HISTORIAN Dr Jonathan King is on the lookout for diaries kept by the Light Horseman who served in the vital campaigns in the Middle East.
He is researching for a celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the last great cavalry action in history in a commemorative book along with a television documentary.
“One of Australia’s greatest moments was when our wonderful Light Horse rode across the deserts of Palestine in WW1 to defeat the enemy at the legendary October 1917 battle of Beersheba,” Dr King said.
“It was history’s last successful cavalry charge.”
Dr King pointed out one of the Light Horseman who rode in that cavalry charge, and also a great author, Trooper Ion L. Idriess recorded his impressions in a series of notebooks from which he later wrote, The Desert Column.
"At a mile distant their thousand hooves were stuttering thunder, coming at a rate that frightened every Turkish defender - the Australian Light Horse were an awe inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze of the desert - horse to horse - dying sun glinting on bayonet points … as they charged towards Beersheba"
Dr King will recapture this great moment in time for the centenary to be remembered on 31 October 2017, and is inviting descendants of those wonderful countrymen of the WW1 Light Horse to send him copies of diaries and letters for publishing in his centennial book and feature in his TV centennial documentary film.
Both will be titled Palestine: Light Horse Diaries: the Lighhorsemen’s WW1 stories battle by battle.
“The best way to tell the WW1 story of our great Light Horse is with the on the spot eye-witness accounts of the riders themselves,” Dr King said.
“This book is the third in a WW1 centennial trilogy of books and films including previously published best-sellers, “Gallipoli Diaries: The Anzacs Own Story Day by Day” and also “Western Front Diaries: The Anzacs own story battle by battle”.
They were both published by Scribe Publications, Melbourne and each have been turned into TV documentaries for Foxtel History Channel.”
The Sydney based author, former outback stockman and SMH History Writer has led historical tours through the Middle East battlefields and now offers readers a chance to submit letters, diaries and photographs before the end of December 2016 for the book to be published for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Beersheba.
“I am especially keen to receive diaries or letters from Light Horse riders who fought in the main battles,” Dr King said.
“They include the Battle of Romani and Magdhaba in 1916, the Battle of Rafa, First; Second and/or Third battle of Gaza, Beersheba and the capture of Jerusalem in 1917, along with other battles during 1918.”
Dr. King will send personally inscribed copies of the book to the best ten entries and all readers who contribute will be invited to the gala event being organized to launch the book in 2017.
- Hard copy entries can be sent to Dr. King c/- Post Office, Stroud, NSW 2425 or Dr. King can be phoned on 0419495732 or emailed on jonathanandjane@bigpond.com