HISTORY Battle of Beersheba

"At full gallop, with bayonets in hand, the horsemen jumped first the front trenches and then the main. As they cleared a line troopers leapt from their saddles to attack the Turks with rifle and bayonet. Others sped on to do the same at the rear trenches."

Today marks 100 years since the Australian Light Horsemen launched a brave attack on the heavily fortified town of Beersheba in the desert of the Middle East. 

The charge of the 4th Light Horse Brigade at Beersheba on the afternoon of 31 October 1917, was a bold attack. 800 men of the 4th and 12th Light Horse regiments charged across open desert with bayonets in hand and flew over the Turk trenches. The charge captured Beersheba and opened the way to Jerusalem. 

Lest we forget these men and their tough, noble horses.