Regimental Headquarters marching through Cairo 1914
Active
August 1914 – June 1919
Country
New Zealand
Allegiance
British Empire
Branch
New Zealand Army
Role
Mounted infantry
Size
Regiment
Part of
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade
Nickname(s)
Canterburys Mounteds[1]
March
D'ye ken John Peel[2]
Engagements
First World War
Gallipoli Campaign
Sinai and Palestine Campaign
Egyptian Revolution of 1919
Commanders
(1914–1919)
John Findlay
Insignia
Pugaree flash worn on the hat-band
Military unit
The Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment from New Zealand, raised for service during the First World War. It was assigned to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, and formed part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
The regiment, with an establishment of twenty-six officers, 523 other ranks and 600 horses, was formed from three squadrons belonging to pre-war Territorial Force regiments: the 1st Mounted Rifles (Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry), the 8th (South Canterbury) Mounted Rifles and the 10th (Nelson) Mounted Rifles. It also included a small headquarters and, until 1916, a Maxim machine-gun section. The Maxim guns were withdrawn but the regiment's fire-power increased during the war, and by the end of the conflict each squadron had four Hotchkiss machine-guns, one per troop.
Being mounted infantry the regiment rode into battle on their horses, but were expected to dismount and fight on foot. The regiment fought predominantly against the forces of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. Their first involvement came in the Gallipoli Campaign between May and December 1915, during which they participated in the largest battle of that theatre at Chunuk Bair and the fighting for Hill 60. Evacuated to Egypt, they then took part in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign from 1916 to 1918. The early battles they were involved in included those at Romani, Gaza and Beersheba. Later in the war they were part of the force that occupied the Jordan Valley, and took part in the raids on Amman and Es Salt. Their final wartime operation was in connection with the capture of the Turkish Fourth Army. During the four years of war the regiment lost 334 men dead from all causes, while another 720 were wounded or debilitated. After the war, the regiment played a minor role in the Egyptian Revolution of 1919, before being disbanded in June 1919.
^Kinloch 2005, p.32
^Wilkie 1924, p.10
and 22 Related for: Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment information
The CanterburyMountedRiflesRegiment was a mounted infantry regiment from New Zealand, raised for service during the First World War. It was assigned...
brigade was formed from three regiments – the Auckland MountedRifles, the CanterburyMountedRifles, the Wellington MountedRifles – and smaller support units...
The Wellington MountedRiflesRegiment was a mounted infantry regiment from New Zealand, raised for service during the First World War. It was assigned...
second regiment of 1st Light Horse Brigade was ordered to reinforce the New Zealand MountedRifles Brigade's left. The CanterburyMountedRiflesRegiment dismounted...
They were followed across by the Wellington MountedRifles, which moved through the CanterburyMountedRifles to capture the Khurbet Hadrah bridge. Once...
first mounted unit was raised in the Waikato. Today the Squadron is part of Queen Alexandra's MountedRifles (QAMR) where it forms the regiment's reserve...
reinforcing the Wellington MountedRiflesRegiment with the 10th Squadron, CanterburyMountedRiflesRegiment. These mounted riflemen attacked the column...
north, led by the Auckland MountedRifles and supported by two machine-guns, with the CanterburyMountedRiflesRegiment on their right, had ridden into...
this stage, the CanterburyMountedRiflesRegiment was ordered to reinforce the Wellington MountedRiflesRegiment and the 5th Mounted Brigade. At around...
The Victorian MountedRifles (VMR) was a regiment composed of Australian forces that served in the Second Boer War. It was first raised by Colonel Tom...
forced them back. When the New Zealand MountedRifles Brigade's headquarters and the CanterburyMounted Rifle Regiments were within 1 mile (1.6 km) of Dueidar...
Brigadier-General William Meldrum Auckland MountedRiflesRegimentCanterburyMountedRiflesRegiment Wellington MountedRiflesRegiment XVIII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery...
Zealand MountedRifles Brigade, which moved forward with the CanterburyMounted Rifle Regiment in advance, and the Wellington Mounted Rifle Regiment in support...
second regiment of 1st Light Horse Brigade was ordered to reinforce the New Zealand MountedRifles Brigade's left. The CanterburyMountedRiflesRegiment advanced...
attacked the CanterburyMountedRiflesRegiment, which was quickly reinforced by two squadrons of the Wellington Mounted Rifle Regiment. Together, they...
Service Volunteer Infantry Corps, the University Volunteer Rifles Corps, the CanterburyMountedRifles, the Drummoyne Volunteer Company, the Army Nursing Service...
Global Information
British Empire