Topic: AIF - NZMRB
NZMR Bde
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade
Outline
A letter from home
[From: Sydney Mail, 24 February 1915, p. 5.]
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade was formed in New Zealand during August 1914 as part of the Expeditionary force offered to Britain at the outbreak of the Great War. Regiments included:
The New Zealand Mounted Rifles utilised the Volunteer Territorial structure to recruit members into the three squadrons gazetted as establishment in August 1914. Below is a listing of the twelve squadrons inclusive of the distinguishing squadron badge.
Auckland Mounted Rifles
3rd Auckland Squadron
The 3rd Auckland Squadron was recruited from the Auckland metropolitan area and the immediate surrounding region.
4th Waikato Squadron
The 4th Waikato Squadron was recruited from the region south and east of Auckland.
11th North Auckland Squadron
The 11th North Auckland Squadron was recruited from the region north and west of Auckland.
Machine Gun Section
The Machine Gun Section was drawn from recruits over the entirety of the Auckland Mounted Rifles catchment area.
Wellington Mounted Rifles
Queen Alexandra's 2nd Wellington West Coast Squadron
The Queen Alexandra's 2nd Wellington West Coast Squadron was recruited from the Wellington metropolitan area and the immediate surrounding region.
6th Manawatu Squadron
The 6th Manawatu Squadron was recruited from the region north and west of Wellington.
9th Wellington East Coast Squadron
The 9th Wellington East Coast Squadron was recruited from the region north and east of Wellington.
Machine Gun Section
The Machine Gun Section was drawn from recruits over the entirety of the Wellington Mounted Rifles catchment area.
Canterbury Mounted Rifles
1st Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry Squadron
The 1st Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry Squadron recruited from the Christchurch metropolitan area and the central region of South Island.
8th South Canterbury Squadron
The 8th South Canterbury Squadron was recruited from the region south and west of Christchurch.
10th Nelson Squadron
The 10th Nelson Squadron was recruited from the region north and east of Christchurch.
Machine Gun Section
The Machine Gun Section was drawn from recruits over the entirety of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles catchment area.
Otago Mounted Rifles
The Otago Mounted Rifles fought as a Regiment at Gallipoli but subsequent to the evacuation from the peninsular, the Regiment was disbanded and absorbed into the newly formed 2nd Battalion of the 3rd (Rifle) Brigade. One squadron remained as a mounted formation for the specific purpose of being sent to France as part of the Corps Cavalry and later to be known as the 22nd Corps Cavalry.
5th Otago Mounted Rifles
The 5th Otago Mounted Rifles recruited from the Dunedin metropolitan area and the immediate surrounding region.
12th Otago Mounted Rifles
The 12th Otago Mounted Rifles was recruited from the region north and east of Dunedin.
7th Southland Mounted Rifles
The 7th Southland Mounted Rifles was recruited from the region south and west of Dunedin.
Machine Gun Section
The Machine Gun Section was drawn from recruits over the entirety of the Otago Mounted Rifles catchment area.
Field Troop New Zealand Engineers
The Field Troop, New Zealand Engineers was formed on 28 December 1916 under the command of Lieutenant H. A. Lockington.
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Signalling Troop, New Zealand Engineers
The Signalling Troop New Zealand Engineers was formed on 28 December 1915 under the command of Captain E. J. Hulbert.
New Zealand Mounted Field Ambulance
The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Field Ambulance was formed on 16 February 1916 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel C. T. H. Newton
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Supply SectionThe New Zealand Mounted Rifles was established on 27 April 1916 under the command of Major H. W. Smith. The Section was split on 1 August 1917 with the 5th Company N.Z.A.S.C. remaining with the New Zealand Mounted Rifles under the command of Captain S. H. Crump.
New Zealand 2nd Mobile Veterinary Section
The New Zealand 2nd Mobile Veterinary Section was formed on 24 December 1916 under the command of Major J. Stafford.
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Machine Gun Squadron
The New Zealand Mounted Rifles 1st Machine Gun Squadron was formed when the regimental Machine Gun Sections were brigaded into the Machine Gun Squadron on 15 July 1916 under the command of Captain R. P. Harper.
Artillery
Artillery support was provided for the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade from the British 4th (Territorial Force) Horse Artillery Brigade, Ayr Battery with four 18 pounder guns.
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Training Regiment
Formed in Egypt during February 1916, this unit trained incoming reinforcements while allowing the wounded and sick a place to recover before returning to active service. The Training Regiment contained three squadrons, each duplicating the Regiments within the Brigade to whom it supplied the reinforcements. The Training Regiment was conducted under the authority of the Australian and New Zealand Training Depot and Details Camp.
Embarkation
The original Brigade embarked to Egypt on 16 October 1914. In Egypt additional training occurred at Maadi Camp.
Commanders
Brigadier General E. W. C. Chaytor, 20 December 1915 to 22 April 1917
Brigadier General W. Meldrum, 23 April 1917 to 30 June 1919
Attachments
Formed August 1914.
Attached to the New Zealand and Australian Division from December 1914 to April 1915. Attachment ceased on the Division's deployment to Gallipoli.
Attached to the New Zealand and Australian Division at Gallipoli from May 1915 to February 1916.
Attached to the Anzac Mounted Division March 1916 until March 1919.
Campaigns
Gallipoli:
- Anzac
- Defence at Anzac
- Suvla
- Sari Bair
- Gallipoli 1915-1916
Egypt:
- Defence of Egypt; and,
- Western Desert.
Sinai:
Palestine:
Disbandment
The Brigade returned to Australia from June to July 1919, the last New Zealanders embarking at Kantara on 23 July 1919. As each Regiment arrived in the specific home port. The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade was disbanded on 30 June 1919.
Acknowledgement: Thanks are extended to Steve Butler and Greg Bradley for the excellent site New Zealand Mounted Rifles Association and their consent to use information and images from that particular site.
Further Reading:
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, Roll of Honour
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Citation: New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, Outline
