31/10/2026
They called him Bill the Bastard because nobody could ride him. Then one day, he carried five Australian soldiers through enemy fire and became a legend.
He was big, bad-tempered and had a reputation for throwing anyone brave enough to climb onto his back.
But during the First World War, this troublesome Australian war horse would become the unlikely hero of one of our most extraordinary military stories.
Bill was a massive 17-hand horse sent overseas with the Australian Light Horse. He was strong, unpredictable and notoriously difficult to handle.
Most soldiers wanted nothing to do with him.
But Major Michael Shanahan was different. An experienced horseman, he managed to build a bond with Bill that others couldn’t.
Then came August 1916 and the Battle of Romani in Egypt.
Australian troops were fighting Ottoman forces in the scorching desert. The fighting was fierce, and men and horses were scattered across the battlefield.
During the chaos, Shanahan reportedly spotted four Australian soldiers stranded without their horses.
They were in serious danger.
Rather than leave them behind, Shanahan helped the four men climb onto Bill’s back.
Imagine the sight.
Five fully grown Australian soldiers clinging to one enormous horse, galloping across the desert as enemy fire surrounded them.
And somehow, Bill carried them to safety.
The horse that nobody could ride had just saved four stranded soldiers.
Shanahan was wounded during the battle and was later awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery.
But Bill’s story has a bittersweet ending.
Like thousands of Australian war horses, Bill never made it back to Australia. Accounts of his final years vary, but his extraordinary wartime reputation endured.
Today, a life-size bronze statue of Bill stands at Murrumburrah in New South Wales, honouring the horse that went from being considered a menace to becoming an Australian legend.
It’s a reminder that sometimes the most unlikely characters turn out to be the greatest heroes.
❤️ Had you ever heard of Bill the Bastard?
📍 Murrumburrah, NSW
