Overview

"Eighty-five years ago today the guns fell silent in what was called the war to end all wars. The Great War, as much as any single event in our history, helped forge the Australian character, and gave us a sense of national identity. But it came at a terrible cost. For Australia, as for many nations, World War I remains the most costly conflict ever in terms of deaths and casualties. From a population of fewer than 5 million, 300,000 men enlisted, of which more than 60,000 were killed and 156,000 were wounded, gassed or taken prisoner. The extent of this loss can be seen in the thousands of memorials, small and large, in nearly every city, town and village in New South Wales and throughout Australia. It is important that we do not forget this great struggle, and the sacrifice of so many young lives.

The Glebe Island Bridge was renamed Anzac Bridge to commemorate the Anzac legend. Today I inform the House that the new interchange between the M4 and the Westlink M7 will be named the Light Horse Interchange in honour of the mounted regiments from New South Wales and other States that fought at Gallipoli and in the famous charge of Beersheba. And while many members of the Light Horse came from across New South Wales, particularly from the North Coast and Northern Rivers, Sydney's western suburbs have had a long and proud association with the Australian Light Horse.

Following the outbreak of war in 1914, men from Western Sydney, which was an area then considered rural, if not quite the bush, rushed to join the Light Horse. In fact, one of Australia's longest continuously serving regiments—the 1/15 Royal New South Wales Lancers, first raised as the Sydney Light Horse in 1885—has been present in Western Sydney at Parramatta since 1891. During World War I, the Australian Light Horse regiments fought as infantry at Gallipoli in 1915, taking part in battles at Lone Pine and the Nek. Later, one regiment was sent to France, with the remaining 14 regiments taking part in historic battles in the Middle East, the most famous of which was the charge of Beersheba. This charge was one of the last mounted charges in history, and the last successful mounted charge in military history. At Beersheba the 4 ^th and the 12 ^th Light Horse regiments charged into the Turkish trenches, machine guns and artillery positions at 4.30 p.m. on 31 October 1917. Without swords, as they were not on issue to the Light Horse, the lighthorsemen drew their long bayonets to flash in the setting sun as swords. Watching the charge was trooper Eric Elliott. This is what he had to say:

"It was the bravest, most awe-inspiring sight I've ever witnessed, and they were … yelling, swearing and shouting. There were more than 500 Aussie horsemen … As they thundered past my hair stood on end."

Beersheba fell to the Australian Light Horse. The charge was later immortalised in the 1941 film Forty Thousand Horsemen , and again in 1987's The Lighthorsemen . The Light Horse eventually entered Jerusalem and were the first allied troops to enter Damascus, shortly before the Armistice. During World War II the lighthorsemen returned to Western Sydney. They were based at a major training camp, then called Wallgrove—what is now Wonderland Sydney, near the M4 intersection, and very close to the site of the new interchange. Lighthorsemen patrolled the main water supply pipeline from the Warragamba Dam, which runs through the area. It is because of this long association that it is fitting that the new interchange at Eastern Creek carries the name of the Light Horse. By naming this motorway link the Light Horse Interchange, present and future generations of Australians will be reminded of the debt that we owe to all of our past and present service men and women.

I would like to thank the New South Wales branch of the RSL, and in particular the former vice-president, Mr Rusty Priest, who is in the public gallery. Thank you very much, Rusty. It was your idea and that of your colleagues in the RSL, and the Government has been very keen to progress this proposal in recognition of all who served with the Australian Light Horse. I would like to acknowledge and thank the New South Wales State President, Don Rowe, and the Far West District State Councillor of the RSL, Mr Bob Durbin, as well as Metropolitan Vice-President John Haines."