THE descendants of Indigenous Australian soldiers are being sought for an oral history project.
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The project will help commemorate the 100th anniversary this year of the Battle of Beersheba.
A significant number of Indigenous men served in the Light Horse, and some of them participated in the legendary charge at Beersheba.
On 31 October 1917, two Australian Light Horse regiments charged Turkish positions outside the town, taking more than 1,000 prisoners.
The battle was one of the most important of the Sinai-Palestine Campaign and the nature of the victory has earned Beersheba an enduring place in Australian wartime history.
To help honour this, descendants of Indigenous Australian soldiers who took part in the campaign are being encouraged to get involved in the oral history project.
The project will identify and record the stories of these men as recalled by their descendants, culminating in a group of descendants attending the National Service in Be’er Sheva.
"This project will recognise the important contribution Indigenous Australians made at the Battle of Beersheba and will honour the service and sacrifice of every Australian who served in that campaign by bringing these stories to life for everyone," Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Dan Tehan said.
The project is being coordinated by the Rona Tranby Trust. Anyone interested in participating in the project should contact Ray Minniecon on 0417 929 701 or Meltem Akyol on 9231 4293 or email info@ronatranby.org.au.
Details about the commemorations in Israel are available on the Department of Veterans' Affairs website at www.dva.gov.au.