HISTORY: Charge of the Australian Light-horseman - WWI The last great cavalry charge

The last great cavalry charge by some 800 Australian light-horsemen of the 4th and 12th Light Horse Brigade, afternoon on the 31st October, 1917, Beersheba, Israel.
Light horse were like mounted infantry, they used their horses as transport to the battlefield and dismounted to fight. A famous exception to this rule was the charge of the 4th and 12th Light Horse Regiments at Beersheba in the afternoon of the 31st October 1917.
The assault on Beersheba began at dawn. Despite artillery and air support, neither the attacks from the south, nor the Anzac Mounted Division’s attack from the east had not succeeded in capturing Beersheba by mid-afternoon.
With time running out and water in short supply, British commanders suspect any attack upon Beersheba will probably fail. The Australian commanders ask the British to send in the Australian Light Horse.
By approximately 5pm, the 4th and 12th Light Horse Regiments are ordered to attack.
The ANZAC Mounted Division included the 1st and 2nd Australian Light Horse Brigades and the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade.
The Australian Mounted Division included the 3rd and 4th Australian Light Horse Brigades and the 5th (British) Yeomanry Brigade.
The attack was judged a success, with the Australians sustaining only 31 dead and 36 wounded and allowed for the subsequent liberation of Jerusalem and the rest of Palestine.
NFSA Video titled - with the Light Horse Brigade in Palestine
From the National Collection. Title No. 275554.
Shows some of the operations of the Light Horse Brigade and allied forces in Palestine during World War I. From 1917 - 1918.
Scenes include:
• the Australian Light Horse Brigade ready to charge;
• the 5th Australian Light Horse entering Nablus;
• Australian troops entering Tiberias;
• Australian machine gunners in action; cavalry crossing the River Jordan.
The Light horsemen - 1987 Australian War Movie
Starring:
• Jon Blake
• Peter Phelps
• Tony Bonner
• Bill Kerr
• John Walton
• Gary Sweet
• Tim McKenzie
• Sigrid Thornton
• Anthony Andrews
All videos uploaded are the copyright material of their original owners and are to be copyright claimed automatically or at the discretion of the owner.

[@anthonynightingale8980]

Absolutely marvelous

[@jerseymike7946]

Thanks for sharing this Diane.
The excellent actor Tony Bonner was in this film. Most famous for playing Flight Ranger Jerry King the chopper pilot on "Skippy". He was also
in "Quigley Down Under" and a host of other movies and TV series.

[@OutAndAboutwithDi]

I love him too. He is also in another project I am working on but I have yet to figure out what character he is.

[@jerseymike7946]

@@OutAndAboutwithDi Please let us know here if you do.
His dad founded the Manly Life Saving Club, and he is an officer of it. I wrote the e-mail address there asking him for an autographed photo.
Either some underling was having a lend of me or his nonsensical reply was the result of five too many shouts that night, so no autograph.
That was a few years back, maybe I could try to find the proper address for the club and write a letter to him asking for a photo.
I got a kick out of recently watching "Rafferty's Rules" starring a young John Wood, they filmed all over Manly. I was hoping Bonner might
have made an appearance as himself or perhaps as the mayor, as his father once held that position.
I'm here in New Jersey, and none of my friends have any idea what I am talking about when I mention Blue Heelers, Underbelly, Catherine Clements,
Sea Change. Though in the last 5 years many Australian TV series have been running on PBS stations, Doctor Blake Mysteries is very popular.

[@OutAndAboutwithDi]

@@jerseymike7946 I am hoping to do a Underbelly walk soon. the tour operator said I can film it all, so that should be fun. I am going to walk The Golden Mile and they will tell all the stories. xxx

[@jerseymike7946]

@@OutAndAboutwithDi That's great Di, I envy you.
When you do, are you going to post the film on You Tube?
I understand Kings Cross has been cleaned up?

[@OutAndAboutwithDi]

@@jerseymike7946 yes its for my channel

[@HenriHattar]

The Australian Light Horse crossed the Sinai to launch this charge. That was considered impossible.

[@OutAndAboutwithDi]

Thanks for explaining that.

[@alecblunden8615]

Moses did it, and so have millions of others over time.

[@roberthoward9093]

I believe my Grandfather Lawrence Pollet took part in this charge... how can i verify this. ?

[@OutAndAboutwithDi]

Contact the War Memorial in Canberra. They have all the records. You can check their site. There is also a Light-horsemen website