5th Light Horse Regiment AIF.

There are few folk nowadays who know the great debt we owe to our gallant horses for helping to shorten and win the 1914-1918 War.

In those weeks of desert fighting, terrible marches, thirst and heat, each man came to realise that his horse no longer looked on him as “The Master” but as “My Friend”.

The friend who cared for him by day, slept beside him at night, the friend who grimly stole, saved, fought for every grain, that his horse might eat.

The friend who comforted him when the rifles were crackling like a bushfire raging with the dawn.

The friend who laved his muzzle with the last few drops from his water-bottle during the terrible marches when man and horse battled on in a sleepless half-world of exhaustion and fantasy.
And in return for the friendship of man the horse never failed him, man and horse became one, the feel of the man in the saddle, the pressure of knees or rein, his tone of voice told the horse exactly what was doing.

The vast and magnificently led campaigns in Palestine ended in complete destruction of the Turkish Armies who sued for peace.
A bitter peace to the horsemen! A law is that no animal from foreign shores can be landed in Australia, lest it introduce disease.
Our beloved horses were never to return to Australia. Never see again the dear homeland they had fought so bravely to save. It was a heartbreaking decision to make, but many horsemen shot their faithful friends rather than allow them to drag out their lives under the whip of the fellaheen and the Arab.

Thus were our horses sacrificed when they had won victory?

More information
War was declared on Germany on 4th August 1914.
Australia had previously strengthened Britain in the Sudan, South Africa, and China.

When asked for volunteers Australians enlisted in the “Australian Imperial Force”.
The 1st Division of the AIF sailed from Australia November 1914
By the end of the Great War Armistice was signed 11th November 1918. Enlisted men and women totalled 416,809 almost 10% of the population. From this 331,781 fought in Europe and Eastern Countries 64% 215,045 of the AIF were casualties 60,000died 4,044 were POW’s 397 died in captivity.
One in Five who went overseas failed to return.

Extract Australian Chivalry. Australian War Memorial 1933
“The First Convoy Australia Moves Off”

By the end of October, 1914   36 Transports (Merchant Ships) 10 from New Zealand 26 from the Eastern States of Australian Merchant Navy. On November 1st this convoy carrying 30,000 soldiers 12,000 horses and all logistic supplies to wage war sailed escorted by the Cruisers HMS Minataur, HMAS Melbourne and Sydney two more transports joined the convoy from Fremantle.
The Australian British and Allied ships were :

Wiltshire              Orvieto               Euripedes
Medic                Southern                 Argylshire
Ascanius                  Pera                 Shropshire
Star of England            Armadale           Afric
Geelong                      Saldanha           Benalla
Port Lincoln                  Katuna         Rangatira
Karroo            Hymetius           Star of Victoria
Marere                      Suffolk                 Horata
Clan MacCorquodale        Anglo Egyptian    Miltiades

The New Zealand ships under escort Japanese Cruiser Ibuki

At daybreak on November 9th, 630am the convoy Indian Ocean fifty miles Cocos Islands, HMAS Sydney despatched full speed engage enemy. Cruiser Emden  9 30 am reported “enemy in sight” 15 mins later “engaging enemy” By 10 30 am Emden was incapable of further resistance, at 11 30 am she was run aground on North Keeling Island.
After leaving Aden the convoy destination was changed from England to Egypt, December the AIF began disembarking at Alexandra.
Also tailing this convoy was the German cruiser Konigsberg waiting off the African Coast.