It was nearly fifty years ago when Dave first developed a passion for the Light Horse. Dave was working for Ambulance Victoria when he met Laurie Hanrahan, a First War veteran…
‘To this day I still remember him disappearing in his mind to another time and place, and his arthritic old knuckles rose up as he stared somewhere in the distance. His voice was a bit wheezy with age, as he described clutching leather reins of his horse and driving it on, jumping over trenches.’ – Dave
With compelling stories and contagious fervour, Dave talked to us about The Australian Light Horse Heritage Collection.
The Australian Light Horse played an important and integral part in Australian History. For people who have not heard about them, could you please give an overview?
Australian Light Horse were horse-mounted infantrymen. That is, they would ride into battle carrying a rifle and bayonet (just as infantry would do on foot), dismount close to the enemy and proceed to crawl or dash forward on foot to engage.
The Australian Light Horse were pivotal in halting and reversing the tide of the Turkish advance in the First War through Syria and Palestine towards Egypt. This culminated in a charge on horseback in 1917 at Beersheba, Palestine, which saw the Australians complete rout of the Turkish enemy which forced their retreat back towards Turkey.
What was the very first piece of memorabilia that you collected for the Australian Light Horse Heritage Collection?
There, stored for 80 years was a remarkable array of 4th Light Horse (AIF) postcards, Christmas cards and pressed flowers collected by Jack and Arch in the hills of Judea, Palestine. I knew I had to do something to commemorate these brave servicemen, and right there was born the idea of a public display of our light horse heritage.
We know that each piece in the Australian Light Horse Heritage Collection is extremely significant and precious but is there one piece that stands out to you?
But there is one item that arrived recently through the generosity of long-time (now late) friend – Ian Jones and his family. Ian was a wonderful film and television script writer for Crawford Productions; expert historian on Ned Kelly and assistant producer on the motion picture, ‘The Lighthorsemen’, who has been incredibly gracious in his assistance with display material for our displays. Recently, his family contacted me with a sketch drawing they weren’t completely sure about but knew that Ian wanted me to have it. To cut a long story short, the sketch arrives – and again I gasped – as it was clearly an original pencil design of a mounted light horseman by the renowned Australian war artist – George W. Lambert – for his work ‘The Charge of Beersheba’.
Arguably the most inspiring item we have on display.
The stories behind each of your pieces are incredible. Do you have a favourite story attached to a particular piece?
In my search for local information on the light horse I had placed a request in the Weekly Times news for anyone who may have a story to tell of their relatives so I could document it for the future.
A diminutive little lady in her late 80’s, Sue Pennycuick, from Tarrington Victoria phoned me one evening to advise that she had a story and an item to show me.
So, I met her the next day in her typical lovely old wood-fired kitchen to chat at her table. Here she spread out a leather belt with a hole in it, a length of fob-watch chain, a tiny jewellery bag and a bullet. Then she told me the story.
Her father Jack, had just enlisted in the 9th Light Horse (AIF) and was destined for Gallipoli. His new fiancée, Sybil Fleetwood of South Yarra, had secretly taken Jack’s belt, split the stitching and concealed the good luck charm in his belt, restitching it still without telling Jack it was there.
Later, Jack writes a letter home to Sybil explaining – ‘My dear Syb. I had to crawl out in the darkness on Gallipoli between our trenches and theirs (Turks) to pull in all the rifles I could find. I crawled too close to the Turkish trenches and was shot at close range. If the bullet hadn’t been turned by my belt, I would have been killed for a certainly!’
Of all places from head to foot that Jack could have been hit by the bullet – he was hit in the belt. And, of all places on the belt – it was right where the good luck charm had been inserted that the bullet struck and was deflected.
We now have the belt, the bullet, the good luck charm – AND the letter from Jack, on display. Jack returned to Australia, married Sybil, had daughter Sue and lived happily to a ripe old age in Penshurst, Vic.
How do you conduct the research behind the pieces to gain such extensive and exceptional insights and stories?
However, sometimes there may be only a mark on the item or photo, or a foggy image of a unit colour patch, but from these little identifiers it is remarkable how much can be gleaned with hours of examination through a magnifying glass, even down to apologetically cold-calling names in the phone book which tally with the item.
It is very satisfying when a eureka moment occurs and an unidentified item or photo now has a name.
Is there a particular item for the collection that are currently seeking?
This theme has continued in this line of badges since 1900 right up to 1948. However, there is one badge that eludes us, which is the badge of the 19th Yarrowee Light Horse from Ballarat and SW.Victoria. It is identical to the others, with wreath, kangaroo and ribbon motif but has the numeral ‘19’ on the ribbon. It is a lovely badge, sometimes of brass and silver, other versions brass and it is our eternal quest to find one to complete the display.
Your collection is based in Dunkeld. Have you come across any connections of locals to the Australian Light Horse?
The McIntyre and Frazer families of Lake Bolac, Vic just to name a couple have been wonderful in their communication with us regarding their relatives in the 4th Light Horse and have been extremely generous in providing display material of photographs and uniform.
What are your hopes and visions for the Australian Light Horse Heritage Collection?
As a consequence of such grace from committed people, we are able to offer free admission to all visitors to the museum, and ultimately propose to gift the entire display to a body that will display it for all to see for the future.
To view the inspiring memorabilia of the Australian Light Horse and read the amazing stories, visit the Australian Light Horse Heritage Collection at 26 Parker Street, Dunkeld. The Collection is open to visitors on public holidays, long weekends or by appointment. Open other times when the sign is out.
You can also keep up-to-date on all their insights via the Facebook page.
Have something to share with the Australian Light Horse Heritage Collection? Give Dave a call on 0457 674 926.
