The 2018 Anzac Day parade in Taree will be a special occasion for Rodney O’Regan OAM VA.
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The vice president of the Australian Light Horse Association will be in possession of a saddle that belonged to World War II Light Horse Regiment solider Eric Leslie Scarlett.
Mr O’Regan said he was honoured to receive the saddle.
"They (Mr Scarlett’s family) had already tried to give it to the (Australian) War Memorial but the war memorial is full, they have enough saddles, so they approached me and I said I'd only be too happy to receive it.
"It's not in pristine condition but it has been greased and oiled.
"It's an original Light Horse saddle,” Mr O’Regan said.
The saddle was accompanied by Mr Scarlett’s swag that he used during the war.
Mr O’Regan highlighted the rarity of the swag.
"It's a bit worn and torn but when it's 75 years old and what it's been through, it's in pretty good condition.
"I've never seen one of these swags before, usually it's just blankets rolled up. I don’t think there would be another one like it in Australia,” Mr O’Regan said.
Mr O’Regan received the items earlier this week.
Born in 1903, Eric Scarlett was a coast watchman during the war. He would patrol the Australian borders and was mostly based in Taree.
Mr Scarlett was also a mechanic by trade. He died of malaria in 1942 in Taree at 38 years of age.
His military memorial gravestone remains in Taree.
The Manning Valley Great Lakes Light Horse Troop will have six horses in the Anzac Day parade.
One of the horses will carry Mr Scarlett’s saddle and act as the ‘memorial horse’.
"In other words, the memorial horse depicts all the horses that died in battle and also the fallen soldier,” Mr O’Regan said.
"This saddle will have the boots reversed to depict the fallen soldier.”
A few people will also be dressed in World War I soldier and nurse attire for the march.
"It'll be a huge Anzac Day for us,” Mr O’Regan said.
The saddle and swag will remain in Mr O’Regan’s possession. He will use them to tell Mr Scarlett’s story in schools.