1919; order was restored in little over a month.

Cyril, with his Regt, embarked at Kantara aboard HMAT “Shropshire” on 10 July 1919 for return to Australia. He took his discharge from the Army at Adelaide on 3 September 1919.

He returned to Tumby Bay and the farm at Whites River. However it can’t have been all hard work as he met and married Edith Aileen Dunow on 2 July 1921 and they moved into the house of Hiram Schramm. In 1923 he took up a Soldier Settlers block (Repatriation Block?) 6 miles (91/2  Km) south of Tumby Bay. The block was named “Hampshire Farm” and it was here that they raised a family of 8 sons. He worked the farm for 40 years before retiring to a house in Tumby Terrace. The farm is now owned by Roedigers.

Cyril was an early member of the Tumby Bay RSL; He laid the foundation stone for the Club House on Anzac Day 1951 and was awarded life membership of the Club on 17 March 1954 and became a State Councillor for the RSL. He was also a founding member of the Tumby Bay Rifle Club

After retirement his main interests were fishing and the smoking of his catch plus being very active in the Community.

Cyril died on 23 July 1973 and is buried in the Tumby Bay Cemetery. His wife died on 13 August 1981 and rests beside her husband.

Three of his brothers also served during WW1

 

Medals and Decorations                                                                                

British War Medal                                                                                                      

Victory Medal

Read more...