We remember on Anzac Day

Today is Anzac Day and as I bow my head in prayer for all who died

I think of all those brave young men who gave their lives thinking

about the good of the whole rather than the individual. 

There are also the courageous animals and as a horse lover I shudder

when I think about the ‘Waler’ horses that charged to their death.

Below is a short excerpt from the ‘Just Soldiers’ website.

Trooper Sloan ‘Scotty’ Bolton, DCM
The Beersheba Charger

You can read the entire and riveting story by Darryl Kelly

Just Soldiers http://www.anzacday.org.au/justsoldiers/justsoldiers.html

Bolton astride favourite mount, ‘Monty’. (Family collection) Photograph courtesy of the Australian War Memorial. www.awm.gov.au

AWM A02684. ‘Thunder of a Light Horse charge’. The charge of the 4th Light Horse Brigade at Beersheba on 31 October 1917, taken by a Turk whose camera was captured later in the day Photograph courtesy of the Australian War Memorial. www.awm.gov.au

Can you imagine the horror, men charging the enemy astride their beloved horses, the thundering of  hooves echoing above the gunfire. The Turkish batteries opened fire but the charge refused falter such was the bravery of these men. Horses and men blown to pieces and still they charged. So many charged to their death ….

Note 5. Jones I, The Australian Light Horse, Time-Life Books Australia in association with John Ferguson, Sydney, 1987.

Pushing his Waler at full gallop, Trooper Bolton reached down and grasped the handle of his bayonet, extracting the 18-inch blade from its scabbard. Note 1. A Dream of the Past, Diary of Trooper Sloan Bolton DCM, privately printed by the family.

The Turks now set their rifle sights to a range of 1600 metres as the riflemen and machine-gunners readied themselves. The volley of lead cut through the lines of horsemen, but the thirsty horses could smell the water—there was no stopping them.

Bolton’s horse, Monty, careered wildly and he fought hard to regain control of his plunging beast. He was later to find that a bullet had narrowly missed his own leg, hitting instead the pannikin hanging from the saddle. This had deflected the round, carving a 12-inch gouge along the horse’s rump. Note 1. A Dream of the Past, Diary of Trooper Sloan Bolton DCM, privately printed by the family.

The Turkish riflemen fired wildly at the approaching horde. At the sight of the rampaging Australians, some Turks threw down their weapons and ran towards the town, others chose to fight to the end. The defenders were ordered to save the guns and the Turkish horse teams galloped forward to salvage what they could.

The first wave of the light horse now reached the forward enemy line. As the horses leaped across the open trenches, many of the Turks crouched and thrust their rifles and bayonets upward to disembowel the horses in mid-flight. The remnants of the first wave carried on to engage the support trenches. The scene had become a bloody shambles of rifle and revolver fire. The rip and slash of wielded bayonets punctuated the air and one horse was seen to join the fight, rearing and striking out with its fore-hooves. Note 5. Jones I, The Australian Light Horse, Time-Life Books Australia in association with John Ferguson, Sydney, 1987.

Scotty galloped through to the second line, attacking two Turks with his bayonet. As he rode towards the centre of town, he spotted a Turkish soldier running towards a house. Galloping over, Bolton kicked the Turk, forcing him to the ground, retrieving his revolver as he lay dazed. Note 1. A Dream of the Past, Diary of Trooper Sloan Bolton DCM, privately printed by the family.

Elements of the 12th Light Horse were already weaving their way through the streets, and some were watering their horses in the captured wells. One trooper fell to his knees in a Turkish canvas water trough, and drank side-by-side with his horse. Note 5. Jones I, The Australian Light Horse, Time-Life Books Australia in association with John Ferguson, Sydney, 1987.

Suddenly a well exploded, then another and yet another, the last blast almost throwing Bolton from his horse. On the ground he noticed a number of wires leading to a building. Bolton peered through an open window and caught sight of a German officer operating a switchboard. He sprang from the saddle and burst through the door. The startled German tightened his grip on the detonation handle. Bolton cocked his revolver and put it to the German’s forehead, overcoming the language barrier with one decisive stroke. Bolton’s mate, Trooper Ray Hudson, came through the door and took charge of the prisoner.1 Although some wells had been destroyed and a few had been damaged, most were still intact, including reservoirs holding more than 400000 litres. Note 5. Jones I, The Australian Light Horse, Time-Life Books Australia in association with John Ferguson, Sydney, 1987. Read on at: www.anzacday.org.au/justsoldiers/justsoldiers.html