The Daring Legacy of the Australian Light Horse Brigade

---- Come and join us on Fridays from 5 pm. You'll enjoy good company and affordable happy hours. ---- The story of the Australian Light Horse Brigade during World War I is one of bravery, ingenuity, and triumph against the odds.

An Australian Soldier with Waler Horse

These mounted infantry units, originally formed in the late 19th century for home defence, became legendary for their skill, resilience, and determination. 

Although their role in Gallipoli saw them fighting dismounted, the brigade's shining moment came during the Battle of Beersheba on October 31, 1917. 

Facing Ottoman forces entrenched in the town of Beersheba, the brigade undertook a daring cavalry charge that changed the course of the war. The 4th and 12th Light Horse Regiments, armed only with bayonets, galloped through open desert under heavy fire to capture the town. 

This bold manoeuvre secured vital wells and shattered the Ottoman defensive line, paving the way for Allied forces to advance in Palestine. What made their success even more remarkable was their use of Waler horses—a hardy breed uniquely suited to the harsh desert conditions. These horses, combined with the soldiers' adaptability and courage, allowed the brigade to overcome immense challenges.

The legacy of the Australian Light Horse Brigade is not just about military triumph, but also about the resilience and spirit of Australian soldiers. Their actions at Beersheba are celebrated as one of the last great cavalry charges in history, a testament to their exceptional bravery. 

Today, the story of the Light Horse Brigade continues to inspire Australians, reminding us of the indomitable spirit that defines our nation.

Buy your souvenir now

 

Good Better Best Men Program Commencing Soon

---- We open most Fridays from 5 pm. Everyone is welcome, you don't need to be a member. ---- Lutheran Care is offering a free Good Better Best Men program for those who feel they could benefit from the nine week program. This program has been offered in numerous other regions with an excellent response.

We are pleased to say that the program will run out of our Hut in the Tanunda Recreation Park on Tuesday evenings. An information session next Tuesday, 25 March 25 is open to everyone who might be interested in attending or learning about the program. 

Full details appear in the flyer image below and interested people are invited to register beforehand using the QR Code at the bottom of the image.

Click the image to zoom

We look forward to seeing this program benefit numbers of our local men. Everyone is welcome, it's not just for veterans. Will we see you there?

Issue 16 of "The Bugle" is Now Available

---- Drop in most Fridays from 5 pm. Our happy hours are good fun and open to everyone. ---- 

Issue 16 of our quarterly newsletter, The Bugle is available now and has some interesting content:

1. Remembering our Heroes,
2. The Veteran's Catalogue
3. Did You Know
4. No-one Was Coming - the Incredible Valor of Trooper Mark Donaldson VC
5. Military Humour
6. What the Sub-Branch Secretary Does
7. The Hut Beautified
8. How to Quickly Spot Email Scams, and
9. an article about Retired Combat Assault Dog Manic.

To read it online or to download a copy as a Portable Document File (PDF), click on the Newsletter tab above. 

Write a comment and let us know what you think of The Bugle.

Todays Youth Honour the Sacrifice of the Youth of Yesterday

---- Come and join us - Friday evenings from 5 pm. ---- 

New entrance - RSL Tanunda Hut

In 1946 the RSL Tanunda Hut, an old Army quarters was moved to its current position and installed at the Tanunda Recreation Park where it has sat since with several upgrades. 

Throughout the last 12 months or so we have be progressively upgrading the Hut with a grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs who part-funded our internal Honour Board Wall, and Lambert Estate winery who provided a very generous donation. We also ran two successful Fashion Parades at Lambert Estate that increased our revenue.

The several Memorabilia Kiosks and Sausage Sizzles we run at Foodland Tanunda and Mitre10 Nuriootpa annually are also helpful in keeping our sub-branch going as the people in our community are very generous, even in the current era of high costs, high inflation and challenges with rent and housing. 

As a not-for-profit organisation we rely on the generosity of our community and member-volunteers to keep operating.

The latest addition today in our Hut improvement program was the presentation of an attractive mild steel, plasma-cut bench seat donated by one of our long term members, Paul (Ferdie) Fernandez OAM and his wife Elizabeth. 

As you can see in the image below, the back of the seat has the informal name of our sub-branch, the tri-service badges in order of seniority of service from left to right. The words "Lest we forget" from the RSL Ode is cut into the seat immediately below the tri-service badges and the wording on the bottom is reflected in the the title of this post.

Click to see larger image

As an aging veteran, I think these 10 words are significant. It's important for our youth to be knowledgeable about the sacrifices young men and women made in the numerous wars in which we have been involved. It's important for them to know that wars should always be a last resort when all other options have failed, that they are ugly, and that one day they could be called upon to do what their ancestors have done - lay down their lives to protect their fellow Australians, our democratic system of governance, and the values we all treasure.  

The bench seat was bolted to the ground at the entrance of our Hut and welcomes all who walk past it. No doubt many members, visitors, and perhaps dog walkers will take a rest at what will probably be known as "Ferdie's Chair" for many years to come. 

Ferdie and Liz Fernandez

Here's a photo of Ferdie and Elizabeth shortly after the installation yesterday. 

The manufacturer of the bench seat who did such an excellent job of manufacture and installation was 

Plasma Art Adelaide who have made dozens of similar products.

If you are in the area call in and have a look at this wonderful addition to our Hut. 

Manage Committee Feedback

---- Join us most Fridays from 5 pm. You don't need to be a member. ----
We discussed a wide range of topics at our March meeting, most routine. I'll detail some of the more interesting highlights as we like to keep members aware of what is happening in their sub-branch.

Advocate Update

Dr Jack Urlwin is carrying out advocacy duties at RSL state office and although he has started dealing with local veteran enquiries, there are several IT issues that need to be resolved before he can operate from the Hut.

ANZAC Day Preparation

Our ANZAC Day preparation is well under way however, we have run into some challenges as the Tanunda Football and Netball Clubs are running events that will impact our entry, parking and general operation. Vice President (VP) Patsy has been liaising with relevant stakeholders to ensure we can all work together without too much chaos.

Lease Negotiations with Barossa Council

VP Patsy and President David have been discussing our new lease with the Barossa Council. The council's original lease proposal didn't meet our needs and thus we are negotiating a deal that will more readily accommodate our sub-branch.

Signage at Tanunda Recreation Park

We have arranged a new sign to go on the fence near the entrance to the park and we expect it to be up and viewable shortly. Keep an eye out for it. Patsy and Jack have generously donated a significant amount towards the cost of the sign. Patsy and Jack are contributing a significant amount towards the cost of the sign.

ANZAC DAY Poetry Competition

Several entries have been received for the above competition and we expect more to flood in via email or mail. One of the judges for this competition is our in-house bush poet, Maurie O'Brien (we certainly do have a lot of talent in our group). 

You can read a previous post about Maurie and his published title ANZAC Poems and Other Sprigs of Wattle.

Good Better Best Men (GBBM)

This group asked to hire the Hut for 10 weeks on a Tuesday evening to run men's health programs. In the spirit of giving back to our community, we have agreed to allow them access and will not be charging a hire donation.

On 25 March an information session will be offered to men and women and if there is sufficient interest, a nine week course will follow. The course will be held Tuesday evenings and commence at 6 pm and run until around 10 pm.

Given that men are often reluctant to express our feelings, it's an opportunity to discuss personal issues in a safe and comfortable environment.

More information about this later.

Vintage Festival Scarecrow Trail

The ubiquitous Kym Milne with the assistance of Patsy who has been busy with a string of projects, has decided to create a camouflage covered scarecrow called "Poppy" who will adorn the front of our Hut entrance. This is a welcome activity that will bring a truck load of people to our front door and promote awareness of our sub-branch.

Steel Military Figurines

In the near future, when you visit the Hut (you do visit don't you?), you will see some tall, steel shaped military figurines surrounding our flagpost. 

The figurines are a generous donation from Liz and Tony Boyle.

Pernod Ricard Event at the Vintage Festival

I mentioned this previously, but now it's confirmed. Pernod Ricard will provide it's truck for the Dawn Service with banners along each side, and also participate in the Vintage Festival Parade. We're trying to find a uniformed ADF member to accompany the truck on the parade.

If you know of anyone who would be happy to help out, please let me know.

At the end of the meeting President David acknowledged the generosity and significant donations of Jack and Patsy and Elizabeth and Tony.