The Beersheba Perpetual Shield

The shield’s name is inspired by events that took place in Palestine on 31 October 1917 (now Israel). It is perhaps the last and possibly the greatest charge undertaken by the Australian Light Horse in battle.

It has been said that the Battle of Beersheba is possibly Australia’s greatest and least-known military triumph. The battle took place as part of the wider British known as the Third Battle of Gaza. The Australian troops were outnumbered by the Turkish and opened the way for the capture of Jerusalem. The Turkish held a 60km line between Gaza on the coast and Beersheba to the east.

The German Officers in command recognised the advancing formation of the Mounted Horsemen and ordered the Turkish Defenders to wait until they had dismounted, then ‘open fire’. Field guns were sighted on the horsemen. Shots fired by the Turkish artillery exploded in lines. They galloped free. The Turkish could not wind down their guns fast enough and soon the shells were bursting behind the charge. Long bayonets were held as swords and at full gallop they bore down on the Beersheba Defence. The Turkish soldiers were discouraged by the mass of Light Horsemen thundering closer and forgot to adjust their rifle sights as bullets harmlessly went over the heads of the charging troops.

The shock-tactics of swift, thundering rush of successive waves of horsemen over the dusty ground in the failing light had bewildered and deceived the German and Turkish staff. The Light Horsemen had carried out the most successful charge against what had seemed impossible odds.

The fall of Beersheba swayed the battle against the Turkish in Palestine and changed the history of the Middle East War.

(Information courtesy of Murray Bridge RSL)