Raymond Finn on the charge of the light horse at Beersheba

The last great cavalry charge took place on October 31, 1917. The assault on Beersheba began at dawn. Neither the infantry divisions of the British Corps nor the ANZAC Mounted Divisions had been successful by mid-afternoon. It was essential that the wells of Beersheba and the township be captured before dark. Elements of the 4th , 11th and 12th Light Horse took part in the charge and successfully overran Beersheba before the German troops were able to detonate the explosives which they had placed in the wells. The ANZAC Light Horse took 700 prisoners with the loss of 30 men on the day of the charge and another ANZAC died the next day. Throughout history honours for participation in battles …