Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

World War 1, Australia, Western Australia, 723 EDWARDS, 10 Light Horse

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Subcollections

10 Australian Light Horse - Troopers 1914-1920

Overview

Photograph of 723 Lieutenant Vivian Edwards from Manjimup born Madras, India

Historical information

10 Light Horse was raised as a squadron, then a regiment in October 1914.and formed part of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade in Egypt. The Regiment served dismounted in Gallipoli and fought at the charge at the Nek on 7 August 1915, and at Hill 60 on 29-30 August. The only Victoria Cross awarded to a Light Horseman recognised the valour of Lieutenant Hugo Throssell at Hill 60.
After Gallipoli the Regiment was bought up to strength to defended Egypt from the Ottoman Army advancing on the Suez Canal. Through 1916 they drove the Turks across the deserts of Sinai, participating in the battles of Romani and Magdhaba.
In 1917 as part of the Desert Column they advanced into Palestine and participated in the bloody battles to break the Gaza-Beersheba line and helped capture Jerusalem. They participated in the Es Salt Raid in May 1918. In August they were equipped with swords and retrained as cavalry. In this role they took part in the rout of the Ottoman army in the Jordan Valley, a campaign the light horse referred to as "The Great Ride". In September the 10th was the first formed regiment to enter Damascus.
Turkey surrendered on 30 October 1918. After the end of the war, the regiment saw action in putting down the Egyptian uprising of 1919. The Regiment was one of the few to return home as a formed unit arriving in Fremantle on 4 August 1919 on board Oxfordshire.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-55-868

Inscriptions and markings

Military Medal

'Conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the morning of 3rd May 1917 during the attack on BULLECOURT. He showed an absolute disregard of danger, working continuously for some hours under heavy shell and machine gun fire, in digging out men buried by force of explosions of Trench Mortar Ammunition, and in tending the wounded. He did not leave the position till all the wounded had been taken away. This Non Commissioned Officer has on previous occasions been brought to notice for his courageous work.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 189
Date: 8 November 1917

Geotag

13.087605174711, 80.187368472917

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