Donald Cameron of Rouchel, near Aberdeen, in the Upper Hunter Valley of NSW, was well known from World War 1 as the commander of the 12th Australian Light Horse Regiment, which together with the 4th ALH Regiment, took part of the 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade, dramatically captured the town of Beersheba in Palestine on 31 October 1917, from Turkish and German troops.
Don Cameron (1877-1950) was a typical country man of his time, who became, from humble beginnings, and very basic remote country education and no formal military training, one of Australia’s famous military figures. He had almost seven years of overseas military service, starting as a trooper in the war in South Africa in 1900, and then the Gallipoli, Sinai, Palestine and Syrian campaigns of WW1. He was a highly decorated soldier, being twice awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
On 31 October 1917, at about 4.30pm, Don found himself at the head of his regiment of about 500 men, as they prepared for a cavalry charge that has been described by some as “the grandest charge of mounted men in history “and, “without parallel in the history of warfare”, and has even been compared to the charge of the British Light Brigade in 1854.
Don Cameron was a man who did not like to talk about himself, but was always ready to talk about his men and give credit to them– the real men of Beersheba. He was a man with a real sense of duty to his country, courageous in battle and highly regarded by his men. He was a great soldier and a natural leader of men.

The book “Cameron of Beersheba” is published to record for history his story, so that it lives on through the generations of our family to come.