Veteran duo commit to keeping the Light Horse regiment’s spirit alive

Father and son Veterans Lester and Jason Mengel will pause to reflect on their service and mates and family members who have served on the eleventh hour and on the eleventh day of the eleventh month on Monday.

Vietnam Veteran Lester Mengel from the 27th Lighthorse Regiment with Sox at dawn at Saunders Beach will be on parade for Remembrance Day. Picture: Evan Morgan

Father and son Veterans Lester and Jason Mengel will pause to reflect on their service and mates and family members who have served on the eleventh hour and on the eleventh day of the eleventh month on Monday.

Both will be on parade with their steads Sox and Gabriel as part of the 27th Light Horse Regiment at the Thuringowa Remembrance Day service at Riverway.

Jason Mengel is president of the Townsville-based light horse association and served as a former cavalry soldier and on Monday he will be pause to reflect on the proud history of the Light horse soldiers and their horses.

“The reason I got involved is the fact that I’m ex-armoured core, ex-cavalry myself and I wanted to assist in keeping the spirit of light horse alive,” he said.

“It’s been over 100 years since World War One, and we no longer have any World War One veterans left with us.

Veteran Jason Mengel with Gabriel and his dad Vietnam Veteran Lester Mengel from the 27th Lighthorse Regiment with Sox at dawn at Saunders Beach will be on parade for Remembrance Day. Picture: Evan Morgan

“So for the future generations to know what happened back then, and to be involved in history, we need to keep the spirit of Light Horse alive, because that’s one of the main things that Australia is known for - especially when it comes to the charge at Beersheba.”

On Monday he will be personally reflecting on WWI soldier Major Michael Shanahan and his horse Bill the Bastard.

“They were two of the forging pioneers of the Australian Light Horse. Bill the Bastard was the biggest, the most ferocious horse, or angry horse, that was seen during the WWI period.

“But what he’s known for, is, is that he got Major Shanahan and another four troopers out of an ambush (Battle of Romani, 1916).

“Bill the Bastard saved five of our light horse men.”

“The other thing I reflect on is the fact that we had to leave so many of our horses behind during World War One.

“Only one horse ever came back (out of 136,000) and his name was Sandy, but every other horse was put down (or sold), apart from Bill the Bastard who was moved back to Gallipoli in Turkey, and given to a farming family post World War One.”

His father Vietnam Veteran Lester Mengel will be remembering fallen mates.

Veteran Jason Mengel with Gabriel and his dad Vietnam Veteran Lester Mengel from the 27th Lighthorse Regiment with Sox at dawn at Saunders Beach will be on parade for Remembrance Day. Picture: Evan Morgan

“Remembrance Day for me is the people that I knew of that passed away in Vietnam through illness or enemy action, or whatever the case be.

“Also I had a Jason, I had a great grandfather, and grandfather that served in the British Army during World War Two, and so we remember him as well.”

The pair will be with their horses supporting the Thuringowa RSL for the Remembrance Day service at the Thuringowa Cenotaph at Riverway starting at 10.40am. The Townsville RSL service will be at Anzac Park starting at 10.30am.

For more information or to join the 27th Light Horse go to https://www.facebook.com/townsvillelighthorsetroop/

Originally published as Veteran duo commit to keeping the Light Horse regiment’s spirit alive