The 13th Light Horse Regiment was formed at Broadmeadows in Victoria in March 1915; it was the third light horse regiment to have been raised in that state. Its regimental number quickly led to it becoming known as the Devil's Own regiment. It left Australia on 28 May and disembarked in Egypt on 29 June 1915.
The light horse were considered unsuitable for the initial operations at Gallipoli, but were subsequently deployed without their horses. The 13th Light Horse landed on 11 September 1915. For most of its time at Gallipoli the regiment manned the trenches at Lone Pine, one of the most heavily contested parts of the ANZAC front line. The regiment left Gallipoli on 20 December 1915.
Back in Egypt, the infantry component of the AIF was expanded from two divisions to four and the 13th Light Horse was broken down to provide a divisional cavalry squadron for the 2nd, 4th and 5th Divisions. These squadrons proceeded to France with their divisions in March and June 1916, and were eventually reunited in July when the 13th Light Horse was reformed as the cavalry regiment for I ANZAC.
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Collecting War Memorabilia and Medals
13th LIGHT HORSE REGIMENT
Elite Militaria - Tuesday, March 08, 2016
1957 GERMAN GENERAL ASSAULT BADGE
Elite Militaria - Wednesday, August 26, 2015
The General Assault Badge was awarded to personnel of the German Wehrmacht (army) who were not in Infantry or Tank units during World War II.
Instituted on 1 June 1940, the General Assault Badge (Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen) was awarded to assault engineers (pioneer) as well as to those troops who supported infantry and armor units in combat. Also included were other engineering units, artillery, anti-tank (pak) units, anti-aircraft (flak) units and some medics. ...read full article
ANZAC
Elite Militaria - Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Anzac as a word is the acronym for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in these both forces became known as Anzacs in a short time so it is possible to say the name of Anzac was used to describe the combination of both army corps during World War I.
Anzacs supported Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Russian Empire against Ottoman Empire, Germany and Austria-Hungary. They were brought in from training in Egypt to participate in Gallipoli landings. Mostly volunteers formed the Australian Imperial Force. Anzacs were formed in Egypt in 1915 and Anzac was a World War 1 army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. They operated during the Battle of Gallipoli.
Australian, Turkish and New Zealand authorities are planning a big ceremony for the 100th anniversary of Anzac Day. It will be celebrating in Gallipoli-Turkey during the day of 25th of April, 2015. It is very important because there will not be another 100th anniversary.
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Anzacs supported Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Russian Empire against Ottoman Empire, Germany and Austria-Hungary. They were brought in from training in Egypt to participate in Gallipoli landings. Mostly volunteers formed the Australian Imperial Force. Anzacs were formed in Egypt in 1915 and Anzac was a World War 1 army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. They operated during the Battle of Gallipoli.
Australian, Turkish and New Zealand authorities are planning a big ceremony for the 100th anniversary of Anzac Day. It will be celebrating in Gallipoli-Turkey during the day of 25th of April, 2015. It is very important because there will not be another 100th anniversary.
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GALLIPOLI
Elite Militaria - Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Gallipoli is a peninsula which is located in northwest coast of Turkey between Gulf of Saros and Dardanelles. This battle took place in the year 1915 and it was fought during World War I (1914-1918). In the Battle of Gallipoli troops were landed by the British using Australia and New Zealand Army Crops.
Battle of Gallipoli was a combat between the Central powers and Allied Powers and during this battle Gallipoli peninsula became the center of bloody war. Central powers were Germany, Ottoman Empire (modern Turkey), Hungary, Bulgaria; Allied Powers were Russia, France, Australia, USA, United Kingdom and Germany. In January 1915 Russia asked Britain and also France for assistance and the Gallipoli Campaign was born. Allied powers were extremely in need of an alternative route to Russia. Russia found itself isolated and it lacked modern weapons although had a large army. England and France wanted to supply Russia with weapons and munitions. There wasn’t any land route available to Russia and routes by sea had risks for running Russian ports because they were very far away from the fighting and some very close to enemy naval. The plan of British and French armies was to force opening waterway to Allied shipping to allow Russia to receive weapons and munitions from its allies. The Black Sea’s only entrance was through the Bosporus so Dardanelles which is a waterway to reach Russia from Aegean and Bosporus was the most ideal place to conquer. If attack could be successful on the Dardanelles, it would link the separated Allies. Allied leaders believed that Ottoman Empire could be eliminated from the war when its capital Constantinople could be captured. The Dardanelles was controlled by Ottoman Empire, modern Turkey today and Ottomans was the member of Central Powers.
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Battle of Gallipoli was a combat between the Central powers and Allied Powers and during this battle Gallipoli peninsula became the center of bloody war. Central powers were Germany, Ottoman Empire (modern Turkey), Hungary, Bulgaria; Allied Powers were Russia, France, Australia, USA, United Kingdom and Germany. In January 1915 Russia asked Britain and also France for assistance and the Gallipoli Campaign was born. Allied powers were extremely in need of an alternative route to Russia. Russia found itself isolated and it lacked modern weapons although had a large army. England and France wanted to supply Russia with weapons and munitions. There wasn’t any land route available to Russia and routes by sea had risks for running Russian ports because they were very far away from the fighting and some very close to enemy naval. The plan of British and French armies was to force opening waterway to Allied shipping to allow Russia to receive weapons and munitions from its allies. The Black Sea’s only entrance was through the Bosporus so Dardanelles which is a waterway to reach Russia from Aegean and Bosporus was the most ideal place to conquer. If attack could be successful on the Dardanelles, it would link the separated Allies. Allied leaders believed that Ottoman Empire could be eliminated from the war when its capital Constantinople could be captured. The Dardanelles was controlled by Ottoman Empire, modern Turkey today and Ottomans was the member of Central Powers.
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AUSTRALIAN 2ND COMMANDO REGIMENT
Elite Militaria - Monday, February 02, 2015
The 2nd Commando Regiment (2 Cdo Regt) is an Australian Army Special Forces unit, it is one of three combat-capable units within the Australian Special Operations Command. The regiment was established on 19 June 2009 when it was renamed from the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando) (4 RAR (Cdo)). The unit is highly regarded by coalition special operation forces abroad. ...read full article
WWII AUSTRALIAN / BRITISH/ CANADIAN AFRICA STAR CAMPAIGN MEDAL
Elite Militaria - Tuesday, January 27, 2015
The Africa Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II.
The Star was awarded for a minimum one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943. The whole of the area between the Suez Canal and the Straight of Gibraltar is included, together with Malta, Abyssinia, Kenya, Sudan, The Solmalilands and Eritrea. The areas not bordering the Mediterranean only qualified for the Africa Star from 10 June 1940 to 27 November 1941.
Members of the Australian Imperial Force qualified for the Star for service in Syria from 8 June 1941 and 11 July 1941.
"The Rats of Tobruk"
The Siege of Tobruk took place in the Western Desert of North Africa -
in 1941 at the height of the Second World War.
The German Afrika Corps under the command of General Erwin Rommel had commenced the offensive which drove the British forces eastwards across the desert to the Egyptian frontier. The Commander-in-Chief, Sir Archibald Wavell, instructed that the seaport town of Tobruk was to be held, if possible, for two months in order to give time for the assembly of reinforcements, especially of armoured troops for the defence of Egypt.
On 8th April 1941 the garrison of Tobruk consisting of the 9th Division, the 18th Brigade of the 7th Division with British and Indian Troops, came under siege which was to last for 242 days.
The German forces made two serious attempts to capture Tobruk using "blitzkrieg" tactics of a deep armoured thrust through defences followed up by infantry. Up until this point in the war these "blitzkrieg" tactics had never failed.
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The Star was awarded for a minimum one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943. The whole of the area between the Suez Canal and the Straight of Gibraltar is included, together with Malta, Abyssinia, Kenya, Sudan, The Solmalilands and Eritrea. The areas not bordering the Mediterranean only qualified for the Africa Star from 10 June 1940 to 27 November 1941.
Members of the Australian Imperial Force qualified for the Star for service in Syria from 8 June 1941 and 11 July 1941.
"The Rats of Tobruk"
The Siege of Tobruk took place in the Western Desert of North Africa -
in 1941 at the height of the Second World War.
The German Afrika Corps under the command of General Erwin Rommel had commenced the offensive which drove the British forces eastwards across the desert to the Egyptian frontier. The Commander-in-Chief, Sir Archibald Wavell, instructed that the seaport town of Tobruk was to be held, if possible, for two months in order to give time for the assembly of reinforcements, especially of armoured troops for the defence of Egypt.
On 8th April 1941 the garrison of Tobruk consisting of the 9th Division, the 18th Brigade of the 7th Division with British and Indian Troops, came under siege which was to last for 242 days.
The German forces made two serious attempts to capture Tobruk using "blitzkrieg" tactics of a deep armoured thrust through defences followed up by infantry. Up until this point in the war these "blitzkrieg" tactics had never failed.
...read full article
WAR MERIT CROSS
Elite Militaria - Tuesday, January 20, 2015
The War Merit Cross (Kriegsverdienstkreuz) was a decoration of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel. ...read full article
WW11 M35 HELMET - GERMAN & HUNGARIAN
Elite Militaria - Monday, January 19, 2015
During WWII Hungary was an ally of Germany. The Germans allowed and assisted the Hungarians in copying their design of the M35 steel helmet. Therefore, the WWII produced M35 Hungarian steel helmet is nearly identical to the German WWII M35. Both have the same shape, riveted ventilation holes, and the classic rolled edge. The minor differences between the Hungarian M35 helmet and the German M35 was the liner system, liner pin position, as well as the addition of a small horizontal rectangular carrying hook above the back brim of the Hungarian helmet used to attach the helmet to a backpack when on the move.
The other version the Model 1938 Hungarian helmet was one of the most common types used by the Finnish Army during the Continuation War of 1941-44. The Finns originally wanted to acquire the German M35 during the Winter War of 1939-40 to supplement their old stock of German WWI M17 & M18 helmets however, the German government refused the order and sent it to the Hungarians instead. Apparently this was done for political reasons as the Germans were technically still “allied” to the Soviets (who the Finns were fighting) during the Winter War of 1939-40. Though the order was placed in December 1939, the first helmet wasn’t shipped until after the end of the Winter War in March 1940, which is why they were used extensively during the Continuation War of 1941-44. ...read full article
GERMAN HIGH SEAS FLEET BADGE
Elite Militaria - Friday, January 16, 2015
The High Seas Fleet Badge (German: Das Flottenkriegsabzeichen) was a World War II German military decoration awarded for service to the crews of the Kriegsmarine High Seas Fleet, mainly of the battleships and cruisers, but also those ships that supported them operationally for which there was no other award given.
Although the award was instituted in April 1941, it could be awarded for actions that took place prior to this date and could highlight the struggle against the British fleet.
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Although the award was instituted in April 1941, it could be awarded for actions that took place prior to this date and could highlight the struggle against the British fleet.
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