The 90th anniversary of the famous World War I charge of the Australian light horse which captured Beersheba, (Be’er Sheva in present day Israel) will be honoured tomorrow at commemorations in Australia and Israel, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Bruce Billson, said today. Mr Billson said the Australian action at Beersheba late on the first day of the battle, 31 October 1917, is remembered as the last great cavalry charge in war. Mr Billson said the attack on the town of Beersheba began at dawn with the British XX Corps attacking from the south and south-west.

“While a careful orchestration of artillery, aerial bombings and infantry attacks went on through the day, by mid-afternoon Beersheba was still in Turkish hands,” Mr Billson said. “Just on sunset, the men and horses of the 4th and 12th Light Horse Regiments charged over a ridge about six kilometres south-east of Beersheba with the town in their sight. Using bayonets as swords, the horsemen’s momentum carried them through the Turkish defences and they were soon dismounting and battling, with bayonet and rifle, as more horsemen rode past them into town to capture the vitally important wells. Most of the wells were captured intact and a complete Turkish division, the 27th, was destroyed. The charge was over in an hour. Casualties among Australians were low in comparison, with 31 killed and 36 wounded,” Mr Billson said.

The fall of Beersheba opened the way for a general outflanking of the Gaza-Beersheba line. Gaza fell a week later and on 9 December 1917, the city of Jerusalem was captured. Activities marking the 90th anniversary of the charge will be taking place at Be’er Sheva and around Australia this week. “My Department is publishing a new book to help educate Australians about the exploits of the Australian Light Horse, Australians in World War I: Australian Light Horse, to mark this significant anniversary. Copies will shortly be available for purchase from the Australian War Memorial Shop, the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne or online at www.awm.gov.au,” he said.

The 2007 Department of Veterans’ Affairs Remembrance Day posters, which are distributed nationally to encourage observance of the day, recognise the 90th anniversary of the charge with a famous George Lambert painting of the charge and a striking portrait of an Australian light horseman who died of wounds shortly after the battle. “I encourage all Australians to learn about the historic charge at Beersheba and the role the Australian light horsemen have played in service to our nation,” Mr Billson said.