Honour to the horses that never came home

ABOVE: Peter Kerkenezou sits on his horse behind the Light Horse monument at Tabulam during the service. Photos: Susanna Freymark

At the Anzac Day service in Tabulam, veterinarian Peter Kerkenezou spoke about the plight of horses during the war.

Tabulam is home to General Sir Henry Chauvel who led the Australian Light Horse Regiment. General Chauvel was a senior officer of the Australian Imperial Force who fought at Gallipoli and during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign in World War I. He was the first Australian to attain the rank of lieutenant general and later general, and the first to lead a corps.

When the war was over, only one horse from the Australian Light Horse was returned to Australia, Mr Kerkenezou said.

The government of the day deemed it too costly to bring back the horses that helped win battles.

Here are photos from today’s Anzac service held at the monument to the Light Horse in Tabulam.