Topic: Militia - LHN - 5/4/15
5th/4th/15th ALH
5th/4th/15th Australian Light Horse
Contents
New South Wales Mounted Rifles [1888 - 1903]
5th (New South Wales Mounted Rifles) Australian Light Horse [1903 - 1906]
5th (Northern Rivers Lancers) Australian Light Horse [1907 - 1912]
4th (Northern Rivers Lancers) Australian Light Horse [1912 - 1918]
15th (Northern Rivers Lancers) Australian Light Horse [1918 - 1941]
15th (Northern Rivers Lancers) Australian Motor Regiment [1941 - 1944]
"A" Squadron (Northern Rivers Lancers) Amphibious Assault Regiment [1948 - 1949]
"A" Squadron 15th Northern Rivers Lancers Regiment [1949 - 1952]
15th Northern Rivers Lancers [1952 - 1956]
1/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers [1956 - ]
Tenax et Fidelis - Steadfast and True
[The elephant's head used on the badges is taken from the family crest of Lord Carrington, Governor of New South Wales from 1885 - 1890.]
March: El Abanico
Allied with: King Edward's Horse (The King's Overseas Dominions Regiment).
History:
Below is a brief historical outline from RK Peacock, Evolution of Australian Light Horse Regiments 1841-1935, Unpublished MSS, c.1936, p. 6.
This regiment owes its origin to the formation in 1888 of a Corps of Permanent Mounted Infantry in NSW. In the following year the Upper Clarence River Light Horse and this unit, together with the Bega Battery of Artillery, the Reserve Companies of Infantry at Queanbeyan, Picton, Campbelltown and Inverell, were styled the New South Wales Cavalry Regiment, this continued until 1850 when the permanent corps was disbanded.
By 1893 the NSW Cavalry Regiment had become the New South Wales Mounted Rifles and held this title until the year 1903. At the Federal reorganisation in this year No. 1 Squadron from Molong, No. 2 Squadron from Picton and Camden, and No. 3 Squadron from Forbes, together with "C" Squadron of the 1st Australian Horse from Mudgee and Rylston, and "G" Company and "J" Company of the 3rd N.S.W. Infantry from Wellington and Forbes respectively were amalgamated and became the 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment (New South Wales Mounted Rifles). In addition there was the Canterbury 1/2 Squadron, raised in 1900, which became No. 6 Squadron attached to the 2nd A.L.H. Regitment.
In the same re-organisation No. 4 Squadron from Tenterfield and Glenn Innes became part of the 5th A.L.H. Regiment (15th L.H.).
In the re-organisation of 1912 the regiment was transferred to the Queensland command as the 4th Light Horse (New South Wales Northern Rivers Lancers).
Items
History
Regimental Structure 1889 -1920
This section explores the evolution of the Regiment from its first origins as a Commonwealth formation. Each year maps the movement of men and often locations of the various Squadrons and Troops. To get the flavour of the Regiment, it is best to begin the journey at 1889 and follow though each year till 1920.
New South Wales Mounted Rifles
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1889
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1890
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1891
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1892
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1893
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1894
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1895
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1896
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1897
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1898
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1899
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1900
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1901
5th (New South Wales Mounted Rifles) Australian Light Horse
5th (New South Wales Mounted Rifles) Australian Light Horse, December 19035th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse5th (New South Wales Mounted Rifles) Australian Light Horse, 1904
5th (New South Wales Mounted Rifles) Australian Light Horse, 1905
5th (New South Wales Mounted Rifles) Australian Light Horse, 1906
5th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse, 19074th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse5th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse, 1908
5th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse, 1909
5th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse, 1910
5th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse, 1911
5th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse, June 1912
4th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse, December 19124th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse, 1913
4th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse, 1914
4th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse, 1915
4th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse, 1916
15th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse
15th (Northern River Lancers) Australian Light Horse, 1919
2nd Australian Light Horse
The split between the two regiments of New South Wales Mounted Rifles became final with the designation of the territorial name Northern River Lancers in 1907 to the 5th Australian Horse along with a new badge. Until then, along with its sister formation, the two regiments were known as the New South Wales Mounted Rifles. The sister unit history is below.
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, December 1903
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1904
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1905
New South Wales Mounted Rifles, 1906
Roll of Honour
5th/4th/15th Australian Light Horse, Roll of Honour
Lest we forget
Further Reading:
New South Wales Mounted Rifles
5th/4th/15th Australian Light Horse
Militia Light Horse, New South Wales
Australian Militia Light Horse
Citation: 5th/4th/15th Australian Light Horse, Contents
