Prior to embarkation, the first 12th Australian Light Horse Regiment, AIF, produced a photographic record of the Regiment. Since there are no other official photographs existing of this Regiment, this has become the best reference for that unit. We have named photographs of various members. Not many, but they are in this booklet. Also the various sub-units have been photographed. While we are not able to name the men in the photographs, we do have a record of their anonymous images.
12th Australian Light Horse Regiment, AIF, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A29 Suevic, 13 June 1915 and HMAT A44 Vestalia, 22 June 1915.
For a complete listing of the contents of the album, go to:
12th Australian Light Horse Regiment Embarkation Book Album Contents
For information about the 12th Australian Light Horse Regiment in general, go to:
12th Australian Light Horse Regiment, AIF
The Regimental Crest highlights some extraordinary features for the time. Just 14 years before, the Commonwealth Constitution stripped Aboriginals of citizenship and consequently adult suffrage. And yet, taking centre stage in the crest is a stylised Aboriginal hunter portrayed as an exotic representative from Australia and so characterising the Regiment in this manner. Underneath the illustration is the Latin motto: "Deo . Regi . Patriae" - "For God, King, and Country". This is ironical in that God, King and Country expunged the Aboriginal from the polity of the nation.
12th Light Horse Regiment collar dog