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Charge of the Light Horse on Beersheba MemorialPrint Page Print this page

Unveiling : 31-October-2017
Unveiling : 31-October-2017

Photographs supplied by Russell Byers

The sculpture commemorates the charge of the 4th and 12th Australian Light Horse Regiments on the town of Beersheba in World War One. It was unveiled on the centenary of the charge. 

Beersheba, a heavily fortified town 43 kilometres from the Turkish bastion of Gaza, was the scene of an historic charge by the 4th Light Horse Brigade on 31 October 1917. Beersheba anchored the right end of a defensive line that stretched all the way from Gaza on the Mediterranean coast. After two failed attempts to attack Gaza frontally it was decided to outflank it by turning the Turkish line around Beersheba. The attack was launched at dawn on 31 October but by late afternoon the British 20 Corps had made little headway toward the town and its vital wells.

Lieutenant General Harry Chauvel, commanding the Desert Mounted Corps, thus ordered the 4th Light Horse Brigade forward to attempt to secure the position. Brigadier William Grant responded by ordering light horseman of the 4th and 12th Regiments to charge at the unwired Turkish trenches. Employing their bayonets as "swords" the momentum of the surprise attack carried them through the Turkish defences. The water supplies were saved and over 1,000 Turkish prisoners were taken. The fall of Beersheba thus opened the way for a general outflanking of the Gaza-Beersheba Line. After severe fighting Turkish forces abandoned Gaza on 6 November and began their withdrawal into Palestine.

Location

Address:Brook Street, Median Strip, Muswellbrook, 2333
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -32.263407
Long: 150.889491
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Conflict
Sub-Theme:WW1
Actual Event Start Date:31-October-1917
Actual Event End Date:31-October-1917
Artist:Brett Garling

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Tuesday 31st October, 2017
Front Inscription

Muswellbrook Shire Council

Charge of the Lighthorse on Beersheba Memorial was officially unveilled on the occasion of its centenary on 31 October 2017 by five Mayors of Muswellbrook

The Hon John Jobling, OAM, MStJ    1st Mayor of Muswellbrook (1974 - 1986)

Ian Wolfgang  2nd Mayor of Muswellbrook (1986 - 1989)

Ian Seymour, OAM  3rd Mayor of Muswellbrook (1989 - 1999)

Brig (ret) John Colvin, AM, RFD, ED 4th Mayor of Muswellbrook (1999 - 2008)

and Martin Rush  Mayor

and dedicated by the Rev`d Scott Dulley  Anglican Rector of Muswellbrook

Cr R. Scholes  Deputy Mayor
Cr S. Bailey   Cr  M. Bowditch   Cr  J. Eades   Cr J. Foy    Cr M. Green  Cr J. Ledlin   Cr R. McNeill  Cr S. Reynolds   Cr S. Ward  Cr  B. N. Woodruff
S. McDonald  General Manager

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au