WWI is one of the bloodiest conflicts in world history.

The major powers were involved and the conflict was triggered by the assassination of the Austrian prince Ferdinand .

New countries were formed at cessation of conflicts and the economies of many participants were radically affected .

It involved great loss of life and employed trench warfare.  Gruesome conditions prevailed and were described in detail in Erich Remarque’s famous novel “All Quiet on the Western Front”

soldiers on the march

soldiers on the march

soldiers used unusual means of communication in trench warfare

soldiers used unusual means of communication in trench warfare

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Australian manhood signed up to be a soldier often putting their age up hoping to embark on a world adventure . It severely depleted the nation’s young male population with severe loss of life .

The world famous Australian Light Horse were born and were  mounted soldiers on horseback deployed largely in the Middle East . The Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade at the Battle of Beersheba in 1917 made what is the most well known successful cavalry charge in the Great War.

A number of Australian light horse units are still in existence today as part of a modern army of soldiers .