7th Light Horse Regiment (Australia)

7th Light Horse Regiment
7th Light Horse Regiment hat badge
Active	1914–1919 1921–1943
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Mounted Infantry
Size	Regiment
Part of	2nd Light Horse Brigade
Engagements	First World War North African Campaign Gallipoli campaign Sinai and Palestine Campaign
Insignia
Unit Colour Patch

First World War

The 7th Light Horse Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment of the Australian Army during the First World War. The regiment was raised in October 1914, and assigned to the 2nd Light Horse Brigade. The regiment fought against the forces of the Ottoman Empire, in Egypt, at Gallipoli, on the Sinai Peninsula, and in Palestine and Jordan. After the armistice the regiment eventually returned to Australia in March 1919. For its role in the war the regiment was awarded sixteen battle honours. During the inter-war years, the regiment was re-raised as a part-time unit based in New South Wales. It was later converted to a motor regiment during the Second World War but was disbanded in late 1943 without having been deployed overseas.

The 7th Light Horse Regiment was raised at Sydney in October 1914. and comprised twenty-five officers and 497 other ranks serving in three squadrons, each of six troops. Each troop was divided into eight sections, of four men each. In action one man of each section, was nominated as a horse holder reducing the regiments rifle strength by a quarter. Its manpower being mostly recruited from residents of New South Wales. Once formed, the regiment was assigned to the 2nd Light Horse Brigade, serving alongside the 5th and 6th Light Horse Regiments.