Bill the Bastard - Murrumburrah, NSW, Australia
S 34° 32.981 E 148° 20.994
55H E 623855 N 6176066
This is a one-third, or quarter-sized representation of Mjr Shanahan on Bill the Bastard, carrying an additional FOUR wounded soldiers.
Waymark Code: WMTCWV
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 11/03/2016
Views: 4
This smaller than life duplicate of Bill is placed in the Light Horse Memorial Park of Murrumburrah. This town was the first place that the First Australian Horse regiment started getting conscripts for the Boer War (1897). Most soldiers took their own horse to war. Some 130,000 to possibly 200,000 horses were taken to Europe in the Great War - none brought back. The permanent memorial was made after the centenary (1897-1997). A Historical Marker beside Albury Street (at the upper side of the park) has the following about the sculpture:
"A bronze sculpture of the 17 hand Chestnut known as Bill the Bastard stands on the lower western side of the Memorial Garden. Bill the Bastard gained his title as a result of his habit of bucking whenever he was saddled but was also noted for courage, strength and staying power.
"At the battle of Romani on the 4th August 1916, Major Michael Shanahan DSO, 2nd Australian Light Horse, heard that 4 men, having lost their horses, were left out in the field at the mercy of the Turks. Riding Bill the Bastard, Major Shanahan returned to the scene under heavy enemy fire, collected the stranded men and Bill galloped back across the thousand yards of sand carrying the additional 4 Light Horsemen (2 on his back and 1 hanging onto each stirrup).
"For his services in carrying those men to safety, Bill the Bastard was retired, with honour, the following day and served the remainder of the war as an officer's packhorse."
There is a full-sized model of Bill, with a bit more detail, on the other side of Albury Street, where there is another information sign with similar information.
Visited: 0749, Tuesday, 15 November, 2022
Type of Memorial: statue
Type of Animal: service, work animal
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