Help keep Light Horse memory alive

Having played a crucial role in various war campaigns, the battle is now on to keep the memory and tradition of Australia’s Light Horse Regiment alive.

One of the people leading the charge is Bob Whitehouse, a lifetime member of the 11^th Light Horse Caboolture Troop and the Caboolture Historical Society.

With membership numbers starting to dwindle in Moreton Bay, Bob is calling for more volunteers to join the troop to ensure it can survive now and well into the future.

“The Australian Light Horse Regiment has a very proud history and played a pivotal role in various conflicts, so it is important their legacy lives on so future generations know about their service,” Bob says.

“The Caboolture Troop has been operating in Moreton Bay for a very long time and was started by a number of veterans and enthusiastic horse owners who wanted to portray the mounted soldier of the First World War.

“The troop was originally based in the Pine Rivers area, but later moved to the Caboolture Historical Village, where the Historical Society allowed them to build a mud brick building that has served as a military museum since 1989.

“We used to be involved in ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day ceremonies, but now one of the biggest events we engage in is National Flag Day, held here at the village.

“These days, we are more of a museum-based organisation, and need more volunteers who can talk about the wide range of impressive displays we have on show.

“We welcome people of all ages, and from all branches of the military, as well as local history buffs.”

Inside the museum is an array of irreplaceable war memorabilia such as uniforms, weapons, medical supplies, newspapers and photographs dating back from WWI to more recent wars and conflicts.

Some of the museum’s highlights include the only known working WWI limber wagon in South East Queensland, a working general service wagon made in 1916 for service in WWI, a WWI German artillery wagon, and a WWII, two-pound Anti-Tank Gun as used in the Middle East, Malaya and New Guinea.

If you are interested in joining the 11^th Light Horse Caboolture Troop, email [email protected]

You can also follow the 11^th Light Horse Caboolture Troop and Military Museum on Facebook.

To see more photos, click through the gallery below. 

Fast facts

• The Australian Light Horse was a skilled formation of mounted infantry of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF).
• The Australian Light Horse served in the South African War (Boer War) from 1899 to 1902.
• The light horsemen were also sent as reinforcements to fight in the Gallipoli Campaign. The 3rd Light Horse Brigade landed at Gallipoli in May 1915, and suffered catastrophic losses in August 1915 at the Battle of Nek and the Battle of Hill 60.
• The unit contributed to the Allied victory against the Ottoman Empire in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign.
• The soldiers rode horses to a battlefield where they engaged with the enemy on foot and then left quickly on horseback when disengaging. The use of horses made the force more mobile and faster than infantry units and horse-drawn artillery.

Opening hours

The 11th Light Horse Caboolture Troop Military Museum operates within the Caboolture Historical Village, located at 280 Beerburrum Rd, Caboolture.

The museum is open daily from 9am-4pm, but is unattended except on special occasions and for tours.

Entry is free once the entry fee for the village has been paid.