100yrs.today Britain declared war on Germany,Australia,New Zealand and Canada along side.Between 1914-1918 we saw the single greatest loss of life in Australian history,more than 58,000 young men@women and considering how small a population was back then in Aussie,it was a huge loss.not intending to take anything away from these heroic men@woman I believe we have some forgotten heroes(the Australian Waler Horse)160,000 were shipped over,this horse was a gritty strong no-fuss Australian horse that served in the Middle East and the Western Front,was a key element of the celebrated Australian victory at Beersheba in Palestine 1917.used by the Light Horse Brigades,to move men,supplies and artillery.Walers are arguably the quintessential Aussie horse,they are the result of amalgam of breeds that were crossed during the settlement of Australia to create a hardy and versatile stock horse that could cope with the harsh environment,they were not only strong hardy and fast but had a lovely calm temperament.they could also carry heavy weights up to 130kg.and go for long periods without water,these reasons are why they become a lucrative for the British Army.these horses were much more to the Australian Light Horse Brigade than means of transport,we hear how soldiers would actually shoot their beloved horses rather than letting them end up in the hands of their foes whom they believed would never treat them with the love and respect they deserved, this is a little poem from a young soldier,it encapsulates the sentiments of many of the soldiers of The Light Horse Brigade.i dont think I could stand the thought of my Jack crawling around Cairo with some Gyppo on his back,no,think I better shoot him and tell a little lie,he fell into a wombat hole and then lay down to die,maybe Ill get court martialed,but Im damned if Im inclined to go back to Aussie and leave my best friend behind.i just felt we need to never forget the contribution this unique magnificent horse made and the role they played in the Great War.LEST WE FORGET!!!
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 11:26:59 +0000
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