The Memorial Service at the Obley First World War Memorial tomorrow will have a very historical bugle being carried by the Mounted Light Horse Bugler.

The Memorial Service is to commemorate the day, 100 years ago, when the convoy of ships carrying the first volunteers from Australia and New Zealand en-route to the Great War berthed at Alexandria. 

Troops then went on to Egypt, Europe and onto Gallipoli. 

Many of these troops came from the rural and regional areas of Australia, a small group of them have their names on the Obley Memorial. 

Many were wounded and sent back home to Australia to recuperate, only to return to the battles of Europe months later.

There were 20,000 Australians on the convoy and for those of us who had descendants on board, Saturday (22nd) presents a wonderful opportunity to recognise their sacrifice and meet others who had relatives in this great convoy.

Banjo Paterson was on the 15th ship and Sharon Cantrell’s grandfather Major John Wells, enlistment number 3, was on the ship 23.

It was very early in the war as the Arabs in Egypt joined forces with the Germans and Turks and the Australian and English forces, in order to fight in this new desert war, formed the Imperial Camel Corp, who like the Light Horse, rode their mounts into the battle and dismounted and fought on foot as infantrymen.

Be it a Light Horse Unit or a Camel Unit, each had their own bugle usually a M1855 British Duty Bugle. 

The “Banjo Paterson …. more than a Poet” Museum / Exhibition has been very fortunate to have recently purchased one such Bugle. 

This historic bugle was used by the Imperial Camel Corp - the bugle that led the cameleers into battles such as the famous Magdhaba Battle of the 23rd of December 1916.

It is this very bugle that will be carried into the service at Obley by the mounted Australian Light Horse Bugler.

It will then, after the service, be returned to the glass case in the WW1 section of the Banjo Paterson Exhibition.

So please join us at 10 am on Saturday  (November 22) at Obley, just 13kms along the Dubbo Road from Yeoval and then for morning tea back at the Yeoval Banjo Paterson … more than a poet exhibition.

 Enjoy a great get together with the mounted troops, the regular soldiers from Delta Company 1/19 Royal NSW Regiment Dubbo, the Salvation Army Wellington and many other visitors from across the region. 

The exhibition is at the Wellington end of the main street - all welcome.   

Enquiries call Alf Cantrell 0427 208913.

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 Where is Obley? you ask.

Well it’s about 13 kilometresd out from Yeoval on the Dubbo Road and then you turn left onto the Tomingely Road for about 1klm. 

It used to be quite a large centre but when the railway came to Yeoval it just fell away as people moved to Yeoval. 

They often took their wives and their houses with them. 

The only thing left today is the magnificent small WW1 memorial and the brick police station/jail/court house which is now a private residence.