9th Light Horse Regiment (Australia)

9th Light Horse Regiment
9th Light Horse hat badge
Active	1914–1919
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Mounted Infantry
Size	Regiment
Part of	3rd Light Horse Brigade
Engagements	First World War North African Campaign Gallipoli campaign Sinai and Palestine Campaign
Insignia
Unit Colour Patch

The 9th Light Horse Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment of the Australian Army during the First World War. The regiment was raised in October 1914, and assigned to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade.

During the war the regiment fought against the forces of 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 fifteen battle honours.

Formation

The 9th Light Horse Regiment was raised at Adelaide and trained in Melbourne between October 1914 and February 1915. About three thirds of the recruits were from South Australia the remainder from Victoria. 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. Once formed the regiment was assigned to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, serving alongside the 8th and 10th 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

Further information: Military history of Australia during World War I

Gallipoli campaign

9th Light Horse trench Gallipoli

In February 1915, the 9th Light Horse Regiment left Melbourne for Egypt, arriving on the 1 February 1915. When the Australian infantry units were dispatched to Gallipoli, it was thought the terrain was unsuitable for mounted troops, and the light horse regiments remained in Egypt. However casualties resulted in the deployment of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade as reinforcements in May 1915. On arrival the regiment was attached to the New Zealand and Australian Division. The regiment was the brigade reserve for the battle of the Nek, so did not suffer the same level of casualties as their sister regiments in the brigade, however their first commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Miell was one of them. The regiment was involved in the brigade's next attack at Hill 60 on 27 August, which resulted in the death of the replacement commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Reynell the next day. From then until December 1915, when the regiment was withdrawn the were only used in a defensive role.

Sinai and Palestine campaign

9th Light Horse crossing the Suez canal

On the regiments return to Egypt, together with the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, they were assigned to the newly raised ANZAC Mounted Division. Used in the defence of the Suez Canal the regiment missed the early battles of the Sinai and Palestine campaign. But they were involved in the pursuit of the Ottoman forces into Palestine, following their defeat in the battle of Romani.

In December 1916, the regiment took part in a bayonet attack during the battle of Magdhaba, and another in the battle of Rafa in January 1917. The regiment and brigade were assigned to a new division, the Imperial Mounted Division, later renamed the Australian Mounted Division and fought in the unsuccessful first and second battle of Gaza.

The next battle of Beersheba in October 1917, was a success, and led to the fall of Gaza. This led to a general withdrawal of Ottoman forces north into Palestine, followed by the British Empires forces. During which the regiment was involved in the capture of Jerusalem in December. In 1918, the regiment took part in an unsuccessful raid across the River Jordan at Es Salt. On 21 September the regiment captured Jenin and Sa'sa', and entered Damascus in October. The war in the Middle East ended shortly afterwards when the armistice of Mudros was signed in October 1918. The regiment, had to return to Egypt to assist in putting down a revolt, then sailed for Australia in July 1919. The war had cost the regiment over 100 per cent casualties, 190 killed and 481 wounded.

Battle honours

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

Commanding Officers

• Lieutenant Colonel Albert Miell MID (KIA)
• Lieutenant Colonel Carew Reynell MID (KIA)
• Lieutenant Colonel William Grant DSO
• Lieutenant Colonel John McLean Arnott CGM
• Lieutenant Colonel William Henry Scott CGM, DSO and Bar
• Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Joseph Daly DSO

References

• Horner, David; Williams, Dr Peter (2010). Australia's Military History For Dummies. John Wiley and Sons. ISBN 978-1-74246-894-5. 

Further reading

• T.H. Darley, With the Ninth Light Horse in the Great War, (Adelaide: The Hassell Press, 1924).