NOT since the 100th anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli has a 100-year-old battle meant so much to Australians.

It was the charge at Beersheba in Palestine, 100 years ago on October 31, which led shortly thereafter to the capture of Gaza and the entry into Jerusalem by 800 Australian Light Horse, the first non-Muslims to enter the city in 800 years.

The Turkish defenders fled and the Australian and allied forces followed them to Syria but the Arab world was free and the war was coming to an end as Lieutenant General Sir John Monash led the Australians and allied forces towards victory in France.

Regarded somewhat erroneously as the last great mounted charge, the battle to capture the town and the all-important wells of Beersheba was the Australians' best-known battle in Palestine and is still regarded as a stroke of genius by Lieutenant General Sir Harry Chauvel, leader of the Desert Mounted Corps.

The main aim of what was then known as the Third Battle of Gaza, was the capture of Gaza in order for British troops to force their way into Jerusalem and therefore put the Turks into a withdrawal but well-fortified Turkish positions and the leadership of German high-ranking officers had defied every previous attempt.

Beersheba, the furthest east of the strong Turkish defence line, was seen as a critical objective and once it was captured, the British and Australians, backed by the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade, believed they could roll-up the Turkish defences back to Gaza.

Various deceptions were employed to keep the enemy thinking the attack was going to be at Gaza including keeping the Infantry strength there until the last minute.

The Turkish forces were relying on the forbidding open terrain as well as the absence of water to defend Beersheba. Calculating the attack would be upon Gaza, they were not prepared for a force such as (British General) Allenby's which was moving on 30 October with 40,000 infantry troops.

The Australian Desert Mounted Corps night-marched over 40km from Asluj, where there had been little, if any, water, to reach a position some 8km from Beersheba.

The Light Horse had scattered into rough terrain and wadi's to help avoid casualties from attack by Turkish aircraft flying from Beersheba.

On the morning of October 31, three British divisions attacked the Turkish positions around Beersheba from the west and south supported by a sustained artillery bombardment of over 100 guns. By 1 pm they had driven the Turks from their defences to the west and south west of Beersheba, but the wells of the town were still in Turkish hands.

The wells of Beersheba were vital for the welfare of the Desert Mounted Corps' horses, many of whom had been without water for several days.

At 3:30 pm there was only a few hours of daylight remaining and orders were issued for the final phase of the struggle, the occupation of Beersheba.

The Light Horse had already secured the area to the east and north east of Beersheba during the day which left them free to attack from the south east.

Chauvel knew that he must take the town before dark in order to secure the wells for the large British force.

The Australian Light Horse were actually mounted light infantry, using their horses only to reach a point where they could attack on foot, and the Turkish defenders knew this was how they would attack their defences however, Chauvel decided to put the 4th Light Horse Brigade straight at the remaining trenches.

The 4th Light Horse were backed by the 12th Light Horse which made the second line of attack.

Their commander, Brigadier William Grant told his men to sling their rifles and to charge with their bayonets, using them as swords. The bayonet's on the .303 cal. rifles were 18 inches (45.7cm) long and looked intimidating.

Trooper Edward Dengate wrote in his diary:

"We got mounted, cantered about a quarter of a mile up a bit of a rise lined up along the brow of a hill, paused a moment, and then went at them, the ground was none too smooth, which caused our line to get twisted a bit . . . Captain Davies let out a yell at the top of his voice . . . that started them all we spurred our horses . . . the bullets got thicker...three or four horses came down, others with no riders on kept going, the saddles splashed with blood, here and there a man running toward a dead horse for cover, the Turk's trenches were about fifty yards on my right, I could see the Turk's heads over the edge of the trenches squinting along their rifles, a lot of the fellows dismounted at that point thinking we were to take the trenches, but most of us kept straight on, where I was there was a clear track with trenches on the right and a redoubt on the left, some of the chaps jumped clear over the trenches in places, some fell into them, although about 150 men got through and raced for the town, they went up the street yelling like madmen.”

Captain Robey was at their head.

Captain Jack Davies followed Robey's men towards the town and shouted when three miles away: "Come on boys! Beersheba first stop.”

While the 4th Light Horse Regiment dismounted at the trenches and tackled their objective on foot, many in the 12th Light Horse Regiment were able to get straight through and take the town,

Private Keddie wrote in his diary:

"We were all at the gallop yelling like mad. Some had bayonets in their hand others their rifle then it was a full stretch gallop at the trenches . . . the last 200 yards or so was good going and those horses put on pace and next were jumping the trenches with the Turks underneath . . . when over the trenches we went straight for the town.”

The success of the charge was in the shock value and sheer speed in which they took the town before it could be destroyed by a retreating Turkish force.

In all, 31 light horsemen were killed and 36 wounded. About 70 horses were killed or had to be destroyed.

The Turkish defenders suffered many casualties and between 700 and 1,000 troops were captured.

A week later, the Beersheba-Gaza line fell and on December 12, the Australian Light Horse entered Jerusalem.

NB: The author's grandfather, Driver William (Bill) Skinner was an ambulance driver who followed-up the initial charge at Beersheba to tend the wounded and had his horse shot dead under him. He suffered a crushed knee and became a passenger in his own ambulance. He survived WWI, serving out his time as a wardsman in Cairo Hospital and had some time as an ambulance driver with the Camel Corps.

He had a slight limp for the rest of his life.