Today marks the 90th anniversary of possibly the last cavalry charge in history. Eight hundred mounted ANZACs defeated a 4000 strong Ottoman stronghold at the desert post of Beersheva, triggering a series of events which would bring down the Ottoman control of Palestine (as it was then known), and usher in the British Mandate. The same day that the ANZACs took Beersheva, October 31st 1917, a discussion on the Balfour Declaration was being held by the British War Cabinet which would pave the way for a homeland for the Jewish people.
At sunset, the 4th Australian Light Horse brigade attacked the Turks, riding straight into the sun. The horses kicked up so much dust as they approached the Turkish trenches, that the occupants fled, thinking that this was the beginning of a much larger attack. The Australian soldiers secured the city and intact wells and reservoirs. If they hadn’t succeeded, both the cavalry and their horses would have died of thirst, as they only had 24 hours of water rations left. It is said that when the horses smelt the wells of Beersheva, they charged, regardless of the military motivation of their riders.
Today in Beersheva there is a museum to commemorate the defeat of the Ottomans and many Aussies and Kiwis from the campaign are buried there.
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