6th Light Horse Regiment (Australia)

The 6th Light Horse Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment of the Australian Army during the First World War. The regiment was raised in August 1914, and assigned to the 2nd Light Horse Brigade.

During the war the regiment fought against the forces of the German Empire and the Ottoman Empire, in Egypt, at Gallipoli, on the Sinai Peninsula, and in Palestine and Jordan. After the armistice the regiment eventually returned to Australia in March 1919. For its role in the war the regiment was awarded sixteen battle honours.

Formation
The 6th Light Horse Regiment was raised at Sydney in September 1914, and comprised twenty-five officers and 497 other ranks serving in three squadrons, each of six troops. Each troop was divided into eight Sections, of four men each. In action one man of each section, was nominated as a horse holder reducing the regiments rifle strength by a quarter. Its manpower being mostly recruited from residents of New South Wales. Once formed the regiment was assigned to the 2nd Light Horse Brigade, serving alongside the 5th and 7th Light Horse Regiments.

All Australian Light Horse regiments used cavalry unit designations, but were mounted infantry armed with rifles, not swords or lances, and mounted exclusively on the Australian Waler horse.

Operational history


In December 1914, only three months after being raised the regiment sailed for Egypt arriving in February 1915. When the Australian foot infantry left Egypt to take part in the Gallipoli campaign, the light horse regiments were left behind, the authorities believing mounted troops would not be needed in the campaign. However infantry casualties were so severe it was decided to send them, without their horse, as infantry reinforcements. The 6th Light Horse landing on the peninsula in May 1915, and were attached to the 1st Division, and made responsible for the right flank of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps position. During the campaign they fought a mainly defensive battle, until being withdrawn in December 1915.

Sinai and Palestine Campaign
On their arrival back in Egypt, the 6th Light Horse, still part of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade, were assigned to the newly formed ANZAC Mounted Division. By April they were positioned to defend the Suez Canal, from an Ottoman incursion. In August the took part in the battles of Romani and Katia, following up the retreating Ottoman forces into the Sinai desert.

The regiment spend the next few moths patrolling the desert, until fighting in the unsuccessful first and second battles of Gaza. This was followed by the successful battle of Beersheba in October 1917. After the battle the regiment took part in the pursuit of the Ottoman forces, which eventually resulted in the capture of Jerusalem. The 6th Light Horse then took part in operation along the River Jordan, which ended with the capture of Aman and Es Salt. The Ottoman Empire surrendered soon after that and before returning home the regiment was sent back to Egypt to provide internal security during riots. In June 1919 the regiment sailed for Australia, their casualties for the First World War coming to 111 dead and 461 wounded.

Commanding officers

 * Lieutenant Colonel Charles Frederick Cox
 * Lieutenant Colonel Colin Dunmore Fuller
 * Lieutenant Colonel Harold Albert Duckett White
 * Lieutenant Colonel Donald Gordon Cross

Battle honours
ANZAC·Defence at ANZAC·Suvla·Sari Bair·Gallipoli 1915–1916·Egypt 1915–1917·Romani·Gaza-Beersheba·El Mughar·Nebi Samwill·Jerusalem·Jordan (Es Salt)·Jordan (Amman)·Megiddo·Nablus·Palestine 1917–1918