Gallery: Woombye keeps Light Horse spirit alive on Beersheba anniversary
Memorial Park Woombye echoed with pride and remembrance on Sunday (Oct 26) as locals gathered to honour the 108th anniversary of the legendary charge at Beersheba, a moment that shaped Australia’s national character and forged a legacy of courage and mateship.
Led by MC Peter Walsh, a policeman, army reservist and Light Horseman, the service brought together members of the Second Light Horse Regiment Woombye Troop, local dignitaries and guest speaker Lieutenant Thompson from the 2/14th Light Horse Regiment to pay tribute to the bravery of those who rode into history on October 31, 1917.
The Battle of Beersheba, fought on October 31, 1917, saw Australian Light Horsemen execute one of history's last great cavalry charges, breaking through Turkish defenses in Palestine during World War I. The daring assault by mounted troops armed with bayonets helped secure a crucial victory in the Middle East campaign.
Mr Walsh opened the ceremony with a prayer and reflection on the enduring values forged by the Anzacs. "We live in troubled times and the Anzac values of mateship, courage, endurance, sacrifice and selflessness have forged our current identity," he said.
"When we have a time of trouble ... it calls us upon as a nation to remember those who have gone before us and who've paid the ultimate sacrifice."
MP Marty Hunt shared an account by his relative, author Ion Idriess's eyewitness account of the charge. “All day the attempts to take Beersheba by infantry had been repulsed by the entrenched defenders,” Mr Hunt quoted.
“Then someone shouted ... There at the steady trot was regiment after regiment, squadron after squadron coming, coming ... They were an awe inspiring sight galloping through the red haze, knee to knee and horse to horse.”
Mr Hunt emphasised the character of those who rode that day: “They were not professional soldiers. They were stockmen, farmers, country boys much like the communities we represent today. They took their bush skills and their unshakable mateship and made history. Their story is not just about war, it's about character. It's about the kind of courage that still inspires Australians today. The courage to serve, to lead, to help a mate, and to stand up for what's right. ”
Lieutenant Thompson spoke of how the modern 2/14th Light Horse Regiment has evolved from horses to advanced reconnaissance vehicles and tanks, while maintaining its core identity. “The tools we use to achieve our missions have changed, but the essence of who we are as light horse soldiers remains the same,” she said.
“We honour the legacy of those who came before us by embodying their courage, professionalism and adaptability.”
The ceremony concluded with a call to action: "Let's be mates. Let's show courage. Let's show endurance where necessary, show sacrifice and selflessness for if we do that, we honour their memory... we honour their death, their sacrifice by reflecting the values that they stood for,” Mr Walsh said.
