Another story re Gallipoli & 1st Light horse http://www.iwm.org.uk/upload/package/2/gallipoli/anzacdman.htm
Hi Annie, Thanks for the photo of the light horse. Frank Hurley has taken many photo's of all sections of the war. I revisit his photo's regular. John
Hi John ! I came across this and thought you might find it interesting !! .... it's heavy with pictures and may take a while to load .... but I think it's worth the wait !! scroll to the 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment ! The Australian Light Horse has a unique place within the wider ANZAC legend. The mounted regiments of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in the First World War became renowned for their hard-riding and courage in battle. Many considered them the military embodiment of the best characteristics of the Australian bushmen. But the light horse had existed for more than a decade before that. Regiments had been created following Federation, and most of these had their roots in the colonial part-time mounted units, with colourful names like New South Wales Lancers, Queensland Mounted Infantry, Victorian Mounted Rifles, or Western Australian Mounted Infantry, that had fought in the Boer War. Australians saw their light horsemen as an elite. Even in drab wartime dress there was an air of dash and glamour about them. In stereotype at least, they combined the qualities of the rural pioneer with those of the natural soldier. There was perhaps some substance to this romantic view. Drawn heavily from the country towns and properties, where ownership of a horse and the ability to ride demonstrated that a man was both fit and solvent, light horsemen were considered to possess hardiness, independence, and initiative. The slouch hat adorned with emu plumes became the symbol of the light horse. Most regiments wore it that way. One trooper later wrote in Egypt in 1918: “On leave the Light Horseman is smartly dressed; but even in Cairo he has a wonderful love of his trusty hat, which never looks new, and is never by any chance turned up at the side.” In other respects the uniform was not much different from what the infantry wore. What made them distinctive, beyond the emu feathers, was their spurs, polished leather leggings, belts, and accoutrements, including a bandolier. In 1914 Australia had offered troops to assist Britain. This included a division of infantry and one brigade of light horse, all specially raised from volunteers. Colonel Harry Chauvel was given command of the original 1st Light Horse Brigade. He would soon become the most famous light horseman of all. Chauvel had a long association with the bush and the military. As a young man he was an officer in a part-time mounted unit raised by his father at Tabulam, New South Wales. Later, when the family moved to Queensland, he took up a commission in the Queensland Mounted Infantry. In 1896 he transferred to the permanent forces. A few years later he went with the first troops of the Queensland Mounted Infantry to the Boer War, and in 1902 he commanded a battalion of the Australian Commonwealth Horse. http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/lawrence/LoAcatalogue.pdf
Hi Annie, I just had a quick look at that website and it looks very interesting. I will get a cup of cofee and settle down and read the article. Once again a good find by you John
