On October 31, 1917, 800 Australian Light Horse troopers charged across 6km of open desert at Beersheba, breaking through Ottoman defences to secure vital wells — a remarkable feat that 50,000 British troops had failed to achieve over months of fighting.
Some 108 years later, at 6pm, veterans, friends and family members will gather at the Lone Pine/Anzac memorial on 3rd Avenue in the Kyabram Cemetery to pay tribute to those who made that valiant charge.
The service is presented jointly by the Kyabram RSL, Kyabram Cemetery Trust and the Kyabram Historical Society, with Clive Toms at the head.
Mr Toms said it was a story that encapsulated the spirit of the Anzacs.
“The story never changes, but retelling it keeps the spirit alive,” he said.
Last year’s ceremony drew over 200 attendees, who witnessed stirring demonstrations complete with authentic sound effects and historical re-enactments; this year’s event promises to be equally captivating.
Mr Toms said attendees could expect everything and more for this year; more stories, more songs, more special moments and a bonfire and barbecue to warm patrons and their stomachs.
He encourages all attendees to bring a chair for comfort, and invites those with musical talents to bring an instrument to play around the bonfire.
“(The charge) was never taught at school as part of the Anzac service. It was always just Gallipoli,” Mr Toms said.
“This is a story that needs to be told.”
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