The Lighthorse Poem by Ted Middleton

The Lighthorse.

We'd long since left Khalasa on the Gaza's desert tracks
We'd taken Tel es Saba and all places at our backs
We'd conquered sand and searing heat on Walers Aussie bred
Till there across the Wadi Sabah - Beersheba lay ahead

It's fabled mosque and water wells we'd read from days of old
The railway line off to the left where other wadi's rolled
But in between, entrenched and set, the Turkish army waits
A force for us to overcome, a place we'd lose some mates

We lined up just below the ridge, our forces had been cleft
The 4th Lighthorse was on the right - the 12th was on the left
The Turks we hoped would not see us, until it was too late
For if our plan was flawed and failed, death would be our fate

We moved off slowly at at a trot, for cannon we'd deployed
The smell of water seemed to make our thirsty horses bouyed
Their eagerness was plain to see, our spurs drew tossing mane
They leaped into their full flight charge at all speed they could gain

We cleared the ridge in clouded dust, three thousand hooves athunder
Waving bayonets, yelling loud, we'd smash our foe asunder
Johnny Turk showed his surprise, his cannon could not find us
Our horses came upon him fast, his shells burst way behind us

The 4th took on the Turkish trench in fighting hand to hand
The 12th proceeded on to town, securing it as planned
With all our mob and Reedbeds too, the job got quickly done
Within an hour the town was ours, Beersheba had been won.

Ted Middleton (2007)




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Canon deployment infers spread for minimum damage
Gaza = Area in Palestine
Johnny Turk = Turkish troops
Khalasa = Town on the Gaza
Reedbeds = Sth. Australian 3rd and 9th Mounted Rifles
Tel es Saba = town to the east of Beersbeba
Wadi = Creek chanels
Wadi Saba = East west wadi fronting Beersheba
Waler = Australian bred horse
Water wells were reportedly dug by Abraham (Biblic)