Army - The Soldiers' Newspaper

Troops from RCB 63 pay tribute to fallen Australian soldiers at Taiping War Cemetery.
Photo by Lt Luke Johnston, 25/49RQR

Postcards of remembrance

Malaysia: RCB visit Taiping
From Lt Luke Johnston in Malaysia
MEMBERS of the current Rifle Company Butterworth (RCB) rotation, RCB 63, visited the Taiping Commonwealth War Cemetery in northern Malaysia recently.

The visit was part of the rifle company's military history tour aimed to teach the soldiers more about Australia's involvement in Malaysia during WW2 and the Malayan Emergency.

Spr Tracy Tydings from 25/49RQR, whose father served with 1 Fd Regt during the Malayan Emergency, said the visit was an unforgettable experience.

"I felt very emotional when walking around the cemetery and reading the inscriptions on the graves," she said.

"One of the saddest things to see was the unmarked graves of Australian soldiers."

Solomon Islands: Remembrance Day ceremonies in Honiara
From WO2 Gary Ramage in the Solomon Islands
AT A small memorial park near the Honiara international airport, service men and women from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Fiji gathered to commemorate the sacrifices of those who had gone before them. Members of the Participating Police Force, many of whom had served in the armed forces, accompanied the military personnel.

Although many, busy in their commitments to the operation, were unable to attend, a modest crowd took the time to reflect on what Remembrance Day means to them.

Sinai: MFOs commemorate Beersheba
From Maj Brendan Loten in Sinai
TO COMMEMORATE the recent 86th anniversary of the Battle for Beersheba, the Mayor of Be'er-Sheva (Beersheba) invited Australian and New Zealand members of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), based in Sinai, along with other missions in the region to join him in commemorating the battle to liberate the town.

Members of the Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and Fijian contingents to the MFO made the trip to Be'er-Sheva in order to participate in commemorations at the Commonwealth War Cemetery.

An Australian/New Zealand catafalque party and a Fijian bugler, added considerably to the ceremony which consisted of a short prayer service in Hebrew and English and a wreath laying ceremony.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, all participants moved to the site of a memorial, recently constructed by the people of Be'er-Sheva to commemorate the Turkish forces who died in the campaign.

At the completion of the ceremonies, the members of the Australian contingent made the three-hour journey back to the MFO base.

All personnel said they had gained an increased awareness of the historic significance of the battle to Australia and the outcome of conflict in the region during WW1.

LATE on October 31, 1917, as the assault on Beersheba began to stall, the 4th Australian Lighthorse Brigade was given the task of leading the final desperate assault on the Turkish positions in and around the town.

By the time the assault on Beersheba commenced many of the horses had been without water for 48 hours. They formed up in three squadron lines, 1100m across, 300 metres apart and with 4 to 5 m between horsemen. Beersheba lay 6kms ahead across a broad, stony desert with 3kms to the first Turkish trenches. It was 15 minutes before sunset. Under heavy fire from artillery, aircraft, machine guns and rifles and with bayonets in hand and yelling wildly, they charged into history.

Against fearful odds, Beersheba was taken by the Lighthorse, their losses were 31 dead, 36 wounded, and 70 of the beloved horses. Their remarkable and decisive victory changed the history of the Middle East and helped create a legend.