THE GREAT RIDE

2015 was a busy time for Carmel as she presented "The Great Ride" at venues around Australia.  The show came about after discovering a letter that Trooper Ned Moriarty wrote to his sister Alice in 1918 from the deserts of Palestine.

It was a big task mapping Ned's letter to historical WW1 books and documents.    Carmel's friend Peta Cutter was a great help delving into the 10th Light Horse Regiment's activities and the Australian Mounted Division's campaign in the Middle East in 1918.   The books, Sinai and Palestine Campaign, by Henry Gullet,  Arthur  Olden's  Westralian Cavalry in the war and Gallipoli to Tripoli by Gill and Browning have been a great resource.  This has all served to bring Ned's remarkable letter to life.

        

                                                                                  

      In1918 Palestine the Australian Light Horse
      commenced    a  pursuit of the Turks all the way to 
      Damascus. Carmel Charlton will    present “The Great
      Ride” comprising images, songs and dialogue.    It is
      based on A letter written by Trooper Ned Moriarty to
      his sister Alice. It also includes the verse of Louis N.
      Weston of the 10th Light Horse Regiment who
      recounts the journey to Damascus. Some of the
      verses have been arranged to music by Carmel. The   
      10th Light Horse Regiment was given the honour of
      leading the Australian Mounted Division into Damascus
      where they accepted  the formal surrender of the city. 

     For most of the push towards Damascus the 10th Light
     Horse was the Advance Guard leading the Australian
     Mounted Division.   In late 1918, with the Ottoman army
     in tatters and its soldiers surrendering in thousands,
     Australian mounted troops rode into Damascus before
     T. E. Lawrence of Arabia.  The Australians who swept
      through Damascus and on to Aleppo, Homs, Beirut and
      nearby Tripoli, were part of "The Great Ride".  
     Commanded by the Australian lieutenant-general Sir
     Harry Chauvel, it involved the biggest column of
     mounted men since Alexander the Great traversed the
     same deserts.    

Email    carmel@carmelcharlton.com  if you would her to present the show at your venue or club.  Suitable for all ages.  Also includes visuals and music.

                                                                                                           (below) A brief rest by the Sea of Galilee    

Comments:

WWI - the Great Ride - 1918 by Carmel Charlton

"A thoroughly researched and well-presented exposé of the less-known offensive of the Australian 10th Light Horse regiment aimed at liberating Damascus during WWI.  The chronicle of historical facts is given life by images from various sources and the personal accounts of Private Ned Moriarty written in a letter to his sister, as well as by Carmel’s poetic readings and simple songs that are reminiscent of a trooper's story-telling and sing-along.  Her emotion-charged finale, “Horses Coming Home” brought many to tears.

Carmel’s presentation is one of the best I have heard, and it has inspired me to learn more about my grandfather's involvement  in WWI and the Great Ride to Damascus."

— Dr Louisa Lawrance, Nedlands, Western Australia.

"Carmel held us spellbound as she took us on a journey through the history of what has come to be known in military circles as The Great Ride.  With photos, excerpts from personal letters, maps  and some beautiful poetry set to her own music, Carmel told us the harrowing story of an incredible, successful  ride by the Australian Light Horse Brigade from Jaffa on the coast  to  ‘free’ Damascus, the last stronghold of the Ottoman Empire. We heard the account as it was seen  through the eyes of Trooper Ned Moriarty, related in his letters to his sister Alice in Bunbury. The evening unearthed a lot of local connections with the Mt Barker branch of the Moriarty  family and Carmel was especially thrilled to talk to people about these ties."

Judy Lill  Mt Barker RSL