4th Light Horse Regiment ( Australia ) The 4th Light Horse Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment of the Australian Army during the First World War . The regiment was raised in August 1914 , as the divisional cavalry regiment for the 1st Division . During the war the regiment fought against the forces of the German Empire and the Ottoman Empire , in Egypt , at Gallipoli , on the Western front , 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 twenty - one battle honours . Formation . On 11 August 1914 , the 4th Light Horse Regiment was raised in Melbourne , as the divisional cavalry regiment of the 1st Division . Light horse regiments normally 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 regiment ' s rifle strength by a quarter . However , the 4th Light Horse raised five squadrons . Two of these squadrons were detached to accompany the Australian infantry divisions to France , while the other three remained to the Middle East , serving with the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division . All Australian Light Horse regiments used cavalry unit designations , but were mounted infantry , and mounted exclusively on the Australian Waler horse . Operational history . Departure for Egypt . The regiment sailed for war on 19 October 1914 and arrived in Egypt on 10 December . Gallipoli . When the rest of the division left to take part in the Gallipoli , they 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 . They landed at what became known as ANZAC Cove between the 22 and 24 May 1915 . They did not initially fight as a regiment , but provided squadrons as reinforcements for infantry battalion s and it was not until 11 June that that the regiment reformed . They were mostly used to defend the Allies precarious position on the peninsula , especially in the area of " Ryrie ’ s Post " , and did take part in several small assaults . The regiment left Gallipoli prior to the end of the campaign on 11 December 1915 . Western Front . On their return to Egypt the regiment was required to raise a fourth squadron , known as ' D ' Squadron , they and ' B ' Squadron were detached from the regiment and assigned as the divisional cavalry formations , for the 1st and 3rd Division , and sent France , for service on the Western Front . The two squadrons took part in the Battle of Messines , the third battle of Ypres , the Battle of Broodseinde , the Battle of Passchendaele , the Battle of the Lys , the Battle of Kemmel , the Second Battle of the Marne and the Battle of Tardenois . The two squadrons together with a squadron from New Zealand were eventually amalgamated and renamed the I Anzac Corps Mounted Regiment . and together earned nine battle honours on the Western Front . Sinai and Palestine Campaign . With only two squadrons remaining in Egypt a new squadron was raised , confusingly called ' B ' Squadron . The regiment were then deployed defending the Suez Canal , for the remainder of the year . In April 1917 , the regiment moved into the Sinai but were only used for rear area security . The regiment was then assigned to the 4th Light Horse Brigade , and on 31 October took part in its first large battle . The Battle of Beersheba was part of the Third battle of Gaza , the 4th and 12th Light Horse carried out a cavalry charge on the town of Beersheba , which has since became known as the " charge of Beersheba " . They were then involved in the advance into Palestine , before being rested in the early months of 1918 . During the rest of the campaign the regiment took part in the battle of Mughar Ridge , the , the capture of Jerusalem , the battle of Es Sal and the battle of Megiddo . A patrol from the regiment was also the first Allied troops to enter Damascus on 1 October 1918 . The Ottoman Empire signed the Armistice of Mudros on 30 October 1918 , and the war in the Middle East ended . However the regiment had to return to Egypt , where rioting had started in March 1919 . Finally in June 1919 , the regiment sailed for Australia , the war had caused them 105 killed and 332 wounded . Battle honours . Messines 1917 Ypres 1917 Broodseinde Passchendaele Lys Kemmel Marne 1918 Tardenois France and Flanders 1916 – 1918 ANZAC Defence at ANZAC Suvla Sari Bair Gallipoli 1915 – 1916 Egypt 1915 – 1917 Gaza - Beersheba El Mughar Jerusalem Jordan ( Es Salt ) Megiddo .