10th (Nelson) Mounted Rifles

The 10th (Nelson) Mounted Rifles, previously known as the 1st Regiment, Nelson Mounted Rifles was a military unit based in Nelson, New Zealand. They served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I and first saw action during the Battle of Gallipoli. As a part of the larger New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade (of the ANZAC Mounted Division) they went on to serve in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign.^[1][2]

10th (Nelson) Mounted Rifles
Middle Eastern Theatre during the Great War
Active	1901–1944
Country	New Zealand
Allegiance	New Zealand Crown
Branch	New Zealand Army
Type	Cavalry
Role	Mounted Infantry
Size	One Regiment
Part of	New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade
Motto(s)	Rem gero strenue (Fight with zeal)
Equipment	Daimler Dingo M3 Stuart Light Tank M3 Scout Car Universal Carrier
Engagements	Second Boer War World War I World War II

History

Originally formed as the 1st Regiment, Nelson Mounted Rifles on 1 October 1901 with its headquarters in Nelson from the existing volunteer squadrons:^[3]

• A Sqn (Marlborough Mounted Rifle Volunteers) at Blenheim
• B Sqn (Wakatu Mounted Rifle Volunteers) at Nelson
• C Sqn (Takaka Mounted Rifle Volunteers) at Takaka
• D Sqn (Motueka Mounted Rifle Volunteers) at Motueka

First World War

The unit was renamed the 10th (Nelson) Mounted Rifles on 17 March 1911. They were mobilised during World War I as a squadron of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment.

Between the wars

In 1917 they were renamed the 10th (Nelson and Marlborough) Mounted Rifle Regiment and in 1921 became The Nelson-Marlborough Mounted Rifles.

Second World War

The regiment began mobilisation for war in 1941 as the cavalry regiment of 11th Brigade Group, 5th Division.^[4] On 1 January 1942 it was renamed the 10th Light Armoured Fighting Vehicles Regiment (Nelson-Marlborough Mounted Rifles). On 29 March 1944, 10th Light Armoured Fighting Vehicles Regiment (Nelson-Marlborough Mounted Rifles) was absorbed into the 3rd Armoured Regiment.^[1]

Military actions

• Battle of Gallipoli
• Battle of Romani
• Battle of Magdhaba
• Battle of Rafa
• First Battle of Gaza
• Second Battle of Gaza
• Third Battle of Gaza
• Battle of Beersheba
• Battle of Megiddo (1918)

Battle honours

Main article: Battle honours of the British and Imperial Armies

• South Africa 1900–1902
• The Great War: ANZAC, Defence of ANZAC, Hill 60 (ANZAC), Sari Bair, Gallipoli 1915, Rumani, Magdhaba Rafah, Egypt 1915-17, Jordan (Amman), Palestine 1917-18.

Alliances

•  United Kingdom – King Edward's Horse
•  United Kingdom – 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own)^[5]

See also

• Nelson Battalion of Militia

References

1. "firstaif". Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 1 August 2008.
2. "diggerhistory". Archived from the original on 27 April 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2008.
3. "The Nelson-Marlborough Mounted Rifles [NewZealand]". www.regiments.org. Archived from the original on 3 January 2006. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
4. Cooke and Crawford, 2011, 275.
5. Thomas, Malcolm; Lord, Cliff (1995). New Zealand Army distinguishing patches, 1911-1991, Part 1. Malcolm Thomas. p. 169. ISBN 0473032902.

External links

• Presentation of the Nelson Marlborough Mounted Rifles guidon
• The Nelson Marlborough Mounted Rifles guidon
• 10th Nelson Squadron of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment, NZEF