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Note: Walter Smith was a Private in the 12th Light Horse Regiment which was attached to the 4th Light Horse Brigade, at Liverpool, New South Wales. It sailed from Australia in two contingents in June 1915. Half the regiment went to Aden to reinforce the British garrison and the other to Egypt and trained as infantry. When they came together, the regiment was again split up, to reinforce three light horse regiments already ashore - A Squadron went to the 1st Light Horse Regiment, B Squadron to the 7th, and C Squadron to the 6th. It was not reunited until 22 February 1916, by which time all of the AIF troops from Gallipoli had returned to Egypt. I believe this is where my grandfather Private Walter James P Smith, Service Number 1966, joined the 12th Light Horse and arrived in Egypt.
The 12th Light Horse joined the forces defending the Suez Canal on 14 May 1916. In ensuing months it conducted patrols and participated in several forays out into the Sinai Desert and moved into Palestine in April 1817. It joined its first major battle on 19 April when it attacked, dismounted, as part of the ill-fated second battle of Gaza. In August, the regiment was issued with swords and trained in traditional cavalry tactics in preparation for the next offensive against the Turks. This was launched along the Palestine coast on 19 September 1918 -The 12th Light Horse was one of the first Australian units to enter Damascus on 2 October 1918. The regiment was soon involved in the next stage of the advance and was on its way to Homs when the Turks surrendered on 30 October.
The regiment sailed for home on 20 July 1919.
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