3rd Light Horse Regiment   (South Australia and Tasmania)  [1st Light Horse Brigade] Served in Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Desert, Sinai, Palestine Formed South Australia and Tasmania August 1914 for 1st Light Horse Brigade.  Badge displayed either unofficial or CMF.

• Departed Adelaide on Port Lincoln 22 October 1914 
  • less C Squadron which departed Hobart Geelong 20 October 1914. 
  • 1st Reinforcements departed Newcastle on Boonah 21 December 1914, 
  • 2nd Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Hessen 2 Debruary 1915, 
  • 3rd Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Mashobra 29 January 1915, 
  • 4th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Port Lincoln 1 April 1915, 
  • 5th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Botanist 2 June 1915, 
  • 6th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Borda 23 June 1915, 
  • 7th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Kanowna 24 June 1915 
    • and Melbourne on Persic 10 August 1915,
  •  8th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Morea 26 August 1915 
    • and Melbourne on Kyarra 21 August 1915, 
  • 9th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Star of England 21 September 1915 
    • and Melbourne on Makarini 10 September 1915, 
  • 10th Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Ballarat 9 September 1915 
    • and Adelaide on Ballarat 14 September 1915, 
  • 11th Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Hawkes Bay 28 October 1915 
    • and Melbourne on Ulysses 27 October 1915 
    • and Adelaide on Benalla 27 October 1915, 
  • 12th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Geelong 18 November 1915 
    • and Melbourne on Ceramic 23 November 1915, 
  • 13th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Borda 11 January 1916 
    • and Melbourne on Afric 5 January 1916, 
  • 14th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Warilda 10 February 1916, 
  • 15th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Anchises 16 March 1916, 
  • 16th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Botanist 26 April 1916, 
  • 17th Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Kabinga 8 May 1916, 
  • 18th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Katuna 23 June 1916, 
  • 19th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Mongolia 13 July 1916, 
  • 20th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Malwa 27 July 1916, 
  • 21st Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Mooltan 24 August 1916, 
  • 22nd Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Clan MacEwan 9 October 1916, 
  • 23rd Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Bulla 16 January 1917, 
  • 24th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Clan MacCorquodale 5 February 1917, 
  • 25th Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Karmala 8 February 1917 
    • and Melbourne on Morea 20 February 1917, 
  • 26th Reinforcements departed Adelaide on Morea 22 February 1917, 
  • 27th Reinforcements departed Sydney on Port Sydney on 9 May 1917, 
  • 28th Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Port Lincoln 22 June 1917, 
    • Melbourne on Kyarra 7 September 1917, 
    • Melbourne on Commonwealth 2 November 1917, 
  • 29th Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Port Lincoln 22 June 1917, 
    • Kyarra 17 September 1917, 
    • Melbourne on Commonwealth 2 November 1917, 
  • 30th Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Commonwealth 2 November 1917, 
  • 31st Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Commonwealth 2 November 1917 
    • and Ormonde 7 March 1918, 
  • 32nd Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Commonwealth 2 November 1917, 
  • 33rd Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Ulysses 22 December 1917, 
  • 34th Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Ormonde 7 March 1918, 
  • 35th Reinforcements departed Melbourne on Ormonde 7 March 1918

Battle Honours:  

Anzac,  Defence of Anzac,  Suvla,  Sari Bair,  Gallipoli 1915,  Romani,  Maghdaba-Rafah,  Egypt 1915-17,  Gaza-Beersheba,	El Mughar,  Nebi Samwil,  Jerusalem,  Jaffa,  Jericho,  Jordan (Es Salt),  Jordan (Amman),  Megiddo,  Nablus,  Palestine 1917-18
many details on this page from Ross Mallett's site

3rd Light Horse Regiment

The 3rd Light Horse Regiment was raised in Adelaide on 17 August 1914. Although most of its recruits were enlisted in South Australia, one of the regiment’s three squadrons was composed of Tasmanians and was raised and trained in Hobart. The two components sailed from their home ports in late October 1914 and arrived in Egypt in the second week of December. Here, they joined the 1st and 2nd Regiments to form the 1st Light Horse Brigade.

The 1st Light Horse Brigade deployed to Gallipoli without its horses and landed there on 12 May 1915, joining the New Zealand and Australian Division. The 3rd Light Horse played a defensive role throughout the campaign and was in reserve when its sister regiments attacked as part of the August offensive. It left Gallipoli on 14 December 1915.

Back in Egypt, the 3rd Light Horse joined the ANZAC Mounted Division. Between January and May 1916, the regiment was deployed to protect the Nile valley from bands of pro-Turkish Senussi Arabs. On 18 May, as part of its parent brigade, it joined the forces defending the Suez Canal. The 1st Light Horse Brigade played a significant role in turning back the Turkish advance on the canal at the battle of Romani on 4 August. In ensuing days the regiments of the brigade participated in the immediate follow-up of the defeated Turks, but were soon withdrawn to rest.

The 3rd Light Horse rejoined the Allied advance across the Sinai in November and was subsequently involved in the fighting to secure the Turkish outposts on the Palestine frontier – Maghdaba on 23 December 1916 and Rafa on 9 January 1917. A stint of protective duty along the line of communications through the Sinai followed. The 3rd’s next major engagement was the abortive second battle of Gaza on 19 April. Gaza finally fell on 7 November, after a wide outflanking move via Beersheba, in which the 1st Light Horse Brigade played a part.

With the capture of Gaza, the Turkish position in southern Palestine collapsed. The 3rd Light Horse Regiment participated in the advance to Jaffa that followed, and was then committed to operations to clear and occupy the west bank of the Jordan River. It was involved in the Amman (24–27 February) and Es Salt (30 April–4 May) raids and the repulse of a major German and Turkish attack on 14 July 1918.

The final British offensive of the campaign was launched along the Mediterranean coast on 19 September 1918, with the ANZAC Mounted Division taking part in a subsidiary effort east of the Jordan aimed at Amman. Turkey surrendered on 30 October 1918. The 3rd Light Horse Regiment sailed for Australia on 16 March 1919 without their horses, which were either shot or transferred to Indian cavalry units. Text from AWM

• 158 killed, 653 wounded

• Decorations

  • 2 CMG
  • 1 CBE
  • 3 DSO
  • 5 MC
  • 4 DCM
  • 8 MM
  • 28 MID
  • 2 foreign awards