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The Australian 'Light Horse' were mounted troops who served during the Second Boer War and World War I that combined characteristics of both cavalry and mounted infantry. This was the outcome of doctrinal debate in military circles in Australia in the late 19th century concerning the future of mounted troops. On the one hand, the battlefield had become dominated by machine guns and artillery and was considered too dangerous for mounted troops; on the other, the distances in Australia were vast and the roads still too few and too poor to support mechanised warfare.
Light horse were like mounted infantry in that they usually fought dismounted, using their horses as transport to the battlefield and as a means of swift disengagement when retreating or retiring. A famous exception to this rule though was the charge of the 4th and 12th Light Horse Regiments at Beersheba on 31 October, 1917. In 1918 some light horse regiments were equipped with sabres, enabling them to fight in a conventional cavalry role during the advance on Damascus. However, unlike mounted infantry, the light horse also performed certain roles, such as scouting and screening, while mounted.
The light horse were organised along cavalry rather than infantry lines. A light horse regiment was roughly equivalent to a battalion, but containing only about 600 men (a infantry battalion would contain about 1000 men). Around a quarter of this nominal strength (or one man in each section of 4) could be allotted to horse-holding duties when the regiment entered combat. A regiment was divided into three squadrons, designated "A", "B" and "C", (equivalent to a company) and a squadron divided into four troops (equivalent to but smaller than a platoon). Each troop was divided into about ten 4-man sections. When dismounting for combat, one man from each section would take the reins of the other three men's horses and lead them out of the firing line where he would remain until called upon.
Each regiment had a troop of two Maxim guns. At Gallipoli, where the light horse served dismounted, this was increased to four guns. In 1916, these were consolidated into light horse machine gun squadrons, each with 12 Vickers machine guns. In turn, the troops received the Hotchkiss M1909 Benet-Mercie machine gun.
The Australian waler horse was the common mount for the light horsemen, as it was strong and hardy, which was needed in the harsh desert climate. This was facilitated by the horses being left behind in Egypt while the light horsemen went to Gallipoli, allowing them to gradually acclimatise.
The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th Light Horse Regiments served in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. The 13th Light Horse Regiment and part of the 4th served on the Western Front.
After the war, the light horse regiments were distributed as follows:

★ 1st Cavalry Brigade (Toowoomba, Queensland): 2nd, 5th, 11th, 14th Light Horse Regiments

★ 2nd Cavalry Brigade (Maitland, New South Wales): 12th, 15th, 16th Light Horse Regiments

★ 3rd Cavalry Brigade (Melbourne): 8th, 13th, 20th Light Horse Regiments

★ 4th Cavalry Brigade (Paddington, New South Wales): 1st, 6th, 7th, 21st Light Horse Regiments

★ 5th Cavalry Brigade (Melbourne) (disbanded 1936): 4th, 17th, 19th Light Horse Regiments

★ 6th Cavalry Brigade (Adelaide): 3rd, 9th, 18th, 23rd Light Horse Regiments
Most Light Horse Regiments were converted to motorised infantry, armoured car or armoured regiments during World War II (See: Australian Armoured Units of World War II). The 20th Light Horse Regiment, as the 20th Motor Regiment, served overseas, at Merauke. The 1st Light Horse Regiment became the 1st Tank Battalion, and as such fought in New Guinea and Borneo.
A number of Australian light horse units are still in existence today, generally as RAAC (Royal Australian Armoured Corps) Cavalry units.
The 1987 film ''The Lighthorsemen'' is based on the charge at Beersheba in 1917.

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See also

External links

See also

★ Light horse field ambulance

★ World war one

★ Middle Eastern theatre of World War I

★ Arab revolt

External links

★ The Australian Light Horse Association

★ The Great War, 1914-1915: a collection of photographs taken by Signaller J.P. Campbell whilst on active service with the glorious 3rd Brigade of Light Horse ...