The history of the Light Horse can trace its lineage back to 1840 and has served in such places as South Africa in the Boer War (note the memorial at the corner of King William Street and North Terrace next time you are in the city), Gallipoli and Egypt.

The unit was rewarded for its significant efforts in these conflicts and now holds two guidons. Guidons date from the medieval period, where banners where used as rallying points for Barons and there Armies. The custom grew to emblazon the guidons and standards the battle honours won by knights and barons. Modern Armies continue this tradition, although they are no longer taken onto the battlefield.

To this day, the 9th Light Horse has the honour of being the only Australian unit to ever capture an enemy Standard (46th Turkish Regiment). This occurred on October 2nd 1918 on operations in the Middle East. The standard now hangs in the Australian War Memorial Canberra.

With the re-raising of the CMF (yesterday’s Army Reserve) in 1948, the 3rd/9th South Australian Mounted Rifles was raised to commemorate the original Regiments.

In more recent times, physical horse power has been replaced by mechanical horse power, and the 3rd/9th Light Horse (3/9 LH) of today is more powerful and more threatening than ever before.

However, the tradition of its forebears will never be forgotten and is remembered permanently at memorials around Adelaide and South Australia.