Sep 15, 2021

Tyler BrownPerthNow - Stirling The iconic 10th Light Horse is charging back to full regiment status. Currently a squadron of about 100 personnel, an order has been made by the Chief of Army to create a second squadron to increase the size of the 10th Light Horse back to a regiment. One of Australia’s oldest and best known cavalry units, the 10th Light Horse can trace its origins to 1900 when the order was given to raise the WA Mounted Infantry. While the unit served in the Boer War, it was officially established as the 10th Light Horse Regiment in 1914. The unit entered World War I at Gallipoli, then went on to fight in the Middle East including at Romani and Beersheba. During World War II, the regiment’s main responsibility was to defend WA’s south-west coastline. The unit later moved to using armoured vehicles but continued to also use horses, the last regiment in Australia to do so. Camera Icon Catherine Forbes and Merv Wilson on Striker from the 10th Light Horse Memorial Troop Inc. Credit: Andrew Ritchie After WWII, the unit was reduced to a single squadron in 1949, then back to a full regiment in 1952, and back to a squadron in 1976 where it has remained, based at the Irwin Barracks in Karrakatta. It is part of the 13th Brigade, which includes other WA-based Army Reserve units. But now, for the first time in 45 years, an order has been made to re-raise the 10th Light Horse as a regiment, which will see a significant increase in WA’s defence and its ability to support the Australian Army. It will also increase WA’s Army Reserves. The 10th Light Horse has always recruited well and is expected to meet its regiment targets over the next two years. To celebrate what the 10th Light Horse Association has touted as a historic occasion, a ceremonial parade will be held from 1.30pm in Langley Park on October 10 – the 107th anniversary of the unit. The parade will mark the re-raising of the regiment and will feature soldiers from Albany to Geraldton, as well as its armoured vehicles, with blank firing from small arms and artillery. The event is open for the public to attend. Camera Icon Spinifex chief executive Adam Barnard with Merv Wilson and Striker from the 10th Light Horse Memorial Troop Inc. Credit: Andrew Ritchie As part of these celebrations, Spinifex Brewing Co chief executive Adam Barnard, who served with the 10th Light Horse and was deployed to East Timor with the 2/14th Light Horse (Queensland Mounted Infantry) in 2000, will launch a commemorative low-alcohol beer. “The idea came up in discussions with the 13th Brigade headquarters as Spinifex was preparing to launch a low-alcohol beer on the back of the success of our F88 lager,” Mr Barnard said. Spinifex is already known for its support of Aussie veterans, donating 50 per cent of profits from the sale of its F88 lager to veteran mental health charities in each State – a campaign Mr Barnard started to honour his sister’s partner, who took their own life in 2006 after a tour of Afghanistan. The lager now features in RSLs throughout Australia, including on tap at Perth’s The Anzac Club. The artwork featured on the new Australian Light Horse Lager, titled Charge, was supplied by military artist Ian Coate. This painting depicts the Turkish view of the Light Horsemen charging at Beersheba with bayonets drawn. Mr Barnard said it was a great honour to be launching Australian Light Horse Lager. “The 10th Light Horse is an iconic and revered part of Australian military history with many battle honours,” he said. “We see great things with this beer not only because of its low alcohol content, which works well with defence, but also because we want to encourage conversation. “A beer with a mate does amazing things for men’s mental health and after all, a problem shared is a problem halved.” Camera Icon Phillip Dennis and Donald Gunn on Indi from the 10th Light Horse Memorial Troop Inc, Spinifex Brewing Co head brewer John Gibbs and chief executive Adam Barnard, Merv Wilson on Striker and Catherine Forbes. Credit: Andrew Ritchie Mr Barnard, who is working to open a craft brewery in North Beach with former West Coast Eagles premiership player Karl Langdon, said the commemorative beer would also be rolled out nationally to honour the legacy of the Australian Light Horseman. It follows Mr Barnard’s involvement as an associate producer of the World War I feature film Before Dawn , which features the 10th Light Horse. The film from writer Jarrad Russell and director Jordon Prince-Wright was inspired by real-life diary entries of local Anzacs and has just finished filming in regional WA. Shooting was planned to start shooting in April 2020 but was delayed 12 months because of COVID-19. It features an all-Australian cast, including Levi Miller, Stephen Peacocke, Travis Jeffery, Ed Oxenbould, Tim Franklin and Myles Pollard, and is slated for release in November 2022. With a budget expected to exceed $9 million, Before Dawn is one of the larger independent productions to be filmed in WA.