It’s a stunning monument to one of our country’s most fascinating military units: the Australian 12th Light Horse Infantry Regiment.
One hundred years ago, give or take a couple of days, the regiment was based at Holsworthy.
But when word came down they would be joining the action in the Middle East, soldiers and beasts came to the “bush’’ at Menangle for their war training.
They didn’t know it, but the regiment, alongside others like it from across the country, ended up playing a pivotal role in one of the greatest military campaigns in history: the Battle of Beersheba.
Last night, just a few days short of the centenary of that extraordinary campaign, Campbelltown City Council yesterday unveiled a stunning monument honouring the Light Horse Regiments that trained at Menangle Park and their role in the Battle of Beersheba.
The monument has been installed at the corner of Menangle Road and the newly renamed Beersheba Parade, Menangle Park, and forms part of Council’s Anzac Centenary commemorations between 2014 and 2018.
Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr George Brticevic, said council was proud to be acknowledging the sacrifice of the 31 brave Australians who died and the 36 men who were wounded at the Battle of Beersheba, and their connection to Campbelltown in such a prominent way.
“The Anzacs were special to Campbelltown, and to all Australians, and the new monument installed on the site near where the Light Horse Regiments trained, now known as Club Menangle, is a fitting public memorial,” he said.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“It is one of a number of ways our city is honouring our servicemen and servicewomen during the Anzac Centenary commemorations, including an Anzac Memorial unveiled at Milton Park in June, the World War I memorial in Mawson Park, and memorial plinths which have pride of place at Ingleburn Railway Station.”[/social_quote]
The mounted forces that trained at Menangle Park formed part of the regiments that participated in the Battle of Beersheba on October 31, 1917.
The final phase of the all-day battle was the famous charge of the Light Horse Regiment, and the capture of the strategic town of Beersheba.
This victory enabled the British Empire forces to break the Ottoman line near Gaza.
The city fell a week later, and on December 9, 1917, the British troops entered Jerusalem.
