TRANSCRIPT: REMARKS AT JUNEE LEG OF THE CHAUVEL ANNIVERSARY LIGHT HORSE MEMORIAL RIDE, 17 MARCH 2025

E&OE

STARTS 11.52AM

MICHAEL McCORMACK

Thank you very much to Greg Zakharoff and Junee RSL Sub-branch. To all Veterans here today, I acknowledge you and say again thank you for your service. To Bob Callow, the Mayor of Junee, thank you for your warm welcome. To the teachers, we say thank you as well and to the parents who have supervised these children.

There are two special groups here today, two special groups. First of all, it’s the kids, that’s you kids – thank you for coming and making this very, very special. And the other group are those horses and the people on them because they are what has made this such a special occasion.

Hands up all who have heard Gallipoli? You all have, you all have. Now, back in World War I, many of the Light Horsemen went to Gallipoli – many, many of them, but they didn't take their horses. But they fought just as bravely, just as fiercely. Many lost their lives, some of them were from Junee. Some of those who fought for the Light Horse, some of those who fought at Gallipoli. Many of those who fought in World War I are from this town. This town gave mightily, gave their lives and if you don’t believe me, just go and have a look at the number of names on your beautiful cenotaph to see how many of those people came from Junee. But the Light Horsemen then went to Palestine, to the Middle East, to Egypt, and were reunited with their horses. And as Mr Zakharoff said, the Battle of Beersheba was one of the last great military charges – it wasn't the final one, but it was one of the last great successful military charges, certainly by Australians, where they charged on their horses, over the ramparts, over the Turkish defences. They had their bayonets fixed. It was the most amazing battle, 31st October 1917. And it's etched especially in the minds of any military historian, it is in movies and it should be remembered. Our Light Horse, they fought so, so bravely.

The bloke up the end here is Pat Leary, I want you to give him a special clap. That’s this good-looking bloke at the end here. He came up with this idea to take horses all the way from Shepparton in Victoria, all the way through the Riverina, through Junee, through lots of parts of this wonderful region. Through Harden-Murrumburrah, Young and all these sorts of places, Tumbarumba and back down to Tallangatta and on this 842-kilometre odyssey, on this great adventure.

What the purpose of this is to raise awareness and funds for the Light Horse to keep these re-enactments alive, and to make sure the kids knew about the story of Harry Chauvel who fought in the Boer War of 1899 to 1902, who fought in World War I of 1914 to ’18 and was still around to playing a role in the Second World War from 1939 to ’45. He was one of Australia’s greatest and Harry Chauvel was in charge of the Light Horse. He was in charge of so many soldiers and he fought so that we could have the peace and freedom that we enjoy today. So you owe a debt of gratitude to old mate Pat Leary here. He’s just from Coolamon, it’s only just down the road. He came up with this idea that he and his horses, and lots of others besides, going on this wonderful trek so that school children just like you could know the history of the Light Horse, could have a special day out from school. Are you all enjoying a day out from class? Of course you are. You’ll learn more here today than you probably would have been in class and that’s not to take anything away from school for school is very important but thank you for coming out today. You made the day particularly special for the Light Horseman. And I know the horses enjoy having you here, too. So, enjoy the day.

Lest We Forget.

ENDS 11.57AM

Emma Sullivan