Kim Wilkie (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Recently I had the pleasure of presenting the memorial troop A Squadron of the 10th Light Horse Regiment with six new federal and state flags at the regiment’s memorial troop function at Manning Park. The 10th Light Horse’s motto, ‘Strike and strike swiftly’, sums up the regiment. This is one of the most famous units in Australia’s proud military history. Their gallant actions at Gallipoli and Beersheba have written them into Australian folklore, and Western Australians everywhere need to know that the 10th Light Horse from WA fought and died to preserve the way of life that we so enjoy today.

The memorial troop is formed from volunteers of the Light Horse Association from Pinjarra and Kelmscott and is associated with the Kelmscott-Pinjarra RSL sub-branch. One such volunteer is Jack Matthews from Carlisle in my electorate. Their main aim is to honour and perpetuate the name and history of the 10th Light Horse Regiment by visiting schools and country shows as well as performing ceremonial functions on occasions such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.

We need the memorial troop to continue preserving the rich history of the Light Horse, but these volunteers cannot do it alone. It takes money and effort to preserve the uniforms and maintain the horses, weapons and ceremonial equipment for duties and light horse re-enactments—not to mention the insurance cover and corporate protection—so I urge the community to consider making a donation or offering their time on a voluntary basis so we can help honour the memory of our Western Australian Light Horsemen by maintaining their proud and cherished traditions. It is a very special way of remembering them, and if people contact my office we can put them in contact with people from the association.