This is another of The cards recently released by Australia Post commemorating 100 years since the departure of Australian troops "Off to The First World War" in the Middle East and France.
They all gathered in Albany Western Australia and at dawn on November the 1st 1914 "A Great Convoy " of over 40 ships loaded with 30,000 Australian and New Zealand troops along with 7,477 horses and many thousands of tons of supplies steamed out from King Georges Sound in Albany bound for the Middle East. Subsequently most landed in Egypt and went onto Gallipoli and also Syria, Palestine,and Jordan where the A.N.Z.A.C. legend was born. For many of the boys on these ships this would be their last sighting of Australia as over 8,000 were never to return. sadly, along with all their wonderful horses ..only one horse ever returned to Australia..These horses were a magnificently strong breed of horse known as "whalers " as they came from New South Wales..and the men that rode them were tough country boys that signed up for The Australian Light Horse. A.L.H.. along with their New Zealand counterparts they were a force to be reckoned with. Many troops would follow this initial contingent and be shipped off to build the forces and replace the huge amount of Casualties being suffered within the ranks of The Australian Forces..
My father was one of these mounted troopers in the Australian Light Horse. Looking back now it is hard for me to believe that it has been one hundred years........ Lest We forget..
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