6th Light Horse Regiment ( Australia ) The 6th Light Horse Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment of the Australian Army during the First World War . The regiment was raised in August 1914 , and assigned to the 2nd Light Horse Brigade . During the war the regiment fought against the forces of the German Empire and the Ottoman Empire , in Egypt , at Gallipoli , on the Sinai Peninsula , and in Palestine and Jordan . After the armistice the regiment eventually returned to Australia in March 1919 . For its role in the war the regiment was awarded sixteen battle honours . Formation . The 6th Light Horse Regiment was raised at Sydney in September 1914 , and comprised twenty - five officers and 497 other ranks serving in three squadrons , each of six troop s . Each troop was divided into eight Section s , of four men each . In action one man of each section , was nominated as a horse holder reducing the regiments rifle strength by a quarter . Its manpower being mostly recruited from residents of New South Wales . Once formed the regiment was assigned to the 2nd Light Horse Brigade , serving alongside the 5th and 7th Light Horse Regiments . All Australian Light Horse regiments used cavalry unit designations , but were mounted infantry armed with rifles , not swords or lances , and mounted exclusively on the Australian Waler horse . Operational history . In December 1914 , only three months after being raised the regiment sailed for Egypt arriving in February 1915 . When the Australian foot infantry left Egypt to take part in the Gallipoli campaign , the light horse regiments were left behind , the authorities believing mounted troops would not be needed in the campaign . However infantry casualties were so severe it was decided to send them , without their horse , as infantry reinforcements . The 6th Light Horse landing on the peninsula in May 1915 , and were attached to the 1st Division , and made responsible for the right flank of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps position . During the campaign they fought a mainly defensive battle , until being withdrawn in December 1915 . Sinai and Palestine Campaign . On their arrival back in Egypt , the 6th Light Horse , still part of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade , were assigned to the newly formed ANZAC Mounted Division . By April they were positioned to defend the Suez Canal , from an Ottoman incursion . In August the took part in the battles of Romani and Katia , following up the retreating Ottoman forces into the Sinai desert . The regiment spend the next few moths patrolling the desert , until fighting in the unsuccessful first and second battles of Gaza . This was followed by the successful battle of Beersheba in October 1917 . After the battle the regiment took part in the pursuit of the Ottoman forces , which eventually resulted in the capture of Jerusalem . The 6th Light Horse then took part in operation along the River Jordan , which ended with the capture of Aman and Es Salt . The Ottoman Empire surrendered soon after that and before returning home the regiment was sent back to Egypt to provide internal security during riots . In June 1919 the regiment sailed for Australia , their casualties for the First World War coming to 111 dead and 461 wounded . Battle honours . ANZAC Defence at ANZAC Suvla Sari Bair Gallipoli 1915 – 1916 Egypt 1915 – 1917 Romani Gaza - Beersheba El Mughar Jerusalem Jordan ( Es Salt ) Jordan ( Amman ) Megiddo Nablus Palestine 1917 – 1918