Hume and the Great War: The mounted horsemen of Hume

Boys from the bush who could ride and shoot became an integral part of Australia’s involvement in the Great War.

Country lads – with names including Allsopp (Murrumburrah), Bretherton, Champion, Kelly, Kinnane, Deller, (Cootamundra), Kenny, Scrimgeour and Hills (Crookwell), Davis (Yass), Gregory and Pope (Harden), Young (Goulburn) and Phillips (Wallendbeen) – flocked to join the 1st Light Horse Regiment in August 1914, many bringing their own horses and some even their dogs. It was all to be a great adventure.

Initially Australia promised four regiments of Light Horse – 2000 men to fight for the British. By the end of the war, 16 regiments would be in action.

Hume has many proud links to the Light Horse.

William James Kenneth Mackay (1859-1935) from Wallendbeen near Cootamundra raised the 1st Australian Horse, the precursor to the Australian Light Horse.  MacKay was also a politician. He was interested in Federation and in 1895 was elected a Protectionist for Boorowa in the Legislative Assembly. He later held the seat for Edmund Barton’s National Federal Party. Mackay was commander of the 1st Australian Horse from 1897 to 1899. He was too old to serve in World War 1 but became the first Director General of the Australian Army Reserve of returned soldiers. He retired from military service in 1920 and returned home to run the family property. He died in 1935 in Cootamundra District Hospital. 

The Australian Horse was later known as 1st Australian Horse, then 3rd Australian Light Horse, 11th Australian Light Horse and finally the 7th Australian Light Horse.

On August 30 1897, the very first call up muster and enrolments to the 1st Australian Horse took place at Harden-Murrumburrah. Among those answering the call were William Bradford of Murrumburrah, now immortalised in a bronze statue in his home town. His grandson, Nubba farmer Wal Bradford has continued the family’s love of horses and has been involved with the Murrumburrah Light Horse Heritage Troop for almost 14 years.

Also from Murrumburrah, 2nd Lieutenant Albert David Reid, was allotted to B Squadron when he enlisted in the 1st Light Horse Regiment. He would survive the Charge at Beersheba in October 1917 where the extraordinary courage of the mounted horsemen wrote them into history books. Known as one of the most successful cavalry charges in history, the fall of Beersheba swung the battle tide against the Turks in Palestine.

The Murrumburrah Light Horse Heritage Troop is keeping alive the spirit of the mounted horsemen. Brian Dunn and Lorraine Brown of Harden are current members and, with other members of the troop, regularly travel across NSW and into Canberra for ceremonial events. Brian co-authored the book ‘The Boys in Green’, a centenary history of the 1st Australian Horse. Lorraine is Secretary of the Harden Murrumburrah Historical Society and Museum. Thank you to both for their assistance in researching this article.

For further information on the 1st Australian Horse and Australian Light Horse please contact Lorraine Brown on (02) 6386 2555.

Angus Taylor MP

Pic 1 Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor at the Murrumburrah Light Horse Memorial featuring the bronze statue of Trooper William Bradford of Murrumburrah.

Pic 2  Harden Murrumburrah boys of the 1st Light Horse (AIF) in Harden, about to entrain for Sydney soon after the outbreak of war in August 1914. The young officer in the foreground is 2nd Lieutenant Albert Reid who was to ride in the great Charge at Beersheba in 1917.

Pic 3  Men of the Australian Horse in dark green uniform with comrades of the NSW Lancers, who wore uniforms of khaki faced with red; date unknown. Their men are identified as: Top: Ryan, Byrnes, Warren.  Bottom: J O’Connell, Whitney Howard, Bailey, William Bradford.

Pic 4 William James Kenneth Mackay (1859-1935) from Wallendbeen near Cootamundra raised the 1st Australian Horse, the precursor to the Australian Light Horse.