Its still incredible to know that those horses were without water for almost two or three days and still managed to charge at full gallop across that hot field. Its a testament to that breed of animal that they had the strength to carry out the job.
This is one of the reason people ride horses, they will take orders even if it kills them. Donkeys less so, mules the least, hence the phrase "Stubborn as a mule". If you tell a mule to do something that it thinks isn't safe there's not chance in hell you'll get it to do it. You tell a horse to run off a cliff and it will do so with expedience. A shame though, seeing such loyal animals having to endure such harsh conditions.
4:48 If anyone is wondering why two of the shoulder flashes have an 'A', while the other doesn't. The 'A' signifies they are original ANZACs, who fought at Gallipoli.
@@SteveThomas-xk9im Are you suggesting the A on their battalion flash is because they are 'A' Squadron? The 'A' signifies they were formally served at Gallipoli, they are Gallipoli Originals. That's what the 'A' signifies.
You may be interested to know some retired RAAC soldiers based in NE Victoria (the home of the 8th Light Horse Regiment) will be horse mounted and wearing the colour patch of the 8th Light Horse during the Freedom of the City of Bright Parade on 28th October 2023 and will be leading serving soldiers of the 4/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment. I hope you can attend the huge parade. I will be there. I might even be one of the retired soldiers riding as Light Horse. 4/19th is the descendant Regiment of both the 4th and the 8th Light Horse. If you can come, please make yourself known to the Light Horse chaps. We are keen to meet descendants of the AIF Light Horse Regiments, especially the 4th. 8th and 13th Light Horse who each were Victorian AIF regiments. @@chriscatto-smith7701
A side story on the Charge concerning an Aussie Victoria Cross recipient. Following the O Group (orders group) conducted by Lt General Harry Chauvel which resulted in the Beersheba Charge later that day, a commanding officer who was at the group, Lt Colonel Leslie Maygar VC (CO, 8th Light Horse Regiment - the same regiment whose men including their then CO Lt Col Alex White were slaughtered at the Battle of the Nek on Gallipoli in August 1915) galloped back to his Regiment. As he galloped away, an aerial bomb from a German aircraft exploded close by him, his horse bolted. He was found the next day, with a mangled arm. He was conscious and chatting with those present during the amputation, but died on the operating table. Leslie had been awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in 1901 in South Africa during the Anglo-Boer War for rescuing one of his men under heavy gunfire from the Boer Commando. If you are driving along the Hume Freeway South of Euroa, Victoria, perhaps spare a thought as you traverse a hill named in Leslie's honour - Maygars Hill, just north of Tubb's Hill (also named after a Victoria Cross recipient Lt Fred Tubb, a local farmer). In Euroa, at the RSL Sub Branch, Kirkland Ave, there are bronze statues to three local recipients of the Victoria Cross. Lt. Col. Maygar, Lt. Tubb, and Cpl Alex Burton (Killed in Action, Battle of Lone Pine, August 1915, Gallipoli). Thank you for reading my comment
I was an American civil war reactor. Cavalry & mounted artillery wheel driver for thirty years. I also did mounted cowboy shooting, gymkana,& team penning. The best athletes in the world have 4 legs. Horses are spectacular. I love these animals,& this a fantastic movie.
These horses are known as Whalers. None returned to Australia thanks to our Quarantine Laws and the men who had seen how the Arabs treated animals, preferred to shoot their mounts rather than sell them into a life of suffering. A hard choice but loyalty to your mount means thinking about their future prospects. Mark from Melbourne Australia
@@markfryer9880 It's sad to read that these fine animals never returned home Mr Fryer. Yet I cannot help but agree that it's better to end their excruciating pain before it ever started. No human or animal should ever be at the mercy of merciless savages. I was an infantryman with the 7th ID at Fort Ord(back when there still WAS a Fort Ord) California, and we trained with visiting Aussie soldiers. Damn fine soldiers and even better people! Greetings from North Carolina... love the people of Oz. 🇺🇸🤝🇦🇺
A lot of the horses not brought home went to the Indian Army. Of course many were shot as is well known. One horse did return to Australia, the horse of Maj General William Bridges who died from gunshot wounds on Gallipoli in 1915. Four months ago, a full size bronze statue was unveiled to honour this horse, known as Sandy the War Horse, the statue is at Tallangatta, North East Victoria. You can see a photo on line, search Sandy the War Horse. @@garthneikirk3740
@@markfryer9880 "Walers" not "Whalers", mate, the name indicates where they originated - New South Wales. The horses were bred to be sturdy & calm, with great stamina & requiring of less water than other horse breeds for British Army cavalry units in India. There was always an over-supply of the horses & Australian militia units used them because they respected the qualities that had been bred into them for the Brit's. They were also popular as station horses for the same reason. Interesting side note: Light Horse units took up the sport of "tent pegging" after the 2nd Boer War, using their bayonets instead of lances or swords (sabres), so the skill set was already part of their arsenal.
Can you imagine being one of those men in this shot. Your riding a horse in the greatest reaction of one of the most pivotal horse charges in history, dressed in period accurate gear, it would be something you remember forever.
I'll drink to that! Retired Aussie soldier here who served with the descendant regiment of the regiment shown in the movie (4/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment)
The accuracy of the filming of the Charge sequence is due to the wonderful planning by expert light horse historian Ian Jones, writer and co-producer of the film.
It’s depends on the time period based on what kind of range and missiles the enemy had. Here you would want to be almost at a full gallop till your at least under the guns. By then you’re so close you’re better off keeping the momentum
@@gerardvandermeulen62 If the weapons you're facing can reach that distance, and there's no cover? Damn right you're going as fast as you can the whole way.
I want to be completely honest: For sheer guts and courage I rate no one above men who attack without regard for themselves - Aiussies are in the top of the league That charge was conducted in a way that demonstrated the grit and determination of Aussies them, and now. My Dad fought alongside side them in WW2 and he respected them all tremendously...untill they got pissed and nicked his rum ra\tion.
My dad ( from NE England) was going to follow his best friend back to Perth ( WA) after flying DC3's in Burma. But his mate got killed and so I had to grow up on Teesside. I'll never forgive the guy who would have been my uncle Mervyn. Now I'll go and sob a bit for what might have been.
Pinched your Dad's rum. Aussies being Aussies! 😊rum ration hey? does this mean your Dad was Royal Navy? On ANZAC Day 2008 Westminster Abbey London I attended the Commemoration. Very moving. Afterwards went on a pub crawl with retired British Merchant seamen I met at the Abbey. They told me about the Black Day of the Royal Navy when the rum ration was abolished! (1971).
My History teacher, John Fox Russell had a grandfather of same name, Capt.John Fox Russell who was awarded a VC/MM in this Battle- He is buried at Beersheba War Cemetery ..He was a medic. {Royal Army Medical Corps}..He kept rescuing injured men under heavy machine gun fire....until killed himself. Rest in Peace, Men and horses.
I'm living in Beersheba, not far from that cemetery. next week I'm going to make a visit with my girlfriend because we are curious about it (never been inside there before). I'll look for that grave. let me know if you wish me to send you a photo of it. I'm an israeli student by the way and have always been curios about WW1 and about ANZAC actions here
my Grandad was part of this charge.. one of the few who was only armed with a sabour and he lived through it. his horse was downed but he took another and carried on.
@@peterwebb8732 Reference? Swords used on ceremonial parades, and kept in the q store, perhaps. You couldnt spread butter with them. No training was done with swords until their issue months after Beersheba.
@@Gungho1a You are the one making the claim, in opposition the the recorded account of someone who was there . (Allegedly). You are also making the historically inaccurate argument that military swords were not sharpened in time of war. Sidearms for infantry officers changed during WW1 as carrying a sword during an advance across No Mans Land was the equivalent of holding a sign reading “shoot me first”. It’s up to you to support the claim that the same applied in Palestine and that none of the Australians managed to “acquire” one. Go right ahead…
@@AndreasVonLindemann It was a major part of the Australian Film industry coming of age in the late '70s and early '80s. Mark from Melbourne Australia
I received a reply to my comments on the 13th Aug 2023 from a New Zealand Warrant Officer which brought to mind that us Aussies must never forget that NZ in ANZAC is New Zealand and we Aussies must never forget our brothers in arm across the Tasman Sea. The New Zealand Mounted Rifles were in the Beersheba area at the time of the Charge as were several other Aussie Light Horse Regiments. Thank you to our Kiwi brothers and sisters in arms from a retired Aussie digger.
Mike you are quite right. Even had a British Artillery unit as part of the Aussie formation. Might have been a detachment of the Royal Horse Artillery. The only British unit which was designated an Aussie identifying colour patch to wear on their sleeves - Royal Blue over Scarlet. In a Gallipoli battle, the Battle of the Nek, where the 8th and the 10th Light Horse conducted a bayonet charge and were slaughtered by entrenched Turks opposite, British RE involved as well; and the Cheshires and Royal Welsh Fusiliers were part of the attack but down in Monash Gully beside and below the Nek. Yet they never get a mention. Their War Diaries have post battle reports on the Battle of the Nek. Battle of the Nek - see the film 'Gallipoli'. Very sad day for the men and their families of the 8th and the 10th Light horse. BTW I am writing a reference book on Aussie colour patches of WW1 to assist Aussies with researching their WW1 ancestors or relatives. @@mikem9001
The book started as picturing the 400 or so known colour patches from WW1 with a short description for each. But it has taken on a life of its own, There is so much to the history of this little piece of cloth. The book which is about 350 pages with probably another 50 to go, now includes photos of WW1 soldiers in period photos wearing each colour patch (where available) and some bio info on each digger pictured, this makes for sometimes fascinating reading. The beginnings of the colour patch are concurrent with the first combat by the fledgling Australian Army, introduced three or so weeks before the ANZAC landings. @mikem9001
Yes brave men but why did you men in Australia today dishonor thier memorie by letting your left wing government disarm you and take your freedom as free men? Shit will never happen in America
Aussie retired tankie here. You might be interested to know, your General Patton was so impressed with what the Aussies did at Beersheba, in the 1920s he cited the Charge at Beersheba as a reason for US Army to retain horsed cavalry.
Unfortunately, on the very last day of filming, the young actor @1.40 Jon Blake, who was considered to be a rising star was involved in a car accident that left him paralysed and suffering brain damage, though he lived to 2011 a very promising career was cut short.
Visited Bersheeba whilst serving(NZ Army) in the Middle East… To pay respects. Some Kiwis were also involved in the charge. Also, the original water well is still there…
This battle reenactment is quite different to what really happened.... Every story I heard and research i've done about the charge of Beersheba, especially in my experience in the army, was that the Ottoman's were completely taken off guard that they were being charged towards at the crack of dawn; 05.30am. By the time many of them had time to react and stand-to, the horses had already dashed their way 2kms towards the city. Despite the ottoman artillery's best attempt of firing, the horses were already underneath the effective range of the cannon fire. Many other horsemen were already approaching trenches before the ottoman soliders could take a proper sight picture. The Australians knew that night, if they didn't take Beersheba by the morning, the horses wouldn't survive the day. This desperation created a radical plan of sending the 67th and 81st Regiments (27th Division), a total of 2,408 rifles, to charge at the city, many of whom were Arab. The concept was overwhelming for the Ottoman's as it was the last thing they'd expect from a group of withered disbanded Australian regiments. It was truly an miracle from God and many believe Australia is blessed because of the heroic actions of the ANZAC's. God blesses those who bless Israel.
Mr. Von Lindemann...you're right. I've seen this film before but after 70+ years of watching movie depicted calvary charges...this is the best. Still gets my heart going.
The battle lasted 12 hours and as the General said 50000 men couldn't take the town but they did weaken the defence the Turks didn't put any barbed wire in the trenches you nullify a charge. Very accurate and brilliant filming. Lest we forget
I lived near Beer Sheva. Visited the cemetery to pay tribute. This battle opened access to Jerusalem and galvanized the British dominance in what was then "Palestine" and the trans-Jorden for thirty years.
Good to have you aboard. RHA were attached to Aussie formations in Middle East. Even had their own Aussie colour patch issued to them red/royal blue (worn on upper sleeve). The only non Aussie unit to be so designated. From a retired Aussie Armoured corps soldier. I am always glad when commenters relay the service of their relatives and ancestors. Well done.
Oddly, mounted infantry was probably the best type of unit to do this. The mission was to capture a town - street fighting which is an infantry job. The cavalry bit was simply (yes, stupid word, I know) to get across 3 miles of open countryside in reasonably good order.
My grandfather was there. He was looking after the Supply Horses & Mules. He was observing the charge when a stray bullet went over his head & took the heal of boot off.
Every year here in Israel we go to the Australian and NZ Soldiers buried there to remember the great things they did. Since my Israeli army unit used to do anti-tank maneuvers in that very area often as well as Gaza, there are no mountains or high hills like here but the ground scenery is similar.
Tell them that they are not forgotten. Every year we commemorate the lost and the fallen Australian Service Personnel from wars and Peace Keeping missions and the like. The day is called ANZAC DAY, April 25th. The Anniversary of the Landings at Gallipoli! Tell them who you are and that Australia and Israel are firm friends, mates even. They will understand that! Mark from Melbourne Australia Former Australian Army Reservist '88 to '95.
Thanks cobber! Please can you put flowers on the grave of RSM WO1 Alex Wilson KIA during the Charge. I know his relatives, who will never be able to afford to visit his grave. They live in Melbourne. And on the grave of Lt Col Leslie Maygar VC, who died of wounds the day after the Charge. He was CO 8th Light Horse and he came from my home town (Euroa - Ruffy, Victoria). Thank so much if you can do this, from a retired Aussie soldier who served with the descendant regiments of both these men.
The Lighthorse still wear the same head dress. I actually met some of them on my way to a job interview in Sydney once in 2006 & shook their hands. My dad's father chose to move here from South Africa in the early 1900's having heard of their bravado, and having already seen a war or two himself.
The Diggers you met wearing the slouch hat and emu feathers would have been Armoured Corps soldiers possibly from the 1/15th Royal NSW Lancers based in Parramatta. We in the RAAC wore berets from mid WW2 to 1993 when the new dress regulations authorised for the first time that Armoured soldiers were to wear slouch hats and emu plumes. I still have mine and wear it on ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day, though I am long since retired from the RAAC. My regiment (4/19 Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment based in Melbourne) has the Charge at Beersheba as one of its Battle Honours (4th Light Horse Regiment).
All the captured Turkish artillery were German guns manufactured by Krupp of Essen, the Beersheba guns and all the other captured guns were collected at the end of the war and shipped to Australia as "War Trophies" and subsequently allocated to towns all over Australia as war memorials, unfortunately no records was kept of where the guns were captured and to this day, the Turkish Government won't reveal what guns were where. Tragically, during WW2 most of the captured guns were collected as scrap because the scarce gun metal was needed to make new weapons to defend Australia, some still survive with Turkish writing but there is no way of knowing if they were Beersheba guns or not...
German made guns, melted down into raw metal, to be turned into Australian guns; used against Germany. I suspect that not not all of the Diggers involved in Beersheba would have been entirely unhappy with this sequence of events ...
Today Krupp is still a major manufacturer. Some of their coffee making machines are reknown for the fine machining and being top of the line. I am a big time coffee aficionado yet I won’t spend one penny for Krupp made items. They have profited from war and misery on such a scale I just can’t buy their wares. So many of my ancestors died in battle or in concentration camps from items they produced.
When Japan entered the war in 1941, Australia was virtually defenseless, the bulk of the Australia Army was fighting in North Africa and weapons of any description was in very short supply, all civilian rifles and shotguns were compulsory acquired to arm what defenders Australia had at the time, hence the old guns in memorial parks were melted down and turned into .303 SMLE rifles., @@irvinetam3454
Interestinly, my wife read "The Arms of Krupp" and after reading she declared she would never buy one of their products again. I never read it, but it must have made quite an impression. She seemed pretty angry at the time. @@kaptainkaos1202
This was an incredible achievement by these brave heroes, especially taking the enemy by surprise by not dismounting like the British officers made them do. The sad part about the light horsemen and their animals they brought from Australia 🇦🇺 and had gone through so much together was, being told at the end of the war that the government wouldn’t pay for the horses return to Australia and they would have to be turned over to the locals. But seeing how they treated their own animals, many took their horses out into a field and shot them so they wouldn’t be abused . Such a terrible fate for these brave horses 🐎
Do you even have a clue what happened here. MOUNTED infantry the horse was for fast transport around the battel field the men where never trained for the charge much like todays Armoured Infantry fast movement to take advantage of the enemy's mistakes or put your enemy off balance, block enemy movement, disrupt enemy lines of communications in other words well trained and a valuable asset one you would not wont to waste! The cavalry where trained for the charge that was one of there rolls and if you watch again the German officers misinterpreting of the ALH intent you may understand why things may have gone differently. The men of the light horse were experienced solders and having seen the cavalry in training knew how to go for it. One of my Great uncle's was in the Lincolnshire Yeomanry and they were expecting to do the charge in support of the Light Horse that was there role. The plan was much more than shown in this film, politics and bull shittt stand in the way of the truth. The "British Officers" were the one that got the army from Egypt to Jerusalem the one that made the plans and found a away in the new form of war that the whole world was now fighting. Every time a unit from Canada or ANZAC fought are you ever informed how many other units had been in action in the fight before? the bull shhhitt is the comments that the Brits didn't take the position the Aus did. An attack is not one unit on it's own as is made out in this bloody film and others it take's a large number of men to get to the position for the attack. The position the ALH started from other units made it posable for them to get to unmolested and as rested, man and horse, as posable. Luck and guts yes along with the Turks not having the freedom to think for them self's and the bloody surprise of the MOUNTED INFANTRY not to dismount as was there role on the battle field opened the road to Jerusalem. It's the shiit the political class feed us that turns us against each other just remember most of the men in the Aus army at that time were 1st or 2nd generation British. In a book about the Grimsby Chums, 10th batt the Lincolnshire Reg, on the western front some of the men came from Gainsborough here in Lincolnshire and one day were talking to men from a Aus Inf Batt and where asked "is the view from Pingel hill, in Gainsborough, still the same?" The problems we all have today is the political classes ducking us all over. Read up on this part of the war it's a fantastic and very interesting episode then watch the film again with out the bull it will make this film even better to watch.
@@paulgreen6980 Wow, such an aggressive reply to a straightforward and factual post by the OP. The OPs post was about the horses and their fate at the end of the War. You bang on about a lot of unrelated stuff after starting out 'Do you even have a clue what happened here.' sic.
My Grandfather was in the 8th South Canterbury Mounted Rifles in desert campaign. All of their horses they shot themselves to save from the locals just like the Australians. He told me that they were poorly served by English Officers and on several occasions English generals were booed off the parade ground and no incompetent English Officers were tolerated and the Australians were even less tolerant after the way they were treated in South Africa. The only Horse to return to NZ was Colonel Findlays horse against orders. Colonel Findlay was their commanding from the first to the last day.
Interesting that this myth still persists. All horses were assessed by the vetrinary service at the end of the war and classified as to their physical condition and value. Those too broken down or ill were humanely killed by vet. corps staff, some wre sold to locals but the majority of still viable mounts were sold on to the Indian Army cavalry who were still in theatre although there were some local charities that looked after recuperating horses and mules that might have otherwise have been destroyed. Strict quarantine laws also precluded the return of either Australian Whalers or horses sourced from other parts of the world during the war. The myth that light horsemen killed their own horses to stop them falling into the hands of brutal middle eastern owners is just that, it's a myth largely originated in a post war poem and has no basis in fact, notwithstanding the odd annecdote hat might support this view. Most ANZACS wanted to get home anyway and were not keen on sacrificing space on transports for their horses, much as they felt a bond with them. Brave and loyal beasts, no question about it but on the whole treated well within the norms of the day where horses and mules were seen as, albeit sentient, modes of transport with a primarily financial and utilitarian value.
@@montecarlo1651Read the first sentence of the OP again, it has nothing to do with the fate of the horses, and that's what he's replying to. The rest of the comment is about horses, but the first sentence was making a snide accusation about incompetent British "forcing" the Australian light horse to dismount and fight. I agree the reply was a bit overheated but it was a worthy clarification that dismounting and fighting was the light horse's intended role, and charging was not, and that in this one instance a charge worked did not indicate some great flaw or stupidity in the broader idea of mounted infantry moving on horse and fighting on foot.
@@SamO-ik2cm yes i do know that the anzacs had different uniform, and when they split up. I said the same bc it was similar to the British uniform specially the fact that the leather pouches got replaced. it was similar look but yes the tunic is a bit different and all. but at the end it was still similar.
I had the honour to serve with the descendant regiment from one of the two regiments - of the Beersheba chargers (4th Light Horse Regiment AIF, the regiment shown in the movie) - I served with the 4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment (Royal Australian Armoured Corps) in the 1980s and 1990s who proudly display this battle honour on the Regimental Guidon (sacred battle flag). The Troopers' club at PWLH Regt barracks at Watsonia Army Base, Victoria Australia is named in Honour of WO1 Alex Wilson, RSM of the 4th Light Horse Regiment at the time of the 1917 Charge. Alex was Killed in Action during the Charge, He was aged 24. Alex grew up at Drouin, Victoria. In 2016, long retired from the Army, I was asked to create a display on Alex for the Alex Wilson Club which at the time, the Regiment had almost no information on Alex. I tracked down the relatives of Alex in the Melbourne suburbs and found out a lot about Alex who had kept a diary from when he joined the AIF in August 1914 up until a couple of days before the Charge, they told me that his Commanding Officer, Lt Col Sir Murray Bourchier had visited the family after the war and told them a lot about Alex during his war years. Alex Charged side by side with Lt Col Bourchier in front of the lead squadron during the Charge at Beersheba. Before the Charge, Alex confided in his mate in the 4th Light Horse, Sgt Jim French (from Maffra, Victoria) - 'I think there is bullet for me at Beersheba'. Soon after the Charge and the Battle, Alex was found astride his horse, dead, from gunshot. It appears a Turkish soldier in the trench had spun around as Alex galloped over him and shot Alex from behind. Alex is buried at Beersheba War Cemetery. Alex's relatives told me that Alex had planned to become a Methodist preacher following the War. RSM Alex Wilson, may you Rest in Peace. To gain some understanding of what the defending Turkish soldiers were faced with during the Charge and how frightening it is to face charging men and horse coming straight for you, I recommend visiting a horse race, stand as close as the fence allows to the galloping horses and hear and feel the ground tremble with 15 or so horses, then try to imagine what 700 - 800 galloping horses of the 4th and 12th Light Horse Regiments, charging side by side must have sounded and felt like. It must have been terrifying for the Turks, keeping in mind the Turks had not trained for, nor had any experience in defending themselves from a horsed charge. BTW, in 2022 in Shepparton Victoria near the RSL Club, a full size bronze statue was unveiled of Lt Col Bourchier. The statue depicts Sir Murray on his horse, revolver drawn, his horse at full gallop during the Charge.
Full gallop wasn't done until the final ~100 yards or so. Most of the charge was done at a canter. "Sacred battle flag"? FFS, are you a septic or something? Get a fvcking grip, mate. It's just a flag.
Of course, the whole point of why they were successful was because they weren't actually cavalry. They were mounted infantry - the horses and camels were to make them highly independent and mobile (having a similar function to the SAS and Commandos in WWII). Their actual fighting style was, as with other Commonwealth light infantry forces, on foot with rifle and bayonet. They didn't have lances, nor did they have sabres or carbines (the standard fit of cavalry in WWI). The Turks and Germans thought the Light Horse would, as per their normal tactics, ride to a launch point, dismount and charge. Hence, the guns were laid for an infantry charge, not a cavalry charge. When they didn't stop riding in, it was too late to re-lay the guns, and so the charge went into history as the resounding success it was. But unlike the Light Brigade of the Crimean infamy, the Light Horse (as with other Commonwealth Mounted Rifles, such as the NZ Mounted Rifles) was not cavalry, it was mounted infantry.
They were not mounted infantry. Australian doctrine from 1902 distringuished between Mounted Infantry and Light Horse. The latter were expected to carry out many operations as cavalry. Even when fighting with rifles on foot, they were expected to remount and rapidly shift position as the situation required. As for charges, before this battle the Australian officers expected that they might be required. They had carried out similar operations against the Boers in South Africa. The armourers were ordered to sharpen all bayonets in the Australian Mounted Division for this reason. All British vcavalry were issued with Lee Enfield rifles - the Australian Light Horse were not unique in the empire in having rifles.
Just to note, they weren't Mounted Infantry, but Light Horse. This was a specific designation for mounted troops trained to carry out cavalry duties like screening and scouting, as well as fighting dismounted with rifles, but also mounting for rapid changes of position during firefights. They had all the skills needed to carry out a charge if required, even though they had never specifically trained for it. If they had carried sabres, there would have been greater carnage among the Turks, but the overall result would have been no different - the charge relied on shock action for success. Brigadier Grant had two Light Horse regiments in his first echelon, followed by another Light Horse Regiment and a British Yeomanry Regiment in depth. British and NZ artillery suppressed the German artillery, and other cavalry and light horse units operated dismounted along the flanks to support the charge. It was a corps operation under the command of Lt-Gen Sir Harry Chauvel of the Australian Army.
Me step kid did a a Anzac Day tribute history school project to his great grand father and he was apart of the camel brigade that was a ambulance on this charge , pretty crazy ,
One of my favorite movies, this. Perhaps the best Australian movie ever? I stayed in a hostel near their cemetery in Beersheva. A few years later, they put up that nice memorial statue.
🇦🇺🇦🇺😃👍 What glory, what honor, what absolutely heroic & unwavering dedication to duty, what exhilarating awesomeness & cathartic exaltation (& what a superb recreation!), as that spectacular Australian Cavalry Charge will resonate down through the ages in this properly immortalized & rightfully romanticized fashion (also, at least half those splendid fighting men were Irish or of Irish lineage☘☘☘)😜😜😃🇦🇺🇦🇺
I'm trying to apply for a job while still recovering from COVID. Then, procrastinating, I watch this film, and see a bunch of ANZACS in a far worse plight, trying the most outrageous tactics, and winning! Bloody miracles do happen! Alright. I'll do it. I'll get myself that job!
@@wyattfamily8997 Thank you. I owe you a report. Even though I didn't get the job, I got a lot more than I expected. I got a reply, even though I literally didn't have the prerequisite post graduate degree to do the job. The PR person literally took the time to personalise a reply to me, a man they owed no favours to. Thank you everyone for this wonderful result. I'm so grateful. I used a completely outrageous tactic, and it played to my favour!
My grandfather was in the charge, when I was a teenager he told me he had been sick and coughing up blood in the days before the charge and was so sick when he lined up for the charge that he was secretly hoping a Turkish bullet would put him out of his misery. Needless to say he survived the charge and got over his sickness. Years later in 1950s during a routine chest xray for Tuberculosis they discovered the scars on his lungs left over from the disease. That tough old bugger had charged Beersheba (Be'er-Shev) while sick as a dog and survived, very much doubt I could do the same!
Not one of these beautiful horses ever made it back to Australia. With the fear of foot and mouth they were put down rather than being left for whatever fate. My Grandfather b. 1898 was in the 2/9th light horse. He rode through Palestine and onto Jerusalem. Their victories over 100 years ago still reverberate and shaped the world we live in today.
Historian and author here, in the 1980s and 90s, I served with the descendant regiment of the AIF regiment shown in this movie (4/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment based in Victoria Australia). What is not generally well known is a lot of these horses were not shot, but transferred to the British and Indian Armies. I hope this provides solace in knowing a lot of these horse lived on. Thank you for taking the time to read my comment
My grandfather was witness to the events and charge at Beersheba he was in the Staffordshire yeomanry and guarding the right or left flank (can't remember which).
not really the last documented calvary charge, there were a few after that, the last British Calvary charge happened a few weeks later with the last true calvary charge taking place in 1945 with the Poles on the side of the Soviets. even during 1939, the Poles would use the calvary charge with anti-tank guns, but the NAZIs would use propaganda to push the idea of how inferior the Poles were, but in reality the Polish clavary charges were somewhat effective, even though the Third Reich loathed to admit it.
'The Italian Laurence of Arabia' Amedeo Guillet led his Italian/Eritrean 'Grupo Bande Amhara' in the final cavalry charge British military had to face, against an armoured column at Cheru, January 1941.
Don't know what it is like to charge a line of fire on a horse. Do know how it feels charging head on into tracer rounds. Incredible bravery of these men.
It's absolutely astounding what the Australian Lighthorse was able to achieve that day. You'd think it might have been worse than Balaklava, even if the Light Brigade did reach the Russian positions at the end of the valley, which most people don't know. Still, all hail the Aussies, mate!
I like how you can see the difference in riding style like how some lean further back while others are more forward even see how some continued to spur their horse or very seldom did I know it’s small probably something stupid to point out but smeh I liked to see that
The Charge at the end of 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe' was brilliantly done too, totally fictional of course but a brilliantly 'filmed' charge none the less!
The charges in 'Waterloo' and 'Lawrence of Arabia' are better. If you want to include CGI one the obviously the Charge if the Rohirrim which had 250 extras on horseback. The most you saw mounted in this was about 100. There's also The Charge of the Light Brigade which is probably better than this one but perhaps that's just my British bias however, I'd say the others I mentioned are objectively better.
A great film, BUT to be clear the NZ Mounted Rifles were there as well. In the original edit of this movie (back in the day of initial release) the dismounted ground attack on a Turkish dug in position (in the scene preceding the Charge) were NZ Mounted Riflemen attacking and securing a hill that had not been taken in 2000 yrs. By doing so they secured the Right flank of the charge from Turkish fire. i.e. instead of getting fired for the front AND the right , the Australasians only had to deal with the frontal fires. TAKE NOTHING away from the brilliance and bravery at all. 100 % Kudos to the AU LI. In the ORIGINAL release, the during that preceding attack, one digger says to the other " The kiwis are doing it hard" (or words to that effect) - NOW it has been overdubbed as " The ANZACs are doing it hard" (or words to that effect) FFS credit where due gentleman , the parochial BS is unnecessary, Australia claim, many kiwi icons LOL and we laugh about it !!!!! - BUT I wish whoever over-dubbed the voices (in later versions) of this movie would remember that: KIWIS died in the same location, same day , accomplishing a near impossible task - that arguably enabled the success of the final charge and DEFINITELY saved Australian Light horsemen from death from that flanking fire. So WHY over - dubb NZ out of the "collective consciousness" ? Bit insecure are we? I was a Kiwi Infantry man and ANZAC includes us - not excludes us. See in the scene with the Staff Officers contemplating options, the Kiwi is the guy with the "Lemon squeezer" hat with RED pugree (Hat band). So it acknowledges at least we were part of a plan and supporting action. Must have been an over- parochial Au Civilian in Editing! By the way FROM the NZ Mounted Rifles - you are welcome. Cheers. Great Movie, Great AU Bravery, Great Aussies ..........................just remember your mates !
Nigel, you are quite right, NZMR were there. I am an Aussie who served in the 80s and 90s with the descendant regiment of the Regiment shown in the movie. (4/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment). You may be interested to know that in 2013, I was working in Outback Western Australia. On ANZAC Day in a little village 4 hours north of Kalgoorlie in the WA Goldfields, we commemorated ANZAC Day with Kiwi mine workers. When it came to sing our National Anthems, us Aussies did not know the words of out Anthem, Very embarrassing for us. But the Kiwis knew every word and sang the Anthem with passion! I was most impressed.
Thank you, Keith, @keithad6485 I was an Infantry Warrant Officer Class 2 in the Royal NZ Regiment with a great many friends (Mil & Civvy) and relatives in Australia and it occasionally peeves me how we KIWIs frequently get marginalized in what have been significant TEAM efforts. Battle of Long Tan SVN is another example where individuals (parochial assholes seem to be focused on diminishing ANY Kiwi contribution to embellish those of Australia). Australian Soldiers NEED NO embellishment, like us (KIWI) they are unique and God bless us both. Frequently it is ignorance - but more frequently arrogance. Two events trigger me: 1. A decade ago a Western Australia on ANZAC Day (Town name evades me ATM) the KIWI EX Service Men ( mostly veterans) were relegated to the BACK of the Parade behind the Boys Brigade (or something similar) The KIWI contingent quietly and professionally held their comments for the sake and respect of the Day. WTF is THAT about! 2. My niece came home from school (near Brisbane QLD) and there had been a Class activity about ANZAC Day and its history. Some Parents and a School Teacher were flummoxed that New Zealand had ANYTHING to do with the Day or OUR joint history. Annoys me that we get treated as second-class citizens in what is a GREAT and LUCKY Country. We BOTH defend our patch of the Globe (or a just cause) whether it be on our doorstep or Foreign Lands. Boer, WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, IRAQ, Afghanistan, East Timor, Malaysia, and numerous other interventions ( Collectively or Individually) at a considerable human cost. BOTH have PAID for ourselves and that others MAY live. I would just request a bit of mutual respect and ack where appropriate for those who did NOT get home. I do NOT know for a fact, BUT I would bet those NZ Mounted Rifles would be from their newly captured (Turkish) location overlooking that magnificent Charge, Cheering them on and firing directly onto any Turkish position within range in support of the Charge. All the best Keith
Not only the best filming of a cavalry charge the real charge was the greatest cavalry charge ever and they were not even cavalry and the casualties were amazingly low.
I believe that there were more casualties after the charge into/over the trenches than during the charge, as the movie showed the sights of the rifles were lowered too slow due to the speed of the charge and thus most of the bullets were going over the heads of the horses/men. The Light horsemen would ride up close to the action and dismount with the fourth rider having to stay back and hold the reins of the four horses. This was the main reason for the foresights not being lowered in time.
Correct. the Turks were expecting the normal mounted infantry style of attack (ride forward, dismount, advance on foot), not a classical cavalry charge. It would have been more effective if the Light Horse had traditional cavalry weapons like sabers and lances as they would have been able to fight mounted. Even long bayonets are not an effective substitute for sabers.
@@armynurseboy Sabres would have increased the carnage (killed and wounded) among the Turks, but likely not changed the actual result - the charge relied on shock action to succeed
@@dustindrabek1400 The charge may have succeeded anyway. The German/Turkish machine guns were suppressed by British artillery fire, and the surprise factor for the riflemen was still there - not so much because they had identified the precise units that were advancing on them, but because a mass charge was virtually unknown in the desert campaign, by any units.
A point about your title. As the British and German officers pointed out, there was a distinction between cavalry, who fought from horseback, and mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but fought on foot. This was a great "mounted" charge, but not a "cavalry" one. The Light Horse were mounted infantry.
@@immikeurnot Hardly, Dragoons were a much older conception, usually regarded as heavy cavalry. They were armed to fight either mounted - swords etc - or on foot - carbines etc, but no bayonets. Mounted infantry usually fought in groups of four. They rode to the fight, then dismounted. Three went forward with rifles, the fourth held the horses., But were regarded as light troops, so, no swords which explains why the light horse used their bayonets
Units and the names that designate them change over time, so that in some armies at some points in history there was no difference between cavalry and dragoons (U.S. Army just prior to the Civil War), while at other times dragoons were mounted infantry who were not effective at all if fighting from horseback and only marginally effective as infantry (English Civil War). @@immikeurnot
@@alecblunden8615 Actually, they were not mounted infantry (MI) but Light Horse (LH). The 1902 Mounted Forces Manual (short title) distinguished between LH and MI. These were the former. Their duties included cavalry operations such as screening and scouting which were not expected of MI. They fought dismounted with rifles, but were also expected to rapidly remount and move quickly to new positions as the firefight developed. Light Horse were a distinctively Australian military concept, arising out of our experiences in the Boer War.
Uh...WW1 was a war of self-interest, empires, territory and imperial hegemony. Both the British and the German soldiers fought for "freedom" yes. What you're thinking of is WW2. The Brits basically used Canadians and Aussies as cannon fodder which led to Statute of Westminster which increased sovereignty of the Dominion states so as to not get dragged again into England's wars and be used as cannon fodder slaves.
@@koalastralia Yes but I meant it more as WW1 wasn't a war for freedom. It was a war of will of imperial monarchs and the devastation that it wrought brought destruction and devastation to 80% of the monarchies in the world.
Most of these horse were Whalers from Northern NSW, of all those shipped only one returned, a horse called Sandy that was Brigadier Bridges horse, he was killed at Gallipoli. They are absolutely amazing horses and highly valued.
the best Calvary charge filmed ever, is waterloo undisputed , if that's how you put the title out , as for the Aussies well im English and if they was attacked i be first on the boat out there to give my support. love UK ALWAYS
@@Barkbatosu running from the pacific, though the Empire did withhold the German warmachine through the Battle of Britan and made sure they were a springboard for Operation Overlord.
@@0Zolrender0 The Germans dont know how close they came to winning the Battle of Britain. IIRC, it was Sept 15 1940 around midday when the Brits had nothing left to put up if the Germans had of came across again - except the Germans did not come again that day. A quirk of fate decided the battle of Britain.
@@0Zolrender0 One of the greatest Japanese defeats was at the hands of the British during the battle of kohima and imphal. Also Australia was never really under threat. The Japanese did not possess the logistics to invade. And had they done so British troops would've been sent to help.
@@Barkbatosu In burma,North Africa,Italy,Middle east,east africa,Madagascar,France,Netherlands,Belgium,Germany,Greece, and more. Where were the aussies again? oh right losing thousands of men for nothing in new guinea just because the yanks said so.
One of my all time favourite films with an incredible cast telling the true story not only of the charge at Bathsheba but of the men of the Australian Light Horse who made the charge that day. We get to know the main characters in the Australian Light Horse we see them as ordinary blokes with there dreams, there aspirations and the brotherhood that bonds them as family and mates. As an audience we laugh with them, smile with them and hope that they all survive together, but in war those hopes are dashed with death of those we are behind to survive not only the charge but the war, unfortunately it doesn't happen and then we shed tears for those we hoped don't. It is one of the most incredible true stories of ordinary men who become heroes of Australia and the free world. The first time I saw this film it gave me so many emotions, but the Australian Light Horse became one of my favourite military units in the world. Even though I am British and many members of my family served in the RAF, British Army and the Royal Navy in WW2, i have a lot of respect and support for the Australian Armed Forces and the Australian Light Horse will always be my favourite. 💂♂️💂♂️💂♂️💂♂️🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🏴🏴🏴🏴🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪💙💛🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺
The magnificence and wonder of gods creatures coupled with the insanity of man’s drive to face adversity, with sheer courage is a paradox. Awe inspiring yet heart breaking.
Its good, very historically accurate (eg: using bayonets as sabres) and I really like this film, but in cinematic terms (ie: "The best Cavalry Charge filmed ever") I think there are number of even better examples, even though they may be less historically accurate: Michael Curtiz's legendary Charge of the Light Brigade ("bring on the empty horses"), Laurence Olivier's Agincourt Scene in Henry V, Sergei Bondarchuk's two massive cavalry charges (the British "Union Brigade" and the French heavy cavalry) in Waterloo, to name three that spring to mind.
No, it is NOT "historically accurate" depicting bayonets being wielded as sabers. Bayonets of that type have no cutting edge and are too dull, short and straight to make any sort of cut. Theatrical BS.
@@cray9868 erm....check the war diary of the Australian Mounted Division and particularly 4th Light Horse Brigade. Remember that the British army was trained to use only the point in sabres, and British Sabres of WW1 were not designed for slashing or cutting, but only to give the point (which s why the were specifically straight-bladed) - the 1907 bayonet had a 17-inch blade and could certainly be used as a short sword in shock action and explicit orders were given for this at Beersheba.
@@chriscann7627 And when swords are used point only they're 'presented" differently, on a level plane vs at any sort of vertical. I've done western fencing and HEMA for 30 years and I'm throwing the bullshit flag on this farce.
@@cray9868 18" bayonets too short BS, NO cutting edge BS, they were always sharpened. Issued with a dull edge but this was soon changed. Talk about being dumb and having no knowledge of Australian soldiers at war, you should really check before you make such a stupid statement
@@cray9868 yes it is historically accurate. The Light Horse were not cavalry but mounted riflemen. They normally dismounted and fought on foot like regular infantry (hence the bayonets). However, at Beersheba, since they were desperate to take the town (and the wells within) they opted to charge all the way in like cavalry would. It's part of the reason why the Turk gunfire was so ineffective: they had set their sight for long distance plunging fire against infantry, not for fast moving cavalry. The Light Horse used their bayonets as short swords as best they could because that's all they had available to them. It's very hard to operate a bolt action rifle from horseback, let alone at full gallop, so at least with a long bayonet, you could still stab (although you'd need to reach down a little).
This story, and many more including the disastrous Gallipoli campaign are vividly described by light horse soldier Ion Idriess in his great book, The Desert Column. This his not the only time they and their horses, deprived of food and water are called into battle.
Ion's book is a great read! He did some other interesting novels after the War, plus a book on army scouting which is excellent. He served in WW1 with the Qld 5th Light Horse Regiment.
Drongo. That part of our heritage is fast disappearing because of our government, social media itself and the bleeding heart liberals. The thing that made Aussies fearless and formidable, is all but dead now, and can only be found in the country folk from the Outback. Very little to be feared these days as far as I'm concerned, and I'm a proud, and true blue,, Aussie myself. We've let our leaders sell us out, and now for the most part, we're nothing more than a melting pot of pussies from everywhere else but here, without a true identity.
Australian light horse are mounter infantry, not cavalry, hence no sabres but bayonets. That is why the German advisors said they wont chargeI bet they were surprised
LIght Horse were distinct from both cavalry and mounted infantry. It wasn't just Australians - cavalry of any kind did not charge entrenched infantry in 1917. However, sometimes there were exceptions, and this was one of them.
Not surprise in the conventional sense - the charge tool place over 7,000 yards. But there was tactical surprise. The defenders did not expect a charge, not so much because they identified the units (as the movie states) but because in 1917 cavalry did not charge entrenched infantry with machine guns. However, the British forces had sussed out the weaknesses of the defence over many hours of battle. The Turks had not laid out barbed wire, which would have stopped the charge, and the supporting British artillery had located the German machine gun positions and was able to suppress them.
The 4th Light Horse Colour Patch worn during the Charge - According to the 4th Light Horse War Diary 1915 (held by the Aust War Memorial) from approx 30th March 1915 soldiers of the 4th Light Horse Regiment AIF were issued a White over Red rectangle colour patch on the sleeves of their woolen tunic and their great coat. The Regiment split into two entities in early 1916 following withdrawal and regrouping in Egypt after the Gallipoli Operations, A and C Squadron being sent to France to work with two of the 5 Infantry Divisions as divisional mounted troops, B squadron remained in Egypt to rebuild the Regiment back to a 3 sabre squadron regiment. Until August 1917, both the Western Front and the Middle East based Regiments wore the same colour patch - White over Red. In August 1917 the Middle East based Regiment, now with the recently created 4th Light Horse Brigade, were issued new colour patches just a few weeks before the Charge. Light Blue over Dark Blue rectangle - diagonally divided. This colour patch is the same patch shown being worn in the movie. I have actually held one of the colour patches from the original Charge. It was worn during the Charge by 4th Light Horse RSM Alex Wilson, (KIA at the end of the Charge, age 24). His relatives in Melbourne brought it out to show me - it had been sent to them after the Charge and his death. It was moth damaged but it was such a privilege for me to hold. RSM WO1 Alex Wilson, may you Rest in Peace.
The Light Horse were not Cavalry but Mounted Infantry. The difference being the Cavalry fight on horseback and Mounted Infantry dismount to fight. So technically speaking it was not a cavalry charge, but still impressive nonetheless.
I dont know how it worked in australia regiments in practice but the british armyat this time gave the same lee enfield to cavalry as infantry for the first time so they could fight as infantry as needed (and often went into the trenches), other nations at that time were still giving out carbines to their cavalry
@@Stanthemilkman technically, but the issue is dragoons stopped bothering really dismounting a century or so before this era and just became light cavalry, some of whom would shoot from the saddle
They were not Mounted Infantry. The 1902 Mounted Forces Manual distinguished between Light Horse and Mounted Infantry. As Light Horse they were expected to carry out screening and scouting operations in the same way as cavalry (which MI could not do). They fought dismounted with rifles, but were also expected to remount and rapidly change position during the firefight. Being very flexible in their thinking, they had no difficulty in mastering the charge operation at short notice, even though they had never trained specifically for it.
I suspect my partners great grandfather was part of the New Zealand Light horse, they were also part of the larger battle for Beersheba. I currently have a copper shell casing that was carved with some "hieroglyphs" in some Bazaar in Cairo after the war siting next to my fireplace which holds a fire poker.
This battle sequence is to me almost as good as the original “All quiet on the Western Front” battle. Remove the music and this scene would be 20% better.
Its still incredible to know that those horses were without water for almost two or three days and still managed to charge at full gallop across that hot field. Its a testament to that breed of animal that they had the strength to carry out the job.
God love the Waler Horse
This is one of the reason people ride horses, they will take orders even if it kills them. Donkeys less so, mules the least, hence the phrase "Stubborn as a mule". If you tell a mule to do something that it thinks isn't safe there's not chance in hell you'll get it to do it. You tell a horse to run off a cliff and it will do so with expedience.
A shame though, seeing such loyal animals having to endure such harsh conditions.
What's also incredible is only 31 of the Australian Light Horsemen died making the charge.
@@anthonythistle1465 Only 31....to bad if you were one of the 31
@@jimjones7821 Unless God has a much bigger plan we don't see.
I'm from nearby Beersheba (we call it Be'er Sheva)! We have people do re-enactments of this battle (and memorial ceremonies, etc) almost every year
I know the locals put in great love and care at the WWI War Cemetery and Australian Soldier Park there.
You don't belong here. Go back.
@@h1esmi808 Your people don't belong in Europe USA Canada Australia and new Zealand either. Go back
If you can, please give my regards to Captain John Fox Russell MC, MM {My history teacher's grandfather} Buried in Beersheba Cemetery. Thank you .
Really? That's something I'd love to see
4:48 If anyone is wondering why two of the shoulder flashes have an 'A', while the other doesn't. The 'A' signifies they are original ANZACs, who fought at Gallipoli.
Squadron "A" led the charge
@@SteveThomas-xk9im Are you suggesting the A on their battalion flash is because they are 'A' Squadron? The 'A' signifies they were formally served at Gallipoli, they are Gallipoli Originals. That's what the 'A' signifies.
@@adunreathcooper OK. I am happy to be corrected for my misunderstanding.
Their patch was 4th Regiment 4th Brigade Light Horse 4F Field Ambulance (my grandfather was 8th Light Horse )
You may be interested to know some retired RAAC soldiers based in NE Victoria (the home of the 8th Light Horse Regiment) will be horse mounted and wearing the colour patch of the 8th Light Horse during the Freedom of the City of Bright Parade on 28th October 2023 and will be leading serving soldiers of the 4/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment. I hope you can attend the huge parade. I will be there. I might even be one of the retired soldiers riding as Light Horse. 4/19th is the descendant Regiment of both the 4th and the 8th Light Horse. If you can come, please make yourself known to the Light Horse chaps. We are keen to meet descendants of the AIF Light Horse Regiments, especially the 4th. 8th and 13th Light Horse who each were Victorian AIF regiments. @@chriscatto-smith7701
“They wont charge.” Australians: “Fuck it. lets charge.”
A side story on the Charge concerning an Aussie Victoria Cross recipient. Following the O Group (orders group) conducted by Lt General Harry Chauvel which resulted in the Beersheba Charge later that day, a commanding officer who was at the group, Lt Colonel Leslie Maygar VC (CO, 8th Light Horse Regiment - the same regiment whose men including their then CO Lt Col Alex White were slaughtered at the Battle of the Nek on Gallipoli in August 1915) galloped back to his Regiment. As he galloped away, an aerial bomb from a German aircraft exploded close by him, his horse bolted. He was found the next day, with a mangled arm. He was conscious and chatting with those present during the amputation, but died on the operating table. Leslie had been awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in 1901 in South Africa during the Anglo-Boer War for rescuing one of his men under heavy gunfire from the Boer Commando.
If you are driving along the Hume Freeway South of Euroa, Victoria, perhaps spare a thought as you traverse a hill named in Leslie's honour - Maygars Hill, just north of Tubb's Hill (also named after a Victoria Cross recipient Lt Fred Tubb, a local farmer). In Euroa, at the RSL Sub Branch, Kirkland Ave, there are bronze statues to three local recipients of the Victoria Cross. Lt. Col. Maygar, Lt. Tubb, and Cpl Alex Burton (Killed in Action, Battle of Lone Pine, August 1915, Gallipoli). Thank you for reading my comment
Is this cavalry unit Dragoons?
Top man thankyou
Light Horse. Mounted Infantry. Hence using bayonets as sabres instead of ... well..actual sabres. @@devildogcrewchief3335
No Mounted infantry @@devildogcrewchief3335
Thank you for sharing.
I was an American civil war reactor. Cavalry & mounted artillery wheel driver for thirty years. I also did mounted cowboy shooting, gymkana,& team penning. The best athletes in the world have 4 legs. Horses are spectacular. I love these animals,& this a fantastic movie.
Thank y’all! It’s wonderful to see people still appreciate the men & horses that did these things.
These horses are known as Whalers. None returned to Australia thanks to our Quarantine Laws and the men who had seen how the Arabs treated animals, preferred to shoot their mounts rather than sell them into a life of suffering.
A hard choice but loyalty to your mount means thinking about their future prospects.
Mark from Melbourne Australia
@@markfryer9880
It's sad to read that these fine animals never returned home Mr Fryer. Yet I cannot help but agree that it's better to end their excruciating pain before it ever started. No human or animal should ever be at the mercy of merciless savages.
I was an infantryman with the 7th ID at Fort Ord(back when there still WAS a Fort Ord) California, and we trained with visiting Aussie soldiers. Damn fine soldiers and even better people!
Greetings from North Carolina... love the people of Oz. 🇺🇸🤝🇦🇺
A lot of the horses not brought home went to the Indian Army. Of course many were shot as is well known. One horse did return to Australia, the horse of Maj General William Bridges who died from gunshot wounds on Gallipoli in 1915. Four months ago, a full size bronze statue was unveiled to honour this horse, known as Sandy the War Horse, the statue is at Tallangatta, North East Victoria. You can see a photo on line, search Sandy the War Horse. @@garthneikirk3740
@@markfryer9880 "Walers" not "Whalers", mate, the name indicates where they originated - New South Wales. The horses were bred to be sturdy & calm, with great stamina & requiring of less water than other horse breeds for British Army cavalry units in India. There was always an over-supply of the horses & Australian militia units used them because they respected the qualities that had been bred into them for the Brit's. They were also popular as station horses for the same reason.
Interesting side note: Light Horse units took up the sport of "tent pegging" after the 2nd Boer War, using their bayonets instead of lances or swords (sabres), so the skill set was already part of their arsenal.
Can you imagine being one of those men in this shot. Your riding a horse in the greatest reaction of one of the most pivotal horse charges in history, dressed in period accurate gear, it would be something you remember forever.
Nothing is more terrifying then a dehydrated Aussie
I'll drink to that! Retired Aussie soldier here who served with the descendant regiment of the regiment shown in the movie (4/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment)
@@keithad6485 I see what you did there, Thank you for your service from a grateful American!!!
The Turks only had water. There was no Fosters.
The accuracy of the filming of the Charge sequence is due to the wonderful planning by expert light horse historian Ian Jones, writer and co-producer of the film.
I wonder if they actually charged from so far away
It’s depends on the time period based on what kind of range and missiles the enemy had. Here you would want to be almost at a full gallop till your at least under the guns. By then you’re so close you’re better off keeping the momentum
my apologies title of the movie was 40000 horsemen.
A charge from over 2000 km distance? At full speed? Highly unlikely
@@gerardvandermeulen62 If the weapons you're facing can reach that distance, and there's no cover? Damn right you're going as fast as you can the whole way.
I want to be completely honest: For sheer guts and courage I rate no one above men who attack without regard for themselves - Aiussies are in the top of the league
That charge was conducted in a way that demonstrated the grit and determination of Aussies them, and now. My Dad fought alongside side them in WW2 and he respected them all tremendously...untill they got pissed and nicked his rum ra\tion.
That's because the Australian Army has a standing order of :
*2 beers per day, per soldier, perhaps!*
My dad ( from NE England) was going to follow his best friend back to Perth ( WA) after flying DC3's in Burma. But his mate got killed and so I had to grow up on Teesside. I'll never forgive the guy who would have been my uncle Mervyn. Now I'll go and sob a bit for what might have been.
Pinched your Dad's rum. Aussies being Aussies! 😊rum ration hey? does this mean your Dad was Royal Navy? On ANZAC Day 2008 Westminster Abbey London I attended the Commemoration. Very moving. Afterwards went on a pub crawl with retired British Merchant seamen I met at the Abbey. They told me about the Black Day of the Royal Navy when the rum ration was abolished! (1971).
My History teacher, John Fox Russell had a grandfather of same name, Capt.John Fox Russell who was awarded a VC/MM in this Battle- He is buried at Beersheba War Cemetery ..He was a medic. {Royal Army Medical Corps}..He kept rescuing injured men under heavy machine gun fire....until killed himself. Rest in Peace, Men and horses.
Interesting. He actually won the military cross or MC at the first battle of Gaza. He was not involved in the charge.
@@chrisbuesnell3428 It was in that area?- {He was a Welshman}
I'm living in Beersheba, not far from that cemetery. next week I'm going to make a visit with my girlfriend because we are curious about it (never been inside there before). I'll look for that grave. let me know if you wish me to send you a photo of it.
I'm an israeli student by the way and have always been curios about WW1 and about ANZAC actions here
@@Oakleaf700
Yes at Gaza I think
thanks for sharing!!
I'm so glad they did this epic charge justice in the film. The victory would help the allies win the whole region.
Those Aussie boys were brave as hell, so much respect!. I absolutely love the tension that this scene was able to build.
Aussie boys were Brits!
@@cirrus1964 Def not.
so you speak french there nitwit
@@evilbron666
@@evilbron666 They were British subjects. They were Australian, but mostly saw Australia as an integral part of the Empire.
@@mikem9001That is the best way to describe the situation. Clearly Australian, but closely linked with Britain.
my Grandad was part of this charge.. one of the few who was only armed with a sabour and he lived through it. his horse was downed but he took another and carried on.
That is amazing!!!
No sabres at Beersheba. They were issued in early 1918.
@@Gungho1a Officers had swords…
@@peterwebb8732 Reference? Swords used on ceremonial parades, and kept in the q store, perhaps. You couldnt spread butter with them. No training was done with swords until their issue months after Beersheba.
@@Gungho1a You are the one making the claim, in opposition the the recorded account of someone who was there . (Allegedly). You are also making the historically inaccurate argument that military swords were not sharpened in time of war.
Sidearms for infantry officers changed during WW1 as carrying a sword during an advance across No Mans Land was the equivalent of holding a sign reading “shoot me first”. It’s up to you to support the claim that the same applied in Palestine and that none of the Australians managed to “acquire” one.
Go right ahead…
Great film. WW1 is not something anyone can find comfortable to watch, but this was a masterpiece.
Yes, a big masterpiece
@@AndreasVonLindemann It was a major part of the Australian Film industry coming of age in the late '70s and early '80s.
Mark from Melbourne Australia
"What are we doing here mate?"
"I dunno lad, but someone mentioned 'beer' and 'sheilas'."
You know us aussie soldiers so well. 😉
When a bunch of Aussies come charging at you on horseback, bayonets in hand, make your peace quick.
When a bunch of aussies come charging at you in any manner is terrifying. Tough men for sure!
Let's note how good the cinematography is for this. Those shots of that charge, before they are in contact... Amazing stuff.
A horse lover and late 'Nam era Veteran, I cry every time I see this clip.
I am so glad horses are no longer used in combat role in Aussie Army. from a retired RAAC soldier
I received a reply to my comments on the 13th Aug 2023 from a New Zealand Warrant Officer which brought to mind that us Aussies must never forget that NZ in ANZAC is New Zealand and we Aussies must never forget our brothers in arm across the Tasman Sea. The New Zealand Mounted Rifles were in the Beersheba area at the time of the Charge as were several other Aussie Light Horse Regiments. Thank you to our Kiwi brothers and sisters in arms from a retired Aussie digger.
Not to forget British units that took part also.
Mike you are quite right. Even had a British Artillery unit as part of the Aussie formation. Might have been a detachment of the Royal Horse Artillery. The only British unit which was designated an Aussie identifying colour patch to wear on their sleeves - Royal Blue over Scarlet.
In a Gallipoli battle, the Battle of the Nek, where the 8th and the 10th Light Horse conducted a bayonet charge and were slaughtered by entrenched Turks opposite, British RE involved as well; and the Cheshires and Royal Welsh Fusiliers were part of the attack but down in Monash Gully beside and below the Nek. Yet they never get a mention. Their War Diaries have post battle reports on the Battle of the Nek. Battle of the Nek - see the film 'Gallipoli'. Very sad day for the men and their families of the 8th and the 10th Light horse. BTW I am writing a reference book on Aussie colour patches of WW1 to assist Aussies with researching their WW1 ancestors or relatives. @@mikem9001
@@keithad6485 That book sounds excellent Keith. Interest in this keeps growing, and it will be highly valued I am sure.
The book started as picturing the 400 or so known colour patches from WW1 with a short description for each. But it has taken on a life of its own, There is so much to the history of this little piece of cloth. The book which is about 350 pages with probably another 50 to go, now includes photos of WW1 soldiers in period photos wearing each colour patch (where available) and some bio info on each digger pictured, this makes for sometimes fascinating reading. The beginnings of the colour patch are concurrent with the first combat by the fledgling Australian Army, introduced three or so weeks before the ANZAC landings. @mikem9001
Proud to be an Australian. Thank you to the men who charged that day.
Brave men indeed.
Yes brave men but why did you men in Australia today dishonor thier memorie by letting your left wing government disarm you and take your freedom as free men? Shit will never happen in America
As a United States of America retired Cavalry Dragoon, I found this charge to be quite inspirational! Thank you for posting it. SCOUTS, OUT!!
Scouts Out! 19D
Aussie retired tankie here. You might be interested to know, your General Patton was so impressed with what the Aussies did at Beersheba, in the 1920s he cited the Charge at Beersheba as a reason for US Army to retain horsed cavalry.
@@keithad6485 I WAS aware of that. As a byline, I first served under Major General George S. Patton III from 1974-1977
Was he a charging go getter too? @@daddybuckthompson5300
Unfortunately, on the very last day of filming, the young actor @1.40 Jon Blake, who was considered to be a rising star was involved in a car accident that left him paralysed and suffering brain damage, though he lived to 2011 a very promising career was cut short.
Yes very sad.John was also in the series Anzacs.
Well, that happens when you have been drinking all afternoon and get in a car and drive.
Visited Bersheeba whilst serving(NZ Army) in the Middle East… To pay respects. Some Kiwis were also involved in the charge. Also, the original water well is still there…
The kiwis captured the hill so they could charge
@@grahamlowe314team effort
This battle reenactment is quite different to what really happened.... Every story I heard and research i've done about the charge of Beersheba, especially in my experience in the army, was that the Ottoman's were completely taken off guard that they were being charged towards at the crack of dawn; 05.30am.
By the time many of them had time to react and stand-to, the horses had already dashed their way 2kms towards the city. Despite the ottoman artillery's best attempt of firing, the horses were already underneath the effective range of the cannon fire. Many other horsemen were already approaching trenches before the ottoman soliders could take a proper sight picture.
The Australians knew that night, if they didn't take Beersheba by the morning, the horses wouldn't survive the day. This desperation created a radical plan of sending the 67th and 81st Regiments (27th Division), a total of 2,408 rifles, to charge at the city, many of whom were Arab. The concept was overwhelming for the Ottoman's as it was the last thing they'd expect from a group of withered disbanded Australian regiments.
It was truly an miracle from God and many believe Australia is blessed because of the heroic actions of the ANZAC's. God blesses those who bless Israel.
Mr. Von Lindemann...you're right. I've seen this film before but after 70+ years of watching movie depicted calvary charges...this is the best. Still gets my heart going.
The battle lasted 12 hours and as the General said 50000 men couldn't take the town but they did weaken the defence the Turks didn't put any barbed wire in the trenches you nullify a charge.
Very accurate and brilliant filming.
Lest we forget
I lived near Beer Sheva. Visited the cemetery to pay tribute. This battle opened access to Jerusalem and galvanized the British dominance in what was then "Palestine" and the trans-Jorden for thirty years.
Thankfully
It’s still Palestine. Your british sponsors can’t change that, neither can you.
The Artillery attached to the Light Horse were 8th Perthshire and 9th Inverness-shire batteries RHA (TA) My Great grandfather served in 9th battery
Salute, Aussie.
Good to have you aboard. RHA were attached to Aussie formations in Middle East. Even had their own Aussie colour patch issued to them red/royal blue (worn on upper sleeve). The only non Aussie unit to be so designated. From a retired Aussie Armoured corps soldier. I am always glad when commenters relay the service of their relatives and ancestors. Well done.
Oddly, mounted infantry was probably the best type of unit to do this. The mission was to capture a town - street fighting which is an infantry job. The cavalry bit was simply (yes, stupid word, I know) to get across 3 miles of open countryside in reasonably good order.
My grandfather was there. He was looking after the Supply Horses & Mules. He was observing the charge when a stray bullet went over his head & took the heal of boot off.
Great story!
I don’t know what is better, the charge or Sir Harry’s quick comebacks.
It is well reported Sir Harry actually said, 'Put Grant Straight At It!'
Every year here in Israel we go to the Australian and NZ Soldiers buried there to remember the great things they did. Since my Israeli army unit used to do anti-tank maneuvers in that very area often as well as Gaza, there are no mountains or high hills like here but the ground scenery is similar.
Thanks mate.we don't forget...
Tell them that they are not forgotten. Every year we commemorate the lost and the fallen Australian Service Personnel from wars and Peace Keeping missions and the like. The day is called ANZAC DAY, April 25th.
The Anniversary of the Landings at Gallipoli!
Tell them who you are and that Australia and Israel are firm friends, mates even. They will understand that!
Mark from Melbourne Australia
Former Australian Army Reservist '88 to '95.
Yes, I know much about the ANZAC and what they gave in WW1 and WW2,Veitnam.@@markfryer9880
Thanks cobber! Please can you put flowers on the grave of RSM WO1 Alex Wilson KIA during the Charge. I know his relatives, who will never be able to afford to visit his grave. They live in Melbourne. And on the grave of Lt Col Leslie Maygar VC, who died of wounds the day after the Charge. He was CO 8th Light Horse and he came from my home town (Euroa - Ruffy, Victoria). Thank so much if you can do this, from a retired Aussie soldier who served with the descendant regiments of both these men.
Yes, will do so. I don't have a car but we have a good PublicBus System, will try soon..Will pray there.@@keithad6485
Those Aussie boys were brave as hell, so much respect!
That’s why Anzac Day exists if ur from any other country u would not know what it is
New Zealanders as well
How things have changed. A few years ago they allowed themselves to lock at home with no resistance.
Have Australians ever heard of using helmets?
@@rongendron8705 wide brimmed slouch hats perfect for the desert, steel helmets would be uselesss
The Lighthorse still wear the same head dress. I actually met some of them on my way to a job interview in Sydney once in 2006 & shook their hands. My dad's father chose to move here from South Africa in the early 1900's having heard of their bravado, and having already seen a war or two himself.
The Diggers you met wearing the slouch hat and emu feathers would have been Armoured Corps soldiers possibly from the 1/15th Royal NSW Lancers based in Parramatta. We in the RAAC wore berets from mid WW2 to 1993 when the new dress regulations authorised for the first time that Armoured soldiers were to wear slouch hats and emu plumes. I still have mine and wear it on ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day, though I am long since retired from the RAAC. My regiment (4/19 Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment based in Melbourne) has the Charge at Beersheba as one of its Battle Honours (4th Light Horse Regiment).
My Grandfather served in the 2nd light horse - he died when I was 3, I would have loved to have spoken with him.
All the captured Turkish artillery were German guns manufactured by Krupp of Essen, the Beersheba guns and all the other captured guns were collected at the end of the war and shipped to Australia as "War Trophies" and subsequently allocated to towns all over Australia as war memorials, unfortunately no records was kept of where the guns were captured and to this day, the Turkish Government won't reveal what guns were where. Tragically, during WW2 most of the captured guns were collected as scrap because the scarce gun metal was needed to make new weapons to defend Australia, some still survive with Turkish writing but there is no way of knowing if they were Beersheba guns or not...
German made guns, melted down into raw metal, to be turned into Australian guns; used against Germany.
I suspect that not not all of the Diggers involved in Beersheba would have been entirely unhappy with this sequence of events ...
Today Krupp is still a major manufacturer. Some of their coffee making machines are reknown for the fine machining and being top of the line. I am a big time coffee aficionado yet I won’t spend one penny for Krupp made items. They have profited from war and misery on such a scale I just can’t buy their wares. So many of my ancestors died in battle or in concentration camps from items they produced.
When Japan entered the war in 1941, Australia was virtually defenseless, the bulk of the Australia Army was fighting in North Africa and weapons of any description was in very short supply, all civilian rifles and shotguns were compulsory acquired to arm what defenders Australia had at the time, hence the old guns in memorial parks were melted down and turned into .303 SMLE rifles., @@irvinetam3454
Interestinly, my wife read "The Arms of Krupp" and after reading she declared she would never buy one of their products again. I never read it, but it must have made quite an impression. She seemed pretty angry at the time. @@kaptainkaos1202
Props to the cameraman who filmed this back in 1917 in such quality! 🙌
1987
There's always that one commentator.
And like always, he survived!
Getting under the horses in such manner, he deserves a VC himself.
Wish he would have used that time machine for a better purpose.
This was an incredible achievement by these brave heroes, especially taking the enemy by surprise by not dismounting like the British officers made them do. The sad part about the light horsemen and their animals they brought from Australia 🇦🇺 and had gone through so much together was, being told at the end of the war that the government wouldn’t pay for the horses return to Australia and they would have to be turned over to the locals. But seeing how they treated their own animals, many took their horses out into a field and shot them so they wouldn’t be abused . Such a terrible fate for these brave horses 🐎
Do you even have a clue what happened here.
MOUNTED infantry the horse was for fast transport around the battel field the men where never trained for the charge much like todays Armoured Infantry fast movement to take advantage of the enemy's mistakes or put your enemy off balance, block enemy movement, disrupt enemy lines of communications in other words well trained and a valuable asset one you would not wont to waste!
The cavalry where trained for the charge that was one of there rolls and if you watch again the German officers misinterpreting of the ALH intent you may understand why things may have gone differently.
The men of the light horse were experienced solders and having seen the cavalry in training knew how to go for it. One of my Great uncle's was in the Lincolnshire Yeomanry and they were expecting to do the charge in support of the Light Horse that was there role.
The plan was much more than shown in this film, politics and bull shittt stand in the way of the truth. The "British Officers" were the one that got the army from Egypt to Jerusalem the one that made the plans and found a away in the new form of war that the whole world was now fighting.
Every time a unit from Canada or ANZAC fought are you ever informed how many other units had been in action in the fight before? the bull shhhitt is the comments that the Brits didn't take the position the Aus did.
An attack is not one unit on it's own as is made out in this bloody film and others it take's a large number of men to get to the position for the attack. The position the ALH started from other units made it posable for them to get to unmolested and as rested, man and horse, as posable.
Luck and guts yes along with the Turks not having the freedom to think for them self's and the bloody surprise of the MOUNTED INFANTRY not to dismount as was there role on the battle field opened the road to Jerusalem.
It's the shiit the political class feed us that turns us against each other just remember most of the men in the Aus army at that time were 1st or 2nd generation British.
In a book about the Grimsby Chums, 10th batt the Lincolnshire Reg, on the western front some of the men came from Gainsborough here in Lincolnshire and one day were talking to men from a Aus Inf Batt and where asked "is the view from Pingel hill, in Gainsborough, still the same?"
The problems we all have today is the political classes ducking us all over. Read up on this part of the war it's a fantastic and very interesting episode then watch the film again with out the bull it will make this film even better to watch.
@@paulgreen6980 Wow, such an aggressive reply to a straightforward and factual post by the OP. The OPs post was about the horses and their fate at the end of the War. You bang on about a lot of unrelated stuff after starting out 'Do you even have a clue what happened here.' sic.
My Grandfather was in the 8th South Canterbury Mounted Rifles in desert campaign. All of their horses they shot themselves to save from the locals just like the Australians.
He told me that they were poorly served by English Officers and on several occasions English generals were booed off the parade ground and no incompetent English Officers were tolerated and the Australians were even less tolerant after the way they were treated in South Africa.
The only Horse to return to NZ was Colonel Findlays horse against orders. Colonel Findlay was their commanding from the first to the last day.
Interesting that this myth still persists. All horses were assessed by the vetrinary service at the end of the war and classified as to their physical condition and value. Those too broken down or ill were humanely killed by vet. corps staff, some wre sold to locals but the majority of still viable mounts were sold on to the Indian Army cavalry who were still in theatre although there were some local charities that looked after recuperating horses and mules that might have otherwise have been destroyed. Strict quarantine laws also precluded the return of either Australian Whalers or horses sourced from other parts of the world during the war. The myth that light horsemen killed their own horses to stop them falling into the hands of brutal middle eastern owners is just that, it's a myth largely originated in a post war poem and has no basis in fact, notwithstanding the odd annecdote hat might support this view. Most ANZACS wanted to get home anyway and were not keen on sacrificing space on transports for their horses, much as they felt a bond with them. Brave and loyal beasts, no question about it but on the whole treated well within the norms of the day where horses and mules were seen as, albeit sentient, modes of transport with a primarily financial and utilitarian value.
@@montecarlo1651Read the first sentence of the OP again, it has nothing to do with the fate of the horses, and that's what he's replying to. The rest of the comment is about horses, but the first sentence was making a snide accusation about incompetent British "forcing" the Australian light horse to dismount and fight. I agree the reply was a bit overheated but it was a worthy clarification that dismounting and fighting was the light horse's intended role, and charging was not, and that in this one instance a charge worked did not indicate some great flaw or stupidity in the broader idea of mounted infantry moving on horse and fighting on foot.
The Aussies had the best looking uniforms in WW1
Only the hats (the Light Horse with their emu feathers especially so). The rest was a bit shite, TBH
Germans for me.
@@greybirdo its just a british uniform
@@Bunny-zn7ke ask me how i know you know nothing about ww1.
@@SamO-ik2cm yes i do know that the anzacs had different uniform, and when they split up. I said the same bc it was similar to the British uniform specially the fact that the leather pouches got replaced. it was similar look but yes the tunic is a bit different and all. but at the end it was still similar.
I had the honour to serve with the descendant regiment from one of the two regiments - of the Beersheba chargers (4th Light Horse Regiment AIF, the regiment shown in the movie) - I served with the 4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment (Royal Australian Armoured Corps) in the 1980s and 1990s who proudly display this battle honour on the Regimental Guidon (sacred battle flag).
The Troopers' club at PWLH Regt barracks at Watsonia Army Base, Victoria Australia is named in Honour of WO1 Alex Wilson, RSM of the 4th Light Horse Regiment at the time of the 1917 Charge. Alex was Killed in Action during the Charge, He was aged 24. Alex grew up at Drouin, Victoria.
In 2016, long retired from the Army, I was asked to create a display on Alex for the Alex Wilson Club which at the time, the Regiment had almost no information on Alex. I tracked down the relatives of Alex in the Melbourne suburbs and found out a lot about Alex who had kept a diary from when he joined the AIF in August 1914 up until a couple of days before the Charge, they told me that his Commanding Officer, Lt Col Sir Murray Bourchier had visited the family after the war and told them a lot about Alex during his war years. Alex Charged side by side with Lt Col Bourchier in front of the lead squadron during the Charge at Beersheba.
Before the Charge, Alex confided in his mate in the 4th Light Horse, Sgt Jim French (from Maffra, Victoria) - 'I think there is bullet for me at Beersheba'. Soon after the Charge and the Battle, Alex was found astride his horse, dead, from gunshot. It appears a Turkish soldier in the trench had spun around as Alex galloped over him and shot Alex from behind.
Alex is buried at Beersheba War Cemetery. Alex's relatives told me that Alex had planned to become a Methodist preacher following the War. RSM Alex Wilson, may you Rest in Peace.
To gain some understanding of what the defending Turkish soldiers were faced with during the Charge and how frightening it is to face charging men and horse coming straight for you, I recommend visiting a horse race, stand as close as the fence allows to the galloping horses and hear and feel the ground tremble with 15 or so horses, then try to imagine what 700 - 800 galloping horses of the 4th and 12th Light Horse Regiments, charging side by side must have sounded and felt like. It must have been terrifying for the Turks, keeping in mind the Turks had not trained for, nor had any experience in defending themselves from a horsed charge.
BTW, in 2022 in Shepparton Victoria near the RSL Club, a full size bronze statue was unveiled of Lt Col Bourchier. The statue depicts Sir Murray on his horse, revolver drawn, his horse at full gallop during the Charge.
Full gallop wasn't done until the final ~100 yards or so. Most of the charge was done at a canter. "Sacred battle flag"? FFS, are you a septic or something? Get a fvcking grip, mate. It's just a flag.
😅
Thank you for this. That was a great read. I'll check out the statue next time in Shep.
Salute
Sad that some commenters resort to insults. Very sad. You have my sympathies. @@iatsd
I absolutely love the tension that this scene was able to build
Of course, the whole point of why they were successful was because they weren't actually cavalry. They were mounted infantry - the horses and camels were to make them highly independent and mobile (having a similar function to the SAS and Commandos in WWII). Their actual fighting style was, as with other Commonwealth light infantry forces, on foot with rifle and bayonet. They didn't have lances, nor did they have sabres or carbines (the standard fit of cavalry in WWI). The Turks and Germans thought the Light Horse would, as per their normal tactics, ride to a launch point, dismount and charge. Hence, the guns were laid for an infantry charge, not a cavalry charge. When they didn't stop riding in, it was too late to re-lay the guns, and so the charge went into history as the resounding success it was. But unlike the Light Brigade of the Crimean infamy, the Light Horse (as with other Commonwealth Mounted Rifles, such as the NZ Mounted Rifles) was not cavalry, it was mounted infantry.
They were not mounted infantry. Australian doctrine from 1902 distringuished between Mounted Infantry and Light Horse. The latter were expected to carry out many operations as cavalry. Even when fighting with rifles on foot, they were expected to remount and rapidly shift position as the situation required. As for charges, before this battle the Australian officers expected that they might be required. They had carried out similar operations against the Boers in South Africa. The armourers were ordered to sharpen all bayonets in the Australian Mounted Division for this reason.
All British vcavalry were issued with Lee Enfield rifles - the Australian Light Horse were not unique in the empire in having rifles.
Filmed by Dean Semler , who went on to be director of photography on Dances with Wolves.
Amazing thing is the Aussie really did take the place with a mounted infantry attack with short bayonnets.
Just to note, they weren't Mounted Infantry, but Light Horse. This was a specific designation for mounted troops trained to carry out cavalry duties like screening and scouting, as well as fighting dismounted with rifles, but also mounting for rapid changes of position during firefights. They had all the skills needed to carry out a charge if required, even though they had never specifically trained for it.
If they had carried sabres, there would have been greater carnage among the Turks, but the overall result would have been no different - the charge relied on shock action for success. Brigadier Grant had two Light Horse regiments in his first echelon, followed by another Light Horse Regiment and a British Yeomanry Regiment in depth. British and NZ artillery suppressed the German artillery, and other cavalry and light horse units operated dismounted along the flanks to support the charge. It was a corps operation under the command of Lt-Gen Sir Harry Chauvel of the Australian Army.
There is a Chauvel Street in Heidelberg Heights, Melbourne.
Me step kid did a a Anzac Day tribute history school project to his great grand father and he was apart of the camel brigade that was a ambulance on this charge , pretty crazy ,
One of my favorite movies, this. Perhaps the best Australian movie ever? I stayed in a hostel near their cemetery in Beersheva. A few years later, they put up that nice memorial statue.
🇦🇺🇦🇺😃👍 What glory, what honor, what absolutely heroic & unwavering dedication to duty, what exhilarating awesomeness & cathartic exaltation (& what a superb recreation!), as that spectacular Australian Cavalry Charge will resonate down through the ages in this properly immortalized & rightfully romanticized fashion (also, at least half those splendid fighting men were Irish or of Irish lineage☘☘☘)😜😜😃🇦🇺🇦🇺
Half were Irish? Lol no.
Yep
I can't think why half. They were fairly representative of Australian society at the time, of whom just less than a third had Irish heritage.
I'm trying to apply for a job while still recovering from COVID. Then, procrastinating, I watch this film, and see a bunch of ANZACS in a far worse plight, trying the most outrageous tactics, and winning!
Bloody miracles do happen!
Alright. I'll do it. I'll get myself that job!
Best of luck to you. From Australia.
@@wyattfamily8997
Thank you. I owe you a report. Even though I didn't get the job, I got a lot more than I expected. I got a reply, even though I literally didn't have the prerequisite post graduate degree to do the job. The PR person literally took the time to personalise a reply to me, a man they owed no favours to.
Thank you everyone for this wonderful result. I'm so grateful. I used a completely outrageous tactic, and it played to my favour!
My grandfather was in the charge, when I was a teenager he told me he had been sick and coughing up blood in the days before the charge and was so sick when he lined up for the charge that he was secretly hoping a Turkish bullet would put him out of his misery. Needless to say he survived the charge and got over his sickness. Years later in 1950s during a routine chest xray for Tuberculosis they discovered the scars on his lungs left over from the disease. That tough old bugger had charged Beersheba (Be'er-Shev) while sick as a dog and survived, very much doubt I could do the same!
retired US Cavalryman here....absolutely awe inspiring.....FIDDLERS GREEN...SCOUTS OUT!
Not one of these beautiful horses ever made it back to Australia. With the fear of foot and mouth they were put down rather than being left for whatever fate. My Grandfather b. 1898 was in the 2/9th light horse. He rode through Palestine and onto Jerusalem. Their victories over 100 years ago still reverberate and shaped the world we live in today.
Wait ... are you talking about the horses used in the actual battle, or the horses used in the film?
@@whiteknightcat the horses in ww1. The film was made in Australia
@@gregnoble8799 Thanks for clarifying.
Historian and author here, in the 1980s and 90s, I served with the descendant regiment of the AIF regiment shown in this movie (4/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment based in Victoria Australia). What is not generally well known is a lot of these horses were not shot, but transferred to the British and Indian Armies. I hope this provides solace in knowing a lot of these horse lived on. Thank you for taking the time to read my comment
Now THET'S how you do a charge.
Brilliant reply and I can imagine one of the participants coming up with it.
My grandfather was witness to the events and charge at Beersheba he was in the Staffordshire yeomanry and guarding the right or left flank (can't remember which).
ANZAC troops were brave in all wars. My father fought with them in the South Pacific and had the highest respect for the ANZACS.
Your granda in the marines?
You Australians know how to ride damn they put u.s cavalry to shame because that was amazing
Too bloody right mate and those blokes weren't even cavalry they were mounted infantry
Australia, the real "home of the brave" and land of the free...
@@vergellicerio8919 your opinion and I can agree with you 50% of it because look at America now jesus
@@kittknight4491 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 look at the rights of America and then get back to me
@@ArtyMcGee405 Give some examples? Because Australians no longer have rights unfortunately :( 🤷🏽♀️ also what happened to my comment? Lol.
How did those horses carry the weight of their massive Australian balls.
Ha ha, good comment!
Fabulous film and history that should not be forgotten. This is the absolute last cavalry charge that is documented.
Enjoy 😊
Poles did it in WW2 against the Germans.
not really the last documented calvary charge, there were a few after that, the last British Calvary charge happened a few weeks later with the last true calvary charge taking place in 1945 with the Poles on the side of the Soviets. even during 1939, the Poles would use the calvary charge with anti-tank guns, but the NAZIs would use propaganda to push the idea of how inferior the Poles were, but in reality the Polish clavary charges were somewhat effective, even though the Third Reich loathed to admit it.
Isbushensky. Italian cavalry charged soviets. 1942
💥💯💯💯🔥
'The Italian Laurence of Arabia' Amedeo Guillet led his Italian/Eritrean 'Grupo Bande Amhara' in the final cavalry charge British military had to face, against an armoured column at Cheru, January 1941.
They aren't cavalry, they're mounted infantry
They are not cavalry, they're falling with style!
True, true.
its not mounted infantry its mounted rifles
@@Bunny-zn7ke, mounted rifles don't kill people; mounted infantry kill people.
@@DavidGeliebter uh no, both kill. Mounted infantry just go to point to point, while mounted rifles have other jobs to do
Don't know what it is like to charge a line of fire on a horse. Do know how it feels charging head on into tracer rounds. Incredible bravery of these men.
The rohirrim had their charge, we had ours
And the Winged Hussars, at Vienna.
Those are my top three!
@@Grubnar Couldn't agree More
It's absolutely astounding what the Australian Lighthorse was able to achieve that day. You'd think it might have been worse than Balaklava, even if the Light Brigade did reach the Russian positions at the end of the valley, which most people don't know. Still, all hail the Aussies, mate!
Thanks mate, from a retired Aussie armoured corps soldier. You've earned a beer!
I like how you can see the difference in riding style like how some lean further back while others are more forward even see how some continued to spur their horse or very seldom did I know it’s small probably something stupid to point out but smeh I liked to see that
The Charge at the end of 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe' was brilliantly done too, totally fictional of course but a brilliantly 'filmed' charge none the less!
The charges in 'Waterloo' and 'Lawrence of Arabia' are better.
If you want to include CGI one the obviously the Charge if the Rohirrim which had 250 extras on horseback. The most you saw mounted in this was about 100.
There's also The Charge of the Light Brigade which is probably better than this one but perhaps that's just my British bias however, I'd say the others I mentioned are objectively better.
A great film, BUT to be clear the NZ Mounted Rifles were there as well.
In the original edit of this movie (back in the day of initial release) the dismounted ground attack on a Turkish dug in position (in the scene preceding the Charge) were NZ Mounted Riflemen attacking and securing a hill that had not been taken in 2000 yrs.
By doing so they secured the Right flank of the charge from Turkish fire. i.e. instead of getting fired for the front AND the right , the Australasians only had to deal with the frontal fires.
TAKE NOTHING away from the brilliance and bravery at all. 100 % Kudos to the AU LI.
In the ORIGINAL release, the during that preceding attack, one digger says to the other " The kiwis are doing it hard" (or words to that effect) - NOW it has been overdubbed as " The ANZACs are doing it hard" (or words to that effect)
FFS credit where due gentleman , the parochial BS is unnecessary, Australia claim, many kiwi icons LOL and we laugh about it !!!!! - BUT I wish whoever over-dubbed the voices (in later versions) of this movie would remember that: KIWIS died in the same location, same day , accomplishing a near impossible task - that arguably enabled the success of the final charge and DEFINITELY saved Australian Light horsemen from death from that flanking fire. So WHY over - dubb NZ out of the "collective consciousness" ? Bit insecure are we?
I was a Kiwi Infantry man and ANZAC includes us - not excludes us. See in the scene with the Staff Officers contemplating options, the Kiwi is the guy with the "Lemon squeezer" hat with RED pugree (Hat band). So it acknowledges at least we were part of a plan and supporting action.
Must have been an over- parochial Au Civilian in Editing! By the way FROM the NZ Mounted Rifles - you are welcome. Cheers.
Great Movie, Great AU Bravery, Great Aussies ..........................just remember your mates !
The price of being the 8th state of Australia
@@stitchjones7134 Well , never let some inconvenient facts or hogging the kudo to get in the way.
@@nigelmcquinlan1887 "Bit insecure are we?"
Nigel, you are quite right, NZMR were there. I am an Aussie who served in the 80s and 90s with the descendant regiment of the Regiment shown in the movie. (4/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment). You may be interested to know that in 2013, I was working in Outback Western Australia. On ANZAC Day in a little village 4 hours north of Kalgoorlie in the WA Goldfields, we commemorated ANZAC Day with Kiwi mine workers. When it came to sing our National Anthems, us Aussies did not know the words of out Anthem, Very embarrassing for us. But the Kiwis knew every word and sang the Anthem with passion! I was most impressed.
Thank you, Keith, @keithad6485 I was an Infantry Warrant Officer Class 2 in the Royal NZ Regiment with a great many friends (Mil & Civvy) and relatives in Australia and it occasionally peeves me how we KIWIs frequently get marginalized in what have been significant TEAM efforts.
Battle of Long Tan SVN is another example where individuals (parochial assholes seem to be focused on diminishing ANY Kiwi contribution to embellish those of Australia).
Australian Soldiers NEED NO embellishment, like us (KIWI) they are unique and God bless us both.
Frequently it is ignorance - but more frequently arrogance.
Two events trigger me:
1. A decade ago a Western Australia on ANZAC Day (Town name evades me ATM) the KIWI EX Service Men ( mostly veterans) were relegated to the BACK of the Parade behind the Boys Brigade (or something similar) The KIWI contingent quietly and professionally held their comments for the sake and respect of the Day. WTF is THAT about!
2. My niece came home from school (near Brisbane QLD) and there had been a Class activity about ANZAC Day and its history. Some Parents and a School Teacher were flummoxed that New Zealand had ANYTHING to do with the Day or OUR joint history.
Annoys me that we get treated as second-class citizens in what is a GREAT and LUCKY Country.
We BOTH defend our patch of the Globe (or a just cause) whether it be on our doorstep or Foreign Lands. Boer, WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, IRAQ, Afghanistan, East Timor, Malaysia, and numerous other interventions ( Collectively or Individually) at a considerable human cost. BOTH have PAID for ourselves and that others MAY live.
I would just request a bit of mutual respect and ack where appropriate for those who did NOT get home.
I do NOT know for a fact, BUT I would bet those NZ Mounted Rifles would be from their newly captured (Turkish) location overlooking that magnificent Charge, Cheering them on and firing directly onto any Turkish position within range in support of the Charge.
All the best Keith
Put Grant straight at it! One hell of an Ops order.
Not only the best filming of a cavalry charge the real charge was the greatest cavalry charge ever and they were not even cavalry and the casualties were amazingly low.
I believe that there were more casualties after the charge into/over the trenches than during the charge, as the movie showed the sights of the rifles were lowered too slow due to the speed of the charge and thus most of the bullets were going over the heads of the horses/men. The Light horsemen would ride up close to the action and dismount with the fourth rider having to stay back and hold the reins of the four horses. This was the main reason for the foresights not being lowered in time.
Correct. the Turks were expecting the normal mounted infantry style of attack (ride forward, dismount, advance on foot), not a classical cavalry charge. It would have been more effective if the Light Horse had traditional cavalry weapons like sabers and lances as they would have been able to fight mounted. Even long bayonets are not an effective substitute for sabers.
@@armynurseboybut then it would have failed. The surprise was because they weren’t suitable for the charge.
@@armynurseboy Sabres would have increased the carnage (killed and wounded) among the Turks, but likely not changed the actual result - the charge relied on shock action to succeed
@@dustindrabek1400 The charge may have succeeded anyway. The German/Turkish machine guns were suppressed by British artillery fire, and the surprise factor for the riflemen was still there - not so much because they had identified the precise units that were advancing on them, but because a mass charge was virtually unknown in the desert campaign, by any units.
A point about your title. As the British and German officers pointed out, there was a distinction between cavalry, who fought from horseback, and mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but fought on foot. This was a great "mounted" charge, but not a "cavalry" one. The Light Horse were mounted infantry.
So they were dragoons?
@@immikeurnot Hardly, Dragoons were a much older conception, usually regarded as heavy cavalry. They were armed to fight either mounted - swords etc - or on foot - carbines etc, but no bayonets. Mounted infantry usually fought in groups of four. They rode to the fight, then dismounted. Three went forward with rifles, the fourth held the horses., But were regarded as light troops, so, no swords which explains why the light horse used their bayonets
@@immikeurnotin the old, original sense of mounted infantry. Like Okey's Dragoons.
Units and the names that designate them change over time, so that in some armies at some points in history there was no difference between cavalry and dragoons (U.S. Army just prior to the Civil War), while at other times dragoons were mounted infantry who were not effective at all if fighting from horseback and only marginally effective as infantry (English Civil War). @@immikeurnot
@@alecblunden8615 Actually, they were not mounted infantry (MI) but Light Horse (LH). The 1902 Mounted Forces Manual (short title) distinguished between LH and MI. These were the former. Their duties included cavalry operations such as screening and scouting which were not expected of MI. They fought dismounted with rifles, but were also expected to rapidly remount and move quickly to new positions as the firefight developed. Light Horse were a distinctively Australian military concept, arising out of our experiences in the Boer War.
They pulled off that attack against entrenched troops with artillery support and machine guns. All I can say is...dammnn?!?
At first click I thought this was the charge of the Light Brigade very similar, brave but nuts to attempt. Wonderfully shot
You got to love those Aussies
Deepest respect for the soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice to breathe freedoms we enjoy. Proud to an Australian.
Lucky to be an Australian 👍
Uh...WW1 was a war of self-interest, empires, territory and imperial hegemony. Both the British and the German soldiers fought for "freedom" yes. What you're thinking of is WW2. The Brits basically used Canadians and Aussies as cannon fodder which led to Statute of Westminster which increased sovereignty of the Dominion states so as to not get dragged again into England's wars and be used as cannon fodder slaves.
@@bravomike4734 They used everybody as cannon fodder.
@@koalastralia Yes but I meant it more as WW1 wasn't a war for freedom. It was a war of will of imperial monarchs and the devastation that it wrought brought destruction and devastation to 80% of the monarchies in the world.
@@bravomike4734 Yes, that was true.
It's incredible how proud you are to be Australian, when you live overseas for a while. Europeans have no idea. Our soldiers are great.
Most of these horse were Whalers from Northern NSW, of all those shipped only one returned, a horse called Sandy that was Brigadier Bridges horse, he was killed at Gallipoli. They are absolutely amazing horses and highly valued.
the best Calvary charge filmed ever, is waterloo undisputed , if that's how you put the title out , as for the Aussies well im English and if they was attacked i be first on the boat out there to give my support. love UK ALWAYS
Where were your boys in the Second World War again?
@@Barkbatosu running from the pacific, though the Empire did withhold the German warmachine through the Battle of Britan and made sure they were a springboard for Operation Overlord.
@@0Zolrender0 The Germans dont know how close they came to winning the Battle of Britain. IIRC, it was Sept 15 1940 around midday when the Brits had nothing left to put up if the Germans had of came across again - except the Germans did not come again that day. A quirk of fate decided the battle of Britain.
@@0Zolrender0 One of the greatest Japanese defeats was at the hands of the British during the battle of kohima and imphal. Also Australia was never really under threat. The Japanese did not possess the logistics to invade. And had they done so British troops would've been sent to help.
@@Barkbatosu In burma,North Africa,Italy,Middle east,east africa,Madagascar,France,Netherlands,Belgium,Germany,Greece, and more. Where were the aussies again? oh right losing thousands of men for nothing in new guinea just because the yanks said so.
One of my all time favourite films with an incredible cast telling the true story not only of the charge at Bathsheba but of the men of the Australian Light Horse who made the charge that day. We get to know the main characters in the Australian Light Horse we see them as ordinary blokes with there dreams, there aspirations and the brotherhood that bonds them as family and mates. As an audience we laugh with them, smile with them and hope that they all survive together, but in war those hopes are dashed with death of those we are behind to survive not only the charge but the war, unfortunately it doesn't happen and then we shed tears for those we hoped don't. It is one of the most incredible true stories of ordinary men who become heroes of Australia and the free world. The first time I saw this film it gave me so many emotions, but the Australian Light Horse became one of my favourite military units in the world. Even though I am British and many members of my family served in the RAF, British Army and the Royal Navy in WW2, i have a lot of respect and support for the Australian Armed Forces and the Australian Light Horse will always be my favourite. 💂♂️💂♂️💂♂️💂♂️🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🏴🏴🏴🏴🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪💙💛🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺
I love history. I also very much enjoy good movies about epic historical battles!
The magnificence and wonder of gods creatures coupled with the insanity of man’s drive to face adversity, with sheer courage is a paradox. Awe inspiring yet heart breaking.
"Nobody has ever taken Beersheba.."...us Aussies.. "Hold my beer mate"
Its good, very historically accurate (eg: using bayonets as sabres) and I really like this film, but in cinematic terms (ie: "The best Cavalry Charge filmed ever") I think there are number of even better examples, even though they may be less historically accurate: Michael Curtiz's legendary Charge of the Light Brigade ("bring on the empty horses"), Laurence Olivier's Agincourt Scene in Henry V, Sergei Bondarchuk's two massive cavalry charges (the British "Union Brigade" and the French heavy cavalry) in Waterloo, to name three that spring to mind.
No, it is NOT "historically accurate" depicting bayonets being wielded as sabers. Bayonets of that type have no cutting edge and are too dull, short and straight to make any sort of cut. Theatrical BS.
@@cray9868 erm....check the war diary of the Australian Mounted Division and particularly 4th Light Horse Brigade. Remember that the British army was trained to use only the point in sabres, and British Sabres of WW1 were not designed for slashing or cutting, but only to give the point (which s why the were specifically straight-bladed) - the 1907 bayonet had a 17-inch blade and could certainly be used as a short sword in shock action and explicit orders were given for this at Beersheba.
@@chriscann7627
And when swords are used point only they're 'presented" differently, on a level plane vs at any sort of vertical. I've done western fencing and HEMA for 30 years and I'm throwing the bullshit flag on this farce.
@@cray9868 18" bayonets too short BS, NO cutting edge BS, they were always sharpened. Issued with a dull edge but this was soon changed. Talk about being dumb and having no knowledge of Australian soldiers at war, you should really check before you make such a stupid statement
@@cray9868 yes it is historically accurate. The Light Horse were not cavalry but mounted riflemen. They normally dismounted and fought on foot like regular infantry (hence the bayonets). However, at Beersheba, since they were desperate to take the town (and the wells within) they opted to charge all the way in like cavalry would. It's part of the reason why the Turk gunfire was so ineffective: they had set their sight for long distance plunging fire against infantry, not for fast moving cavalry. The Light Horse used their bayonets as short swords as best they could because that's all they had available to them. It's very hard to operate a bolt action rifle from horseback, let alone at full gallop, so at least with a long bayonet, you could still stab (although you'd need to reach down a little).
This story, and many more including the disastrous Gallipoli campaign are vividly described by light horse soldier Ion Idriess in his great book, The Desert Column. This his not the only time they and their horses, deprived of food and water are called into battle.
Ion's book is a great read! He did some other interesting novels after the War, plus a book on army scouting which is excellent. He served in WW1 with the Qld 5th Light Horse Regiment.
It's impressive they found so many actors able to perform a running gallop.
IF you are a TRU BLUE....THIS IS OUR HERITAGE ! I am so proud to be an Aussie !
Me to
As an Aussie, this is a stone paved in the footpath of our heritage that is to be Australian. You'd better fear us.
Don't ever f+ck with Australia ❤️
shiver me timbers
Drongo. That part of our heritage is fast disappearing because of our government, social media itself and the bleeding heart liberals. The thing that made Aussies fearless and formidable, is all but dead now, and can only be found in the country folk from the Outback. Very little to be feared these days as far as I'm concerned, and I'm a proud, and true blue,, Aussie myself. We've let our leaders sell us out, and now for the most part, we're nothing more than a melting pot of pussies from everywhere else but here, without a true identity.
Australian light horse are mounter infantry, not cavalry, hence no sabres but bayonets. That is why the German advisors said they wont chargeI bet they were surprised
LIght Horse were distinct from both cavalry and mounted infantry. It wasn't just Australians - cavalry of any kind did not charge entrenched infantry in 1917. However, sometimes there were exceptions, and this was one of them.
I remember watching this film as a kid! Haven't seen it in decades!
Title of this film pls..
@@dindohamac6640 the lighthorsemen.
Assim se dá a conhecer a História!
Best? Probably. Longest? definitely! They hardly had the element of surprise did they? Bravery!
Not surprise in the conventional sense - the charge tool place over 7,000 yards. But there was tactical surprise. The defenders did not expect a charge, not so much because they identified the units (as the movie states) but because in 1917 cavalry did not charge entrenched infantry with machine guns. However, the British forces had sussed out the weaknesses of the defence over many hours of battle. The Turks had not laid out barbed wire, which would have stopped the charge, and the supporting British artillery had located the German machine gun positions and was able to suppress them.
Must've been crazy being in a dust up this chaotic.
The 4th Light Horse Colour Patch worn during the Charge - According to the 4th Light Horse War Diary 1915 (held by the Aust War Memorial) from approx 30th March 1915 soldiers of the 4th Light Horse Regiment AIF were issued a White over Red rectangle colour patch on the sleeves of their woolen tunic and their great coat. The Regiment split into two entities in early 1916 following withdrawal and regrouping in Egypt after the Gallipoli Operations, A and C Squadron being sent to France to work with two of the 5 Infantry Divisions as divisional mounted troops, B squadron remained in Egypt to rebuild the Regiment back to a 3 sabre squadron regiment.
Until August 1917, both the Western Front and the Middle East based Regiments wore the same colour patch - White over Red. In August 1917 the Middle East based Regiment, now with the recently created 4th Light Horse Brigade, were issued new colour patches just a few weeks before the Charge. Light Blue over Dark Blue rectangle - diagonally divided. This colour patch is the same patch shown being worn in the movie. I have actually held one of the colour patches from the original Charge. It was worn during the Charge by 4th Light Horse RSM Alex Wilson, (KIA at the end of the Charge, age 24). His relatives in Melbourne brought it out to show me - it had been sent to them after the Charge and his death. It was moth damaged but it was such a privilege for me to hold. RSM WO1 Alex Wilson, may you Rest in Peace.
This was Marechal Ney's mass calvary charge but successful
The Light Horse were not Cavalry but Mounted Infantry. The difference being the Cavalry fight on horseback and Mounted Infantry dismount to fight. So technically speaking it was not a cavalry charge, but still impressive nonetheless.
And one of the *last* successful mounted charges ever...
Quite a number have occurred since, but very, very few have been successful.
I dont know how it worked in australia regiments in practice but the british armyat this time gave the same lee enfield to cavalry as infantry for the first time so they could fight as infantry as needed (and often went into the trenches), other nations at that time were still giving out carbines to their cavalry
Dragoons?
@@Stanthemilkman technically, but the issue is dragoons stopped bothering really dismounting a century or so before this era and just became light cavalry, some of whom would shoot from the saddle
They were not Mounted Infantry. The 1902 Mounted Forces Manual distinguished between Light Horse and Mounted Infantry. As Light Horse they were expected to carry out screening and scouting operations in the same way as cavalry (which MI could not do). They fought dismounted with rifles, but were also expected to remount and rapidly change position during the firefight. Being very flexible in their thinking, they had no difficulty in mastering the charge operation at short notice, even though they had never trained specifically for it.
The best background music for a mounted charge is From Now On by Band-Maid.
@donaldgraham6414 I'm a big fan of Mario Milo. Lead guitar and vocals for Aussie prog rock band Sebastian Hardie
I suspect my partners great grandfather was part of the New Zealand Light horse, they were also part of the larger battle for Beersheba. I currently have a copper shell casing that was carved with some "hieroglyphs" in some Bazaar in Cairo after the war siting next to my fireplace which holds a fire poker.
Not sure if its the best ever filmed. Haven't seen that many. But, nonetheless, it sorta captures the imagination, hey?
Riders of Rohan probably have something to say.
gen jeb stuart proud of australia cavalry
JEB Stuart would have ridden around the entire Turkish army. 😉
The lesson, troops, never, EVER piss off a [mounted] Combat Medic!
Now that's some! depiction of a cavalry charge.
This battle sequence is to me almost as good as the original “All quiet on the Western Front” battle. Remove the music and this scene would be 20% better.
I agree best ever