The AIF’s 8th Light Horse Regiment (LHR) formed in September 1914, had among its ranks many Western District men.  It was for that reason I was recently contacted by Dean Noske who is currently researching the 8th LHR, in particular, B Squadron.  As I’m familiar with the 8th LHR,  mostly due to the involvement of Edward Ellis Henty of The Caves Hamilton, grandson of Stephen G. Henty, I was keen to help Dean reach out to family members of the Western District men.

The following photo has been a favourite of mine, found among the Australian War Memorial‘s collection.  Pictured are four Western District officers of the 8th LHR, Lieutenants Edward Ellis Henty, Eliot Gratton Wilson, Robert Ernest Baker and Major Thomas Redford.  Also joining them in the photo was Lieutenant Borthwick of Melbourne.  The relaxed nature of their poses and uniforms, the mateship and the babyface of Eliot Wilson have intrigued me since I first saw it.

The photograph is also one of the most poignant I have found, once one considers that within months of the sitting, four of the five soldiers were dead.  They did not see service beyond Gallipoli, as they were all killed at the “Charge at The Nek” on 7 August 1915.  Only Robert Baker survived.   Further reading  about The Nek and the 8th LHR’s involvement is available on the following link – http://www.anzacsite.gov.au/2visiting/walk_12nek.html

A photograph in full uniform was also taken, depicting three of the Western District officers again with Lt.Borthwick and an unidentified man.

Those four Western District officers and the soldiers listed below are those Dean is seeking help with.  If you are able to offer Dean any assistance by way of photographs, letters or stories, please contact him at dean.noske@gmail.com  Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

All names were sourced from the 8th Light Horse Regiment B Squadron Embarkation Roll and Hamilton’s WW1.

(Click on underlined names to read more)

BAKER, John Henry – Nareen †

BAKER, Robert Ernest – Larpent

BARKER, Robert – born Yambuk

BORBRIDGE, Robert Henry – Ararat

BOSWELL, John – Woorndoo †

BOWKER, Alwynne Stanley – Princetown †

BROUGHTON, John Moffatt – Hamilton

CLAYTON, Henry Norman – Casterton †

CONNOR, John Leslie – Coleraine

CORR, Reginald Clarke – Warrnambool

CUMMING, John Currie – Halls Gap †

DODDS, Franklin James – Warrnambool

FINN, Laurence Gerald – Port Fairy †

FLOYD, Harry – Colac West †

HAYBALL, Herbert – Camperdown †

HENTY, Edward Ellis – The Caves, Hamilton †

HIND, William Arthur – Hamilton †

HINDHAUGH, Russell George – Port Fairy †

HYDE, Norman John – Cavendish

JOHNSON, Donald Matthieson McGregor – Warrnambool †

JOHNSTONE, Percy Francis – Camperdown

KERR, James Mark – Dartmoor/Portland †

LEARMONTH, Keith Allan – Hamilton

McGARVIE, David – Pomberneit

McGINNESS, Paul Joseph – Framlingham

MITCHELL, William Albert – Cobden

MOORE – Samuel Vincent – Ararat †

PARTINGTON, Thomas James – Heywood

PATTERSON, Hector Alexander – Casterton

PETTINGILL, John Thomas – Port Fairy

REDFORD, Thomas Harold – Warrnambool  – Squadron Major †

REGAN, Thomas – Camperdown †

SUTHERLAND, Charles Tyler – Tatyoon †

TILLEY, George Edward – Hamilton †

WALLACE, William Issac – Warrnambool 

WEATHERHEAD, John Fortescue Law – Camperdown †

WHITEHEAD, Eric – Minhamite †

WILSON, Eliot Gratton – Warrnambool †

WINGROVE, Charles Melbourne – Stawell †