Portal:Military history of Australia/Units/December 24

Australian Light Horsemen during World War I

The Australian Light Horse soldiers were mounted infantry who served during the Second Boer War and World War I. The Light Horse differed from cavalry in that they usually fought dismounted, using their horses as transport to the battlefield and as a means of swift disengagement when retreating or retiring. A famous exception to this rule was the charge of the 4th and 12th Light Horse Regiments at Beersheba on 31 October 1917. In 1918, some light horse regiments were equipped with sabres, enabling them to fight in a conventional cavalry role during the advance on Damascus. All the Light Horse Regiments were converted to motorised infantry or armoured regiments during World War II. A number of Australian light horse units are still in existence today, generally as Royal Australian Armoured Corps cavalry units.