10th Light Horse Regiment (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The 10th Light Horse Regiment is a light cavalry
Light cavalry
Light cavalry refers to lightly armed and lightly armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored...

 regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...

 of the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...

. Tracing its lineage back to 1900, it predecessor units served during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...

 and the First World War. Today consisting of only a single squadron, the regiment is part of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. A Reserve
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...

 unit, it is attached to the 13th Brigade
13th Brigade (Australia)
The 13th Brigade is an Army Reserve formation of the Australian Army headquartered at Perth, Western Australia and its various units have depots in Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Albany and Katanning as well as Joondalup and Rockingham in the metro area. The 13th Brigade was first created in early 1916 and...

 and is based in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

, where it operates Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...

 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles in the light cavalry and reconnaissance roles.

History

The regiment is one of the later formations in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, being formed in 1900. In Western Australia, it was the custom for the volunteer infantry at major centres to form, within themselves, small bodies of mounted infantry for the purpose of performing certain cavalry duties. By 1900 records indicate that at least four such bodies existed, they being at Perth, Guildford, Geraldton and Bunbury. These units were brought together under a single command and took the title of the Western Australia Mounted Infantry (WAMI).

During the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...

 Western Australia despatched five contingents to South Africa bearing the name Western Australia Mounted Infantry (WAMI), although these contingents were not part of the part time Western Australian mounted volunteer who also bore this same name.

In 1903, the Commonwealth re-organised the whole framework of the Australian defence forces. Since there was no money for a standing army, the military was organised on a part time paid militia model while its strategy bore remarkable similarity to their erstwhile enemy's military organisation. By a combination of rifle clubs, infantry regiments and mounted units, the defence of Western Australia was based on the concept of guerrilla war being waged upon any potential invader. At that time, although not stated publicly, the big fear was a Japanese invasion. In line with all the changes, the West Australian mounted militia formation was called the 18th Australian Light Horse with the territorial title remaining as the Western Australia Mounted Infantry (WAMI).

For Western Australians in London who wanted to continue their mounted service, an exchange programme was commenced allying the WAMI with British Territorial unit known as King Edward's Horse or The King's Overseas Dominions Regiment. From 1908, any West Australian could serve in either regiment without any break in their service, a most important factor for officer seniority.

After the Kitchener Report, the defence structure of Australia was again changed to enlarge the units through conscription. The Regiment's title was changed in July 1912 to the 25th Australian Light Horse, part of the Citizens Military Force, with the territorial title once again remaining as the Western Australia Mounted Infantry (WAMI). Like all units, nearly all the former members were purged and replaced by conscripts. Unfortunately, the cost for the individual of being in the Light Horse was in excess of the sustenance allowance received and the numbers dropped alarmingly. The man whose personal energy singularly saved the WAMI from oblivion during this period was Noel Brazier, an officer from Capeltown. For his efforts he became the Regiment's Commanding Officer on 11 May 1913.

In October 1914, following the outbreak of the First World War, a Squadron was raised in West Australia known a "C" Squadron, and formed part of the composite 7th Light Horse Regiment with squadrons from Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. A month later, the flow of recruits meant that it was possible to form a specific West Australian Light Horse Regiment which took the name 10th Light Horse Regiment, to serve as part of the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...

 and attached to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade
3rd Light Horse Brigade
The 3rd Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the First Australian Imperial Force which served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I....

. It was the only AIF light horse unit raised in Western Australia. Initially it had planned only to raise a squadron sized unit, however, as numbers of volunteers grew the decision was made to raise an entire regiment of West Australians drawn from the 5th Military District.

Following training in Australia, the regiment was sent to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

, arriving on 8 March 1915. The regiment's first action of the war came during the Gallipoli campaign. Due to terrain and the static nature of the fighting on the peninsula, it was felt that mounted units could not play a part, however, a number of light horse units were deployed in a dismounted role as infantry. The 10th Light Horse Regiment arrived at Gallipoli on 20 May 1915 and initially it was largely used in a defensive role. In August, however, the Allies attempted to break the stalemate, launching the August Offensive. The regiment's action at the Nek
Battle of the Nek
The Battle of the Nek was a small World War I battle fought as part of the Gallipoli campaign. "The Nek" was a narrow stretch of ridge in the Anzac battlefield on the Gallipoli peninsula. The name derives from the Afrikaans word for a "mountain pass" but the terrain itself was a perfect bottleneck...

 during this offensive was immortalised in the final scenes of the 1981 Peter Weir
Peter Weir
Peter Lindsay Weir, AM is an Australian film director. After playing a leading role in the Australian New Wave cinema with his films such as Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Last Wave and Gallipoli, Weir directed a diverse group of American and international films—many of them major box office...

 film Gallipoli
Gallipoli (1981 film)
Gallipoli is a 1981 Australian film, directed by Peter Weir and starring Mel Gibson and Mark Lee, about several young men from rural Western Australia who enlist in the Australian Army during the First World War. They are sent to Turkey, where they take part in the Gallipoli Campaign. During the...

. It was also involved in the Battle of Hill 60
Battle of Hill 60
Battle of Hill 60 is a name shared by two battles of World War I:* Battle of Hill 60 , a subsidiary battle to the Battle of Neuve Chapelle...

 later in August before being evacuated along with the rest of the Allied troops in December 1915.

Reverting to its original mounted infantry role, the regiment saw service in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...

 for the remainder of the war, taking part in numerous actions including the Battle of Beersheba. The Regiment was the later given the honour of leading the Australian Mounted Division
Australian Mounted Division
The Australian Mounted Division was a mounted infantry division formed in Egypt during World War I. When the British forces in the Middle East expanded in late 1916, a second mounted division was created called the Imperial Mounted Division...

, and as such was the Allied unit which accepted the formal surrender of the city of Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...

 on 1 October 1918. Later, while awaiting repatriation, the regiment was used to suppress a nationalist uprising in Egypt
Egyptian Revolution of 1919
The Egyptian Revolution of 1919 was a countrywide revolution against the British occupation of Egypt and Sudan. It was carried out by Egyptians and Sudanese from different walks of life in the wake of the British-ordered exile of revolutionary leader Saad Zaghlul, and other members of the Wafd...

 in 1919. Following its return to Australia, the 10th Light Horse Regiment was disbanded in 1919.

During its service during the war, the regiment suffered 237 killed and 479 wounded. Its members received the following decorations: 1 VC
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

, 1 CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....

, 3 DSOs
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...

 and 1 bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...

, 1 MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

, 9 MCs
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....

 and 1 bar, 15 DCMs
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...

 and 1 bar, 15 MMs
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....

, 3 MSMs
Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom)
The Meritorious Service Medal is a silver medal for distinguished service, or for gallantry, principally by non-commissioned officers of all of the British armed forces and of Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service.-Summary:...

, 48 MIDs
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...

 and 4 foreign awards. Hugo Throssell
Hugo Vivian Hope Throssell
Hugo Vivian Hope Throssell VC was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....

 was the regiment's sole Victoria Cross recipient.

In order to perpetuate the traditions and distinctions of the Australian Imperial Force, it was decided that in July 1919 all CMF units would be re-designated with the unit numbers of the AIF. From this date, the 25th Australian Light Horse Regiment was renamed the 10th Australia Light Horse Regiment while retaining the territorial title Western Australia Mounted Infantry (WAMI).

One final recognition was in 1923 when the Regiment was finally awarded the right to carry the Battle Honours for the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...

. Initially these had been granted to the West Australian infantry regiments but not to the mounted regiment. This oversight was corrected and from this time they bore these Battle Honours in addition to those granted to the AIF 10th light Horse Regiment.

During the Second World War, the regiment underwent several name changes in order to show its varying roles. In 1943, it was gazetted as an Australian Imperial Force unit, but did not see service overseas. Instead, its main task was the defence of south-west Australia. During this period, the regiment was also partially mechanised, although it did retain horses which were used to patrol the coastline. It was the last regiment in Australia to employ horses. It was disbanded in 1944. it was reformed as a single squadron in 1949, when it became fully mechanised and was renamed the 10th Western Australian Mounted Infantry, operating Staghound and Canadian Scout armoured cars. Expanded to a full regiment in 1952, it was again renamed as the 10th Light Horse in 1956 when it was equipped with Staghounds, Saracens
Alvis Saracen
The FV603 Saracen is a six-wheeled armoured personnel carrier built by Alvis and used by the British army. It became a recognisable vehicle as a result of its part in the policing of Northern Ireland.-History:...

 and Ferrets
Ferret armoured car
The Ferret armoured car, also commonly called the Ferret Scout car, is a British armoured fighting vehicle designed and built for reconnaissance purposes. The Ferret was produced between 1952 and 1971 by the UK company, Daimler...

, before being reduced to a single independent squadron again in 1976.

The Squadron remained independent until 2001, when it formally became a part of the Army Reserve's 13th Brigade
13th Brigade (Australia)
The 13th Brigade is an Army Reserve formation of the Australian Army headquartered at Perth, Western Australia and its various units have depots in Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Albany and Katanning as well as Joondalup and Rockingham in the metro area. The 13th Brigade was first created in early 1916 and...

. The regiment was until recently equipped with the M113
M113 armored personnel carrier
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...

 vehicle in the armoured reconnaissance role, but has since migrated to "light cavalry/reconnaissance" role in the Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...

 6x6 LRPV and Regional Force Surveillance Vehicle, both variants of the Land Rover 110.

Battle honours

  • Boer War: South Africa 1900–1902
    Second Boer War
    The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...

    ;
  • First World War : ANZAC
    Landing at Anzac Cove
    The landing at Anzac Cove was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula by Australian and New Zealand forces on 25 April 1915. The landing, north of Gaba Tepe on the Aegean coast of the Peninsula, was made by soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and was the first...

    , Defence at ANZAC, Suvla, Sari Bair
    Battle of Sari Bair
    The Battle of Sari Bair , also known as the August Offensive, was the final attempt made by the British in August 1915 to seize control of the Gallipoli peninsula from the Ottoman Empire during First World War.The Battle of Gallipoli had raged on two fronts, Anzac and Helles, for three months since...

    , Gallipoli 1915–1916, Romani
    Battle of Romani
    The Battle of Romani was fought east of the Suez Canal, near the Egyptian town of Romani and the site of ancient Pelusium on the Sinai Peninsula during the First World War...

    , Magdhaba
    Battle of Magdhaba
    The Battle of Magdhaba took place on 23 December 1916 south and east of Bir Lahfan in the Sinai desert, some inland from the Mediterranean coast and the town of El Arish...

    Rafah
    Battle of Rafa
    The Battle of Rafa took place on 9 January 1917 at el Magruntein to the south of Rafa, close to the frontier between the Sultanate of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and the Ottoman Empire, and in the area to the north and east of Sheikh Zowaiid...

    , Egypt 1915–1917
    First Suez Offensive
    The First Suez Offensive took place between the Ottoman Empire and the British Empire in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...

    , Gaza
    Gaza
    Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...

    Beersheba
    Beersheba
    Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....

    , El Mughar
    Battle of Mughar Ridge
    The Battle of El Mughar Ridge , took place on 13 November 1917 during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War...

    , Nebi Samwil, Jerusalem
    Battle of Jerusalem (1917)
    The Battle of Jerusalem developed from 17 November with fighting continuing until 30 December 1917 during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...

    , Jordan
    Jordan
    Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...

     (Es Salt), Megiddo
    Battle of Megiddo (1918)
    The Battle of Megiddo took place between 19 September and 1 October 1918, in what was then the northern part of Ottoman Palestine and parts of present-day Syria and Jordan...

    , Sharon, Damascus
    Damascus
    Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...

    , Palestine 1917–1918
    Sinai and Palestine Campaign
    The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...

    .
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK