Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Sunday 12 March, I represented the Minister for Veterans' Affairs at Guildford, in my electorate of Hasluck, to commemorate the 10th Light Horse Regiment with the unveiling of an emotionally charged statue of a soldier with his trusty steed, guiding the horse through knee-deep mud. The 10th Light Horse was raised in Guildford in 1914. It was the only light horse regiment recruited in Western Australia in the First World War and became one of Australia's best known and most effective regiments. The regiment was sent to Gallipoli, via Egypt, and used mainly in a defensive role until the August offensive. We can only wonder at the bonds between the soldiers and their horses and the suffering that both endured together.

The unveiling ceremony was well attended by dignitaries from the miliary, all levels of government, businesses and local residents. Guests included the Chair of the Australian War Memorial, the Hon. Kim Beazley, and even Nicholas Hasluck, the son of Sir Paul and Dame Alexandra Hasluck, for whom the electorate of Hasluck is named. I have a particular attachment to the regiment, as my own father, Peter Lawrence, who's here in the gallery today, was a member of the 10th Light Horse between 1962 and 1968. I pay my respects to all members of the regiment, both former and serving. I congratulate the artist, Dr Charles Robb, and the Guildford Light Horse Statue Committee for their efforts. I know the project went through some difficult times, but it was worth the effort. Stirling Square will now commemorate the efforts and service of our veterans, and the animals which served our nation.