The 2nd Light Horse Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment of the Australian Army during the First World War. The regiment was raised in September 1914, and by December as part of the 1st Light Horse Brigade had moved overseas. During the war the regiment only fought against the forces of the Ottoman Empire, in Egypt, at Gallipoli, on the Sinai Peninsula, and in Palestine and Jordan. After the armistice the regiment eventually returned to Australia in March 1919. For its role in the war the regiment was awarded nineteen battle honours. Formation On 18 August 1914, the 2nd Light Horse Regiment was raised at Enoggera, and comprised twenty-five officers and 497 other ranks serving in three squadrons, each of six troops. Each troop was divided into eight sections, of four men each. In action one man of each section, was nominated as a horse holder reducing the regiment's rifle strength by a quarter. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Mackay Stodart, its manpower was drawn from the 1st Military District and consisted mainly of residents of Queensland and New South Wales. The regiment's officers had all previously served in the Citizens Forces, and many of its soldiers had also served before, including some who had served in the British forces. All were required to pass a riding test; those that failed were transferred to the infantry and subsequently served in the 9th Battalion. Once formed the regiment was assigned to the 1st Light Horse Brigade, serving alongside the 1st and 3rd Light Horse Regiments. All Australian Light Horse regiments used cavalry unit designations, but were mounted infantry armed with rifles, not swords or lances, and mounted exclusively on the Australian Waler horse. Operational history Departure for Egypt After a short period of training at Enoggera, on 25 September 1914, the regiment left Brisbane, sailing upon the transport ship Star of England, arriving at Egypt on 9 December. There they undertook further training and took part in the North African campaign defending the Suez Canal. In May 1915, they left for the Gallipoli campaign with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). Gallipoli The regiment left their horses in Egypt, and arrived at the Gallipoli peninsula on 12 May, joining the Allied forces there as reinforcements. Assigned to the New Zealand and Australian Division, the regiment fought around Anzac Cove, and during the Battle of Sari Bair, but