| 10th Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|
10th Light Horse Regiment cap badge[1] |
|
| Active | 1914 – Present |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Army Reserve |
| Type | Light Horse |
| Role | Armoured Reconnaissance |
| Size | One squadron |
| Part of | 13th Brigade |
| Garrison/HQ | Karrakatta |
| Motto | Percute et Percute Velociter (Strike and Strike Swiftly) (Latin) |
| March | Marching Through Georgia |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Major Geoffrey Craggs |
| Colonel-in-Chief | HRH The Prince of Wales (Colonel-in-Chief, RAAC) |
| Notable commanders |
Lieutenant Colonel N.M. Brazier |
| Insignia | |
| Unit Colour Patch | |
The 10th Light Horse Regiment is a light cavalry regiment of the Australian Army. Tracing its lineage back to 1900, it predecessor units served during the Second Boer War and the First World War. Today consisting of only a single squadron, the regiment is part of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. A Reserve unit, it is attached to the 13th Brigade and is based in Western Australia, where it operates Land Rover 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles in the light cavalry and reconnaissance roles.
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The regiment is one of the later formations in Australia, being formed in 1900. In Western Australia, it was the custom for the volunteer infantry at major centres to form, within themselves, small bodies of mounted infantry for the purpose of performing certain cavalry duties. By 1900 records indicate that at least four such bodies existed, they being at Perth, Guildford, Geraldton and Bunbury. These units were brought together under a single command and took the title of the Western Australia Mounted Infantry (WAMI).[2]
During the Second Boer War Western Australia despatched five contingents to South Africa bearing the name Western Australia Mounted Infantry (WAMI), although these contingents were not part of the part time Western Australian mounted volunteer who also bore this same name. [3]
In 1903, the Commonwealth re-organised the whole framework of the Australian defence forces. Since there was no money for a standing army, the military was organised on a part time paid militia model while its strategy bore remarkable similarity to their erstwhile enemy's military organisation. By a combination of rifle clubs, infantry regiments and mounted units, the defence of Western Australia was based on the concept of guerrilla war being waged upon any potential invader. At that time, although not stated publicly, the big fear was a Japanese invasion. In line with all the changes, the West Australian mounted militia formation was called the 18th Australian Light Horse with the territorial title remaining as the Western Australia Mounted Infantry (WAMI).[2]
For Western Australians in London who wanted to continue their mounted service, an exchange programme was commenced allying the WAMI with British Territorial unit known as King Edward's Horse or The King's Overseas Dominions Regiment. From 1908, any West Australian could serve in either regiment without any break in their service, a most important factor for officer seniority.[2]
After the Kitchener Report, the defence structure of Australia was again changed to enlarge the units through conscription. The Regiment's title was changed in July 1912 to the 25th Australian Light Horse, part of the Citizens Military Force, with the territorial title once again remaining as the Western Australia Mounted Infantry (WAMI).[2] Like all units, nearly all the former members were purged and replaced by conscripts. Unfortunately, the cost for the individual of being in the Light Horse was in excess of the sustenance allowance received and the numbers dropped alarmingly. The man whose personal energy singularly saved the WAMI from oblivion during this period was Noel Brazier, an officer from Capeltown. For his efforts he became the Regiment's Commanding Officer on 11 May 1913. [2]
In October 1914, following the outbreak of the First World War, a Squadron was raised in West Australia known a "C" Squadron, and formed part of the composite 7th Light Horse Regiment with squadrons from Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. A month later, the flow of recruits meant that it was possible to form a specific West Australian Light Horse Regiment which took the name 10th Light Horse Regiment, to serve as part of the Australian Imperial Force and attached to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. It was the only AIF light horse unit raised in Western Australia. Initially it had planned only to raise a squadron sized unit, however, as numbers of volunteers grew the decision was made to raise an entire regiment of West Australians drawn from the 5th Military District.[4]
Following training in Australia, the regiment was sent to Egypt, arriving on 8 March 1915.[4] The regiment's first action of the war came during the Gallipoli campaign. Due to terrain and the static nature of the fighting on the peninsula, it was felt that mounted units could not play a part, however, a number of light horse units were deployed in a dismounted role as infantry. The 10th Light Horse Regiment arrived at Gallipoli on 20 May 1915 and initially it was largely used in a defensive role.[4] In August, however, the Allies attempted to break the stalemate, launching the August Offensive. The regiment's action at the Nek during this offensive was immortalised in the final scenes of the 1981 Peter Weir film Gallipoli. It was also involved in the Battle of Hill 60 later in August before being evacuated along with the rest of the Allied troops in December 1915.[4]
Reverting to its original mounted infantry role, the regiment saw service in the Middle East for the remainder of the war, taking part in numerous actions including the Battle of Beersheba. The Regiment was the later given the honour of leading the Australian Mounted Division, and as such was the Allied unit which accepted the formal surrender of the city of Damascus on 1 October 1918.[4] Later, while awaiting repatriation, the regiment was used to suppress a nationalist uprising in Egypt in 1919.[5] Following its return to Australia, the 10th Light Horse Regiment was disbanded in 1919.[4]
During its service during the war, the regiment suffered 237 killed and 479 wounded. Its members received the following decorations: 1 VC, 1 CMG, 3 DSOs and 1 bar, 1 MBE, 9 MCs and 1 bar, 15 DCMs and 1 bar, 15 MMs, 3 MSMs, 48 MIDs and 4 foreign awards.[5] Hugo Throssell was the regiment's sole Victoria Cross recipient.[4][5]
In order to perpetuate the traditions and distinctions of the Australian Imperial Force, it was decided that in July 1919 all CMF units would be re-designated with the unit numbers of the AIF.[2] From this date, the 25th Australian Light Horse Regiment was renamed the 10th Australia Light Horse Regiment while retaining the territorial title Western Australia Mounted Infantry (WAMI).
One final recognition was in 1923 when the Regiment was finally awarded the right to carry the Battle Honours for the Second Boer War. Initially these had been granted to the West Australian infantry regiments but not to the mounted regiment. This oversight was corrected and from this time they bore these Battle Honours in addition to those granted to the AIF 10th light Horse Regiment.[2]
During the Second World War, the regiment underwent several name changes in order to show its varying roles. In 1943, it was gazetted as an Australian Imperial Force unit, but did not see service overseas. Instead, its main task was the defence of south-west Australia. During this period, the regiment was also partially mechanised, although it did retain horses which were used to patrol the coastline. It was the last regiment in Australia to employ horses. It was disbanded in 1944.[2] it was reformed as a single squadron in 1949, when it became fully mechanised and was renamed the 10th Western Australian Mounted Infantry, operating Staghound and Canadian Scout armoured cars. Expanded to a full regiment in 1952, it was again renamed as the 10th Light Horse in 1956 when it was equipped with Staghounds, Saracens and Ferrets, before being reduced to a single independent squadron again in 1976.[6]
The Squadron remained independent until 2001, when it formally became a part of the Army Reserve's 13th Brigade. The regiment was until recently equipped with the M113 vehicle in the armoured reconnaissance role, but has since migrated to "light cavalry/reconnaissance" role in the Land Rover 6x6 LRPV and Regional Force Surveillance Vehicle, both variants of the Land Rover 110.
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