Beersheba is a town that few New Zealanders will be familiar with.
It sits on the edge of the Negev desert in southern Israel, about 75 kilometres south west of Jerusalem.
On Tuesday, a small group of New Zealanders will join a large group of Australians to watch a re-enactment of an historic charge by the Australian Light Horse brigade exactly 100 years ago at Beersheba.
The attack on Turkish troops was a turning point in World War I, and is a revered part of Australia’s military history.
From this point on in the desert war the Turkish forces and their German allies were in retreat.
The famous charge by the 4th Australian Light Horse is regarded as the last great cavalry charge in history.
What is less well known is that it wouldn’t have taken place had it not been for the skill and bravery of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles.
After two failed attempts to break the Turkish defensive line between Gaza on the coast and Beersheba 43 kilometres inland, the newly appointed commander of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, which was spearheaded by Australian and New Zealand mounted troops, devised a plan to take the town of Beersheba.
General Allenby’s aim was to outflank the Turko-German forces and attack the trenches protecting Gaza, from behind.
Compared to the frontlines at Gaza, Beersheba was relatively lightly defended as the Turks were convinced (partly due to a British officer deliberately dropping a note saying an attack on Beersheba was impossible due to a lack of water) that a third attack would be made directly on Gaza.
The Anzac and British troops carted most of their water with them and moved at night to stay concealed from German aircraft.
It was a huge logistical task but by the morning of 31 October they were ready and the attack on Beersheba began.
At first, it went well; the Turks in outlying positions were caught by surprise.
But a large hill which overlooked the plain in front of Beersheba needed to be taken before mounted troops could approach the town itself.
The machine guns dug in on the hill known as Tel el Saba would have mown down horsemen in minutes.
The job of capturing Tel el Saba was given to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles. It was defended by 300 Turks who were now well prepared.
The attack started at 9.10am but progress was slow and casualties mounted.
It took nearly six hours of fighting before the Auckland Mounted Rifles managed to capture the first enemy position. Two or three machine guns were taken, along with 60 prisoners.
The machine guns were turned around and used to good effect on the Turks.
The “Aucklands” (as they were known) were joined by the Wellington Mounted Rifles and with bayonets fixed they charged up the hill on foot.
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