12th Light Horse Regiment (Australia)

12th Light Horse Regiment
12th Australian Light Horse Regiment hat badge
Active	1915–1919 1921–1936 1938–1943
Country	Australia
Branch	Australian Army
Type	Light horse
Role	Mounted infantry
Size	~ 500 men
Part of	4th Light Horse Brigade
Motto(s)	Latin: Virtutis Fortuna Comes ("Fortune is the Companion of Valour")
Engagements	First World War Gallipoli campaign Suvla Sari Bair Sinai and Palestine campaign Beersheba El Mughar Nebi Samwill Jerusalem Jordan (Es Salt) Megiddo Sharon Samakh Damascus
Insignia
Unit colour patch

The 12th Light Horse Regiment was a mounted unit of the Australian Army. It was raised in New South Wales in 1915 as part of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) for service during the First World War. After fighting at Gallipoli as reinforcements, the regiment served in the Sinai and Palestine campaign against the Ottoman Empire, seeing action in several notable battles including Beersheba, the capture of Jerusalem, Megiddo and the capture of Damascus. In the aftermath of the war, the regiment was used to suppress the 1919 Egyptian Uprising, before being disbanded in late 1919.

In 1921, as part of a re-organisation of Australia's military following the disbandment of the AIF, the regiment was re-raised as a part-time unit of the Citizens Force based in New South Wales. It remained in existence throughout the inter-war years until it was amalgamated with the 24th Light Horse Regiment in 1936 as a result of manpower shortages. The 12th Light Horse Regiment was re-formed in 1938 and undertook garrison duties in Australia during the Second World War, having been converted first to a motor regiment and then to an armoured car regiment. It was disbanded in 1943 without having seen action and was never re-raised. Its honours and traditions are perpetuated in the 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers.