The Light Horse Memorial, Harden.
When we hold commemorative events regarding past wars, we need to be aware that particular wars mean different things to people.
Harden-Murrumburrah has seen men go to all wars in foreign lands some of which have included South Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan – it all started in 1897.
The Light Horse was born out local cavalry originally formed as the 1st Australian Horse.
In 1897 the unpaid volunteer component of the New South Wales Military Forces was being revived. James Alexander Kenneth Mackay set out to raise a regiment of cavalry in the rural areas of the Colony. He chose to form its first troop in his electorate, in the twin towns of Harden and Murrumburrah.
Local men formed a half squadron which was sixty horsemen who were fit for military purposes. Known then as the Harden Murrumburrah Half Squadron of the 1st Australian Horse.
The 1st Australian Horse was a regiment of cavalry raised in New South Wales composed of bushmen of the rural districts. James Mackay created the regiment of four squadrons from Goulburn, Bungendore, Michelago, Braidwood, Cootamundra, Gunnedah, Boggabri, Scone, Mudgee, Rylstone and Quirindi.
Training throughout 1898 had the members of the 1st Australian Horse from Harden-Murrumburrah, Gundagai and Cootamundra praised for their efficiency when in camp where they rigorously trained in camp routine, mounted and foot drills, use of arms, squadron drill, outpost duties as advance and rear guards, field firing and all practical work of encampment.
In October 1899 local men, fit for military purposes, boarded the train to Sydney to be examined for active service in the war at Transvaal in South Africa. The British empire found itself at war, after years of tension with the Boer republics of Transvaal and Orange Free State.
The South African War had shown shown up the inadequacies of the British Army in fighting an enemy equipped with modern weaponry.
The end of that war coincided with the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901, the army of the new nation adopted many of the lessons of the war; among these was the conversion in Australia of cavalry armed with lance or sabre and carbine to “mounted infantrymen” – the Light Horse. The Australian Horse was split into two regiments called respectively the 3rd and 6th Australian Light Horse Regiments. The part-time soldiers of the Light Horse Regiments and military Infantry Battalions would provide the nucleus of the Australian Imperial Force that served overseas in 1914-18.
Many men took up the call to arms.
The paper reported in August 1918 that Aussie ‘volunteers’ were heading for Europe:
“The following are the names of the local volunteers for the Light Horse contingent who are going to Sydney to pass for the Australian contingent to Europe: – Lieut. A. D. Reid, Sergeant R. Gibson, Troopers C. J Newton, H. Grieg, E. M. Lucas, J. G. Pope, S. Gregory, W. E. Colley, J. McLean, O. Allsopp, C. J. McCarthy. For the use of the troopers Mr. W. Ross Jnr, has kindly given three horses and will give more if wanted. The troop leaves Harden at 12:40 tomorrow, Tuesday, August 18th.”
At the end of World War 1 the military regiments underwent further reorganisation. In 1918 the 3rd Light Horse Regiment was named the 7th Light Horse Regiment (Australian Horse) and continued to serve as such until its final disbandment during the Second World War.
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