Australian Light Horse Studies Centre

New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, Roll of Honour

Citation: Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, Roll of Honour

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EAST

Updated: Saturday, 21 November 2009 9:13 PM EAST

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Friday, 11 September 2009

Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, Contents
Topic: AIF - NZMRB - WMR

WMR Regiment

Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment

Contents

Items

Wellington Mounted Rifles, NZMRB, Outline

Structure
The Australian Light Horse – Structural outline
Australian Light Horse Order of Battle

Corps
Desert Mounted Corps (DMC)

Division
Anzac Mounted Division

Brigade
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade

Regiments
Auckland Mounted Rifles
Canterbury Mounted Rifles
Wellington Mounted Rifles

History
Bir el Abd
Bir el Abd, Sinai, 9 August 1916, Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, War Diary Account

Roll of Honour

Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, Roll of Honour
Lest We Forget

Further Reading:

Citation: Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, Contents

Posted by Project Leader at 2:49 PM EADT

Updated: Friday, 11 September 2009 11:25 PM EADT

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Wednesday, 9 September 2009

Wellington Mounted Rifles, NZMRB, Outline
Topic: AIF - NZMRB - WMR

WMR Regiment

Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment

Outline

Wellington Mounted Rifles marching at Awapuni Camp, Palmerston North, September 1914.

[From: Auckland Weely News, 1 October 1914, p. 45.]

Formation

Wellington Mounted Rifles Squadron Recruitment Catchment Areas

The Wellington 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 three squadrons inclusive of the distinguishing squadron badge.

Queen Alexandra's 2nd Wellington West Coast Squadron

Badge for the Queen Alexandra's 2nd Wellington West Coast Regiment

The anticedents for the Queen Alexandra's 2nd Wellington West Coast Regiment stretched further back than 1914. The district surrounding Wellington provided a volunteer force for many decades. Men from these formations served during the Boer War while afterwards, during the reorganisation of 1 October 1900, two new Territorial battalions were formed. In 1906, the name battalion was replaced by Regiment. The Queen Alexandra's 2nd Wellington West Coast Regiment as a Territorial Volunteer formation came into being on 17 March 1911 when the New Zealand compulsory military training program commenced. The Queen Alexandra's 2nd Wellington West Coast Squadron was recruited from the same Territorial region which included the Wellington metropolitan area and the region immediately adjacent to the city.

6th Manawatu Squadron

Badge for the 6th Manawatu Regiment

The 6th Manawatu Regiment as a Territorial Volunteer formation came into being on 17 March 1911 when the New Zealand compulsory military training program commenced. After the outbreak of the Great War the 6th Manawatu Squadron was recruited from the same Territorial region region north and west of Wellington.

9th Wellington East Coast Squadron

Badge for the 9th Wellington East Coast Regiment

The 9th Wellington East Coast Regiment as a Territorial Volunteer formation came into being on 17 March 1911 when the New Zealand compulsory military training program commenced. After the outbreak of the Great War the 9th Wellington East Coast Squadron was recruited from the same Territorial region which included 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.

Embarkation

The original Wellington Mounted Rifles embarked to Egypt on 16 October 1914.

HMNZT 10 Arawa - Headquarters Staff, 2nd Squadron (less one troop), and Machine-gun Section.
HMNZT 4 Tahiti - 6th Squadron (less one troop).
HMNZT 6 Orari - 9th Squadron (one troop each, 2nd and 6th Squadrons) and all the horses of the Regiment.

In Egypt additional training occurred at Maadi Camp.

Gallipoli

As mounted troops, the New Zealand Mounted Rifles were considered to be unsuitable for work in Gallipoli. The mounted troops volunteered to operate as infantry and thus were sent to Gallipoli with the Wellington Mounted Rifles landing on 12 May 1915. Only once was this regiment used for offensive activities which occurred during the two attacks on Hill 60 in August 1915. For the balance of the time the Wellington Mounted Rifles remained at Gallipoli, the unit played a defensive role.

Defence of Egypt

In March 1916, the Wellington Mounted Rifles was allotted as a Regiment in the newly formed Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division, or more commonly called the Anzac Mounted Division. As part of the Division the Wellington Mounted Rifles moved to join its parent brigade, the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, which was taking part in the defence of the Suez Canal. The work was hot and monotonous. they remained here until moved to the Romani region to bolster the defence of that area.

Sinai

The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade played an important role in beating back the Turkish invasion of the Suez Canal zone at Romani. Now known as the Battle of Romani which lasted from 4-6 August which was quickly followed by the Battle of Katia and then Bir el Abd on 9 August. All the actions in which the Wellington Mounted Rifles finally led to the defeat of the Ottoman Canal Expeditionary force and its retreat to Bir el Mazar.

Over the next few months, the Wellington Mounted Rifles took part in the Allied advance over the Sinai leading to the fall of Bir el Mazar, then El Arish followed by Bir el Magdhaba and finally Rafa in January 1917. The Ottoman forces were expelled from the Sinai and were poised to be tackled in Palestine.

Palestine

On 27 March 1917, the Wellington Mounted Rifles took an adventurous role during the First Battle of Gaza. While involved in the encirclement of the city as a prelude to its capture, the Wellington Mounted Rifles received the order to withdraw and return to the starting line. Grudgingly they did so but realised the Turks had snatched victory out of the jaws of defeat.

The Wellington Mounted Rifles took part in the Second Battle of Gaza on 19 April 1917 and suffered the heaviest casualties since Gallipoli.

The Wellington Mounted Rifles took part in the Battle of Beersheba and then the follow up actions that lasted until early January 1918. This included such actions as the Battle of Ayun Kara and the advance to Jaffa.

After the fall of Jerusalem the Wellington Mounted Rifles moved to the Jordan Valley and took parts in operations in this region. This included the taking of Jericho, the attack on Amman during 27 March - 2 April 1918 and Es Salt Raid of 30 April – 4 May 1918. It's last major action prior to the breakout was to repel the German Asien Corps attack on Abu Telllul, 14 July 1918.

Amman

At the opening of the final Allied offensive on 19 September 1918, the Wellington Mounted Rifles took part in the invasion of the Moab hills for the third time. This time Amman was captured and finally, the Ottomans called for an Armistice on 30 October 1918.

Commanders

Lieutenant Colonel W. Meldrum, from 8 August 1914 to 23 April 1917.

Lieutenant Colonel J. H. Whyte, from 12 June 1917 to 31 December 1918.

Major A. F. Batchelor, from 1 January 1919 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.
Sinai:
Romani;
Sinai;
Magdhaba; and,
Rafa.
Palestine:
First Battle of Gaza;
Second Battle of Gaza;
Third Battle of Gaza;
Beersheba;
Ayun Kara;
Jerusalem;
Jericho;
First Amman;
Es Salt;
Megiddo; and,
Second Amman.

Casualties suffered by the Wellington Mounted Rifles

328 killed
496 wounded

Disbandment

The Wellington Mounted Rifles returned to New Zealand with the main body of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles. With much ceremony at Chevalier Island, the Wellington Mounted Rifles along with the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade was disbanded on 30 June 1919. On the same day, Wellington Mounted Rifles returned to New Zealand on the SS Ulimaroa.

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. Steve Butler has kinldy provided the artwork for this entry.

Further Reading:

Citation: Wellington Mounted Rifles, NZMRB, Outline

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 11 September 2009 3:03 PM EADT

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Sunday, 9 August 2009

Bir el Abd, Sinai, 9 August 1916, Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, Unit History Account
Topic: AIF - NZMRB - WMR

Bir el Abd

Sinai, 9 August 1916

WMR Unit History Account

Major Alexander Herbert Wilkie, Adjutant of the Wellington Mounted Rifles, a unit which was part of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, wrote an account of this unit in 1924 called Official War History of the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment - 1914 - 1919, in which included a section specifically related to the battle of Bir el Abd and is extracted below. A copy of this book is available on the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Association website.

Wilkie, AH, Official War History of the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment - 1914 - 1919, (Auckland 1924).

Owing to the heavy work which had fallen to the 1st and 2nd Australian Light Horse Brigades during the previous month and in resisting the main Turkish attack on the 3rd and 4th of August, orders were issued that the men and horses of these brigades were to be rested as much as possible, the men having had little sleep for three nights. On the 6th and 7th, therefore, they remained in their respective camps whilst the other mounted troops kept in touch with the enemy, and at the same time the 42nd and 52nd Infantry Divisions were advanced to garrison Katia and Abu Hamra respectively.

With that thoroughness and foresight which were characteristics of the Turkish organisation throughout the Romani operations, the enemy had constructed a series of defensive positions as he advanced, these now proving of immense value to fall back on during his retreat. His numerical strength was also favourable to him at this time, apart from the fighting qualities of his troops, for it debarred any interference with his flanks and enabled him to protect his guns and to retire the latter in comparative safety well in rear of his column. In consequence, the Turks fought a stubborn rearguard action with the mounted troops which followed up close on his heels, till he was driven to a strong position at Bir El Abd, twenty miles north of Romani, on 8th August.

A general advance was then decided on, and the 1st and 2nd A.L.H. Brigades, resting near Romani, were placed under the command of Brigadier General Royston, and ordered to cooperate with the other mounted troops. Leaving Romani on the morning of the 8th, Royston's Column (as it was then called) reached Katia later in the' day, where orders were received for the operation, these being generally as follows :- Royston's Column to continue its march during the night and to be in position early next morning to the north-west of Bir El Abd in readiness to attack at dawn on the' left of the N.Z. Brigade, the latter to move along the telegraph line direct on Bir El Abd with the 3rd A.L.H. Brigade on its right; the Mobile Camel Column to operate in the direction of Bir Bayud; the Yeomanry to be in reserve.

Royston's Column, with the Ayrshire Battery attached, left Katia at 11 p.m. on the 8th and, marching practically all night, it reached high ground to the north-west of Bir El Abd, where it came under the fire of a 5.9 gun at 5 a.m. on the 9th. The 1st Australian Light Horse Brigade (Lieut.-Colonel Meredith) then took up a position on the northern portion of elevated ground in sand dunes facing the east, and the 2nd A.L.H. Brigade (Lieut.-Colonel Meldrum) continued the line southward on their right, at the same time joining up with the New Zealand Brigade, which had taken up a position west of and over looking Bir El Abd. The Turks were at that time holding a line about ten miles in length, facing west, with their right resting near the Sabhket el Bardawil, and their left at Bir Bayud. From this position our line was violently bombarded, and the Ayrshire Battery came into action.

At about 5.30 the W.M.R. (Major Spragg), in advance of the 2nd A.L.H. Brigade, pressed forward on foot to capture a high ridge about half a mile from the first position taken up. Heavy fire was encountered during the advance, but when the Regiment bad gained its objective it quickly gained superiority of rifle fire over the enemy, although it suffered from 'enemy artillery fire, which rained shrapnel and H.E.

shells all 'along the line. Meanwhile the N.Z. Brigade, on the right, had been heavily engaged, and later in the morning the W.M.R., in advance of the 2nd A.L.H. Brigade, made a further advance to capture a ridge on their left front. The 2nd W.M.R. Squadron was on the left, and the 9th on the right of the front line, the 6th Squadron being in support. The 7th A.L.H. Regiment acted in conjunction with the W.M.R. and with the machine guns it gave a covering fire as the W.M.R. advanced. The enemy brought heavy rifle and machine-gun fire to bear on the advancing line, but the W.M.R. pressed the attack over the intervening ground - a distance of some four hundred yards - and captured their objective. The latter then drew fire of every description, high-explosive shells, shrapnel, and bullets tearing up the ground along it, and most of the casualties in the W.M.R. during the day were inflicted there.

Fortunately, the soft sand minimised the effect of the high-explosive shells; otherwise the casualties would have been much greater.

Meanwhile the New Zealand Brigade, after having advanced resolutely in the centre, became heavily engaged, and at 8.30 the 3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade, then some distance away on the right, was ordered to get into close touch with it; but this Brigade made little headway.

About noon the enemy burned two store depots, and his movements indicated that he intended to retire, but a little later he changed his plans. Finding that he could hold his position, and that his flanks were not threatened, he became aggressive, and with his great numerical strength he reinforced his line with fresh troops from time to time, counter-attacking with great determination, and our advance was completely checked.

At the same time the enemy used his big guns with great effect, high-explosive shells landing on the Ayrshire Battery, of which four men and thirty-seven horses were killed and seven men and seven horses wounded. His shells fell also in the valleys where the led horses were sheltered, and it was found necessary to move them further back. At 1.30 p.m. the enemy delivered an attack with three battalions on the left of the New Zealand Brigade. The gap which had existed there had been filled by the Warwickshire Yeomanry, which met the attack, assisted by the Leicester Battery, and the pressure was relieved.

At 2 p.m. the enemy launched a determined attack on Royston's Column, supported by heavy artillery fire, driving back the right flank. The Ayrshire Battery was ordered back, but, owing to the casualties which had occurred among the horses, it had been rendered immobile. All reserves were called up and put into the fight so that the guns could be withdrawn, as the battery was comparatively close to the enemy.

At 2.47 p.m. the left flank - 1st Brigade - began a gradual retirement. At the same time enemy pressure forced back the 3rd A.L.H. Brigade for nearly a mile, and the enemy advanced in that quarter. The attacks on General Royston's left were pressed also, and the General reported at 2.48 p.m. that he was just holding on, but would probably have to retire. All his men were then in the firing line.

At 4.30 p.m. Brigadier-General Royston's left (1st A.L.H. Brigade) was being very strongly counter-attacked, and a vigorous attack by from 3000 to 4000 of the enemy was being made on his right (2nd Brigade). Orders were therefore given to evacuate the wounded, and for the whole line to withdraw, steadily, keeping touch.

This was done in perfect order by General Royston's Column, but owing to the gap between it and the N.Z. Brigade, and the withdrawal of the 3rd Brigade on the right, the N.Z. Brigade's position became very much exposed. As a withdrawal then would have meant heavy casualties, this Brigade held on until after dark. That night the W.M.R. bivouacked at Oghratina.

During the day Sergeant Patterson, of the 2nd W.M.R. Squadron, and Trooper K. A. McGregor, of the 6th W.M.R. Squadron, displayed great coolness, pluck, and presence of mind in assisting and rescuing wounded in the face of an intense bombardment of high-explosive shells, machine-gun and rifle fire.

Royston's Column ceased from this date, General Royston taking command of the 3rd A.L.H. Brigade, Colonel Meldrum retaining command of the 2nd A.L.H. Brigade.

The W.M.R. casualties during the day were:- Three other ranks killed, three officers and twenty-six other ranks wounded.

On 10th August an outpost line was established to watch the enemy, and on the following day the W.M.R. reconnoitred the ground occupied by Royston's Column during the fight. The Turks were found in strength close by, but they were busy burying their dead. Next day the enemy were found to have retired beyond Salmana, and here a note, written by a German with a sense of humour, was found, confirming this and asking the mounted troops not to press them too hard over the waterless desert! The prisoners captured during the Romani, Katia, and Bit El Abd operations amounted to four thousand, including fifty officers, of whom some were Germans and Austrians. We also captured a large number of rifles, quantities of stores and ammunition, and two complete field hospitals. Enemy casualties were estimated at eight thousand.

Further Reading:

Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, Roll of Honour

Battle of Romani, Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916

Bir el Abd, Sinai, 9 August 1916

Citation: Bir el Abd, Sinai, 9 August 1916, Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, Unit History Account

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Saturday, 19 September 2009 5:12 PM EADT

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Wednesday, 5 August 2009

Battle of Romani, Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916, Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, War Diary Account
Topic: AIF - NZMRB - WMR

Battle of Romani

Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916

WMR, War Diary Account

War Diary account of the WMR.

The transcription:

4 August

Between 1600 and 1700 a company of Scottish Light Infantry came in on our right replacing 7th Australian Light Horse Regiment who moved further to the right. We held our position during the night and received orders for a counter attack to be given at 0400 inst.

5 August

At 0400 Regiment fixed bayonets and stormed up Wellington Ridge with 7th Light Horse Regiment on the right and supported on our left by the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

Rushing up with unmatched dash they broke through Turkish front line pressing forward from ridge to ridge absolutely demoralising the Turkish troops who surrendered in hundreds.

Collecting the Regiment together and ordering up the lead horses, Colonel Meldrum remounted the Regiment and at once followed up the retreating Turks towards Qatia. Pressing on the north of Mount Meredith, the Regiment pressed forward over the ridge and down into a position three miles east south east of Mount Meredith and six hundred yards north west of Bir Maraieh where we were held up by a Mountain Battery and heavy machine Gun and rifle fire.

As the Turkish read guard appeared to be in trenches at Bir Maraieh and to the south east of Qatia Oasis, we took up at 0400 a position for defence commanding Bir Maraieh positioned six machine guns and in position with the intention of watching the Turkish rear until sufficient supports came up for us to risk an attack. Here we remained until 0900 closely observing Turkish movements and communicating them back to Brigade Headquarters. In the meantime Patrols were sent out to our right to observe Turkish movements and pick up prisoners etc. One of these Patrols under Lieutenant Allison captured a Turkish Ambulance and eighty camels and their drivers, also an ammunition supply which was close by Ambulance. A quarter of an hour after capture had been affected a Troop of 7th Light Horse Regiment arrived on the scene and assisted in the round up of some camels which had broken away.

At 0900 I issued an urgent appeal for assistance from the Commander, Royal Artillery who reported that he was two miles east of Katib Gannit and was being attacked from the north east by Turks. Two squadrons at once moved to the assistance of the artillery.

At 1000 Colonel Meldrum assumed command of the Brigade in place of Colonel Royston wounded, and Major Spragg took over command of the Regiment.

Until 1400 the two squadrons were in position defending artillery. Remainder of Regiment remained support.

At 1330 orders were issued that the Brigade, in conjunction with remainder of Anzac Mounted Division were to attack Qatia.

Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment during the advance on Qatia on the left of the advance with 6th Light Horse Regiment on their right and 7th Light Horse Regiment in support.

At 1415 advance began, the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment being allotted the northern end of Qatia Oasis as its objective. The whole line moved forward until the Regiment on the extreme left was within seven or eight hundred yards of the Oasis and on the right of the line lacking in cover that to west of southern end advance was hung up owing to machine gun and rifle fire of the Turks who had extended along the western edge of Oasis. A uniform fire was kept up by machine guns Lewis guns and rifles and much damage reported on Turks who could be seen moving about the Oasis.

The enemy was well supported by artillery at east, ten guns being used, ten shells often bursting simultaneously, but owning to skilful use made by men of cover for themselves and their horses, casualties were not serious.

A constant pressure was kept on the Turks until dusk when a withdrawal was affected, the wounded were all evacuated and the Regiment returned to camp for water and supplies.

Roll of Honour

Battle of Romani, Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916, Roll of Honour, New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade
Lest We Forget

Further Reading:

Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, Roll of Honour

Battle of Romani, Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916

Bir el Abd, Sinai, 9 August 1916

Citation: Battle of Romani, Sinai, August 4 to 5, 1916, Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, War Diary Account

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EADT

Updated: Monday, 26 October 2009 11:41 AM EADT