9th Light Horse Regiment ( Australia ) The 9th Light Horse Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment of the Australian Army during the First World War . The regiment was raised in October 1914 , and assigned to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade . During the war the regiment fought against the forces of 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 fifteen battle honours . Formation . The 9th Light Horse Regiment was raised at Adelaide and trained in Melbourne between October 1914 and February 1915 . About three thirds of the recruits were from South Australia the remainder from Victoria . 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 . Once formed the regiment was assigned to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade , serving alongside the 8th and 10th 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 . Gallipoli campaign . In February 1915 , the 9th Light Horse Regiment left Melbourne for Egypt , arriving on the 1 February 1915 . When the Australian infantry units were dispatched to Gallipoli , it was thought the terrain was unsuitable for mounted troops , and the light horse regiments remained in Egypt . However casualties resulted in the deployment of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade as reinforcements in May 1915 . On arrival the regiment was attached to the New Zealand and Australian Division . The regiment was the brigade reserve for the battle of the Nek , so did not suffer the same level of casualties as their sister regiments in the brigade , however their first commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Miell was one of them . The regiment was involved in the brigade ' s next attack at Hill 60 on 27 August , which resulted in the death of the replacement commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Reynell the next day . From then until December 1915 , when the regiment was withdrawn the were only used in a defensive role . Sinai and Palestine campaign . On the regiments return to Egypt , together with the 3rd Light Horse Brigade , they were assigned to the newly raised ANZAC Mounted Division . Used in the defence of the Suez Canal the regiment missed the early battles of the Sinai and Palestine campaign . But they were involved in the pursuit of the Ottoman forces into Palestine , following their defeat in the battle of Romani . In December 1916 , the regiment took part in a bayonet attack during the battle of Magdhaba , and another in the battle of Rafa in January 1917 . The regiment and brigade were assigned to a new division , the Imperial Mounted Division , later renamed the Australian Mounted Division and fought in the unsuccessful first and second battle of Gaza . The next battle of Beersheba in October 1917 , was a success , and led to the fall of Gaza . This led to a general withdrawal of Ottoman forces north into Palestine , followed by the British Empire s forces . During which the regiment was involved in the capture of Jerusalem in December . In 1918 , the regiment took part in an unsuccessful raid across the River Jordan at Es Salt . On 21 September the regiment captured Jenin and Sa ' sa ' , and entered Damascus in October . The war in the Middle East ended shortly afterwards when the armistice of Mudros was signed in October 1918 . The regiment , had to return to Egypt to assist in putting down a revolt , then sailed for Australia in July 1919 . The war had cost the regiment over 100 per cent casualties , 190 killed and 481 wounded . Battle honours . Defence at ANZAC Suvla Sari Bair Gallipoli 1915 – 1916 Egypt 1915 – 1917 Romani Magdhaba - Rafah Gaza - Beersheba El Mughar Jerusalem Jordan ( Es Salt ) Megiddo Sharon Palestine 1917 – 1918