Harry Ball attended a unique service for his birthday on Sunday, with a marching band, a parade, hundreds of guests, and did I mention it just happened to be the re-raising of an iconic WA Regiment.
With members of his military re-enactment group, 10th Light Horse Troop Bunbury, Harry was invited to participate in a ceremony for the re-raising of the Army's 10th Light Horse Regiment.
He travelled to Perth with his trusty mount "Bluey," taking part in what he later said was a day to remember.
"I forgot it was my birthday" Harry said, who turned 75 on a day the regiment celebrated 107 years since it was initially raised on October 10, 1914.
The regiment's most famous actions were the charge at the Nek, and Hill 60 in 1915, where Lieutenant V.H. Throssell performed actions for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
At Langley Park on the Perth foreshore, guests were treated to pomp and ceremony with parades, a marching band, and a feu-de-joie- a gunfire salute, which also involved artillery firing from the Perth foreshore.
"The band played Happy Birthday; it was great, even if it was not for me," Harry said.
The re-raising of the 10th Light Horse marks its return to a full-strength regiment after its downgrading in 1976 to a single independent squadron following government rationalisation post-Vietnam War.
The regiment traded its four-legged transports for four-wheeled vehicles many years ago and will in the future become one of the best equipped and modern units in the Australian Army.
Assistant Minister for Defence, the Hon Andrew Hastie MP, said the re-raising of the regiment was a significant milestone for the Australian Army in enhancing capability and Defence in Western Australia.
"Western Australia is at the forward edge of the Australian Army's modernisation program," he said.
Our troops must be 'Future Ready.' We are growing the 13th Brigade cavalry scout capability by equipping it with 10 cutting edge, Aussie-made Hawkei Protected Mobility Vehicles."
A Squadron 10th Light Horse will grow in size to form a highly capable and modern cavalry Regiment in Western Australia.
Unit numbers will grow to approximately 170 serving members by late 2022.
The Highlight of the day came with a parade through Perth up St Georges Terrace.
The new 10th Light Horse, all-metal and wheels led the way with their forebears following on, horseshoes clattering on the road, much to the public's delight watching the spectacle.
