Today marks the centenary of the last great cavalry charge in history. It's 1917 and 700 well entrenched enemy soldiers stand between 800 Australian Light horsemen and the nearest water at Beersheba in Palestine. These horsemen charged nearly 6 kilometres (that's twice the distance of the running of the Melbourne Cup) across desolate terrain with fixed bayonets and successfully took the enemy position. Sadly 32 horsemen lost their lives. This charge was the turning point of World War 1 in the middle east and North Africa.
These men were all stockman, jackaroos and station hands who volunteered themselves and their own horses for love of their country. Their horses were Walers, and to this day Walers are known as the hardiest of all war horses. Only one single Waler ever returned to Australia from overseas but the breed survived in the wild in its own right and also forms the basis for the Australian Stock Horse. Just had to share. Cheers