BEERSHEBA: the last successful great cavalry charge.
October 31st marks the centenary of the charge of the 4th and 12th Australian light horse Regiments on the Turkish stronghold of Beersheba to access vital water for their horses. The horses, on which they depended so heavily, had been without water for 30 hours and the entire Middle East campaign depended on their charge being successful.
“Having grown up on horses, learnt to shoot from the saddle and developed a devil-may-care bravery, Australian bushmen were ideally suited to take part in history’s last great successful cavalry charge at Beersheba.”
The charge was over approx. 10 km and Brigadier General William Grant, giving orders to the 12th Light Horse Regiment said: “Men, you are fighting for water. There is no water between this side of Beersheba and Esani. Use your Bayonets as swords. I wish you the best of luck.” (Australian cavalry were not issued with swords, as were the British cavalry.)
When Grant gave the order to advance, they started walking, then trotting before accelerating to a canter, then breaking into a gallop, within minutes settling into artillery formation.
Captain Jack R. Davies of the 12th Light Horse said:- “The charge was the best run I ever had, from start to finish it was just about 6 miles (10 km), after 1 ½ miles the enemy fire started and we went at it hell for a split. We struck the Trenches (Turkish) 1 ½ miles from town, some of the riders went round them,........ we were the lucky men and rode practically straight through.”
“I’ve seen some surprised people,” Davies wrote, “but those Turks were not expecting us, just then. .....”
The Turks got out of Beersheba in such a hurry that they failed to detonate the charges to blow up the mines set at the wells, railway station and approaches to the town.
It was a great battle. The Australians had galloped into history with such a clear-cut victory.
The last surviving rider in this battle, W.A Light Horseman, Len Hall, said that he had been looking forward to riding in a charge like Beersheba since the start of the war.
“That’s what we had been trained for, - that’s why we enlisted and what the Army promised us; and we had all been so disappointed when the top brass ordered us to leave our horses in Egypt when we were transported to Gallipoli – I felt quite naked without my horse, called K6, which I had got from the cattle baron, Sid Kidman.”
“Oh, the charge went well enough at Beersheba, we won that stunt hands down: but it was very sad for me because my horse was shot as we approached the Turkish trenches and when he fell under me I jumped clear quick smart to see if I could save him, but he was a goner. Even in the middle of the battle with blokes dying all around me I broke down and wept for K6, - as I’d lost the best friend I ever had.”
Although the charge of Beersheba cost a lot of horses, with 31 men losing their lives, and another 36 wounded, the Australians had still won the day and at the same time had broken through the eastern front line of the Turkish defences which the Turks never managed to repair.
The following Temora and district men were among the men in the 12th Light Horse at the charge of Beersheba:
David EASON, in the A Squadron.
Dare JENNINGS, in the B squadron.
Arthur JONES.
Edwin LEES.
Charles RHIND.
Alexander TAYLOR, of Winchendonvale.
Vincent WALSH, of B squadron.
Alexander WENNERBOOM.
Gordon EDGAR, of C squadron, from Ootha, the father of Joan Roberts, of Polaris Street,Temora.
The very much loved local doctor, Ernest Kent PARRY, who joined the Australian Army Medical Corps in 1915, also served in this area. He was often close to the front, serving and supporting these men on Gallipoli, in Egypt, the Sinai, and Palestine, often as an Ambulance Officer. He was twice mentioned in despatches, and was awarded the Military Cross.
As the Colonel in charge of his unit wrote, Dr Parry was “ an officer of exceedingly good qualities. Quick to appreciate a situation, fearless and indefatiguable. Good administrator and tho’ not a stern disciplinarian, can handle men. Has had very little opportunity to show his professional ability. Physical category A (has had Malaria and Dysentry). Can be recommended for promotion. Awarded Military Cross for Rafa operation. Mentioned in Despatches (Twice).
Enlisting on 1st May, 1915, he served through the whole of WW1, and retired from the Army as a Lieut. Colonel. He practised medicine in Temora for almost 40 years. His understanding, sympathy and acts of charity were legion. He worked tirelessly for the R.S.L. and supported returned servicemen, especially in repatriation matters. He died 25th, November, 1962. By his passing many Temora people lost a good friend whose skill as a medical practitioner, sympathy and understanding, meant much to them. (from Obituary, The Temora Independent, 26th November, 1962.)
Ref: Great Battles in Australian History, by Jonathan King, and the resources of the Australian War Memorial.
Compiled by Wilma and Ken McCubbin.
