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153-698: The Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment from New Zealand raised, in August 1914, for service during the First World War . It was assigned to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade , part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force . The regiment was established with twenty-six officers, 523 other ranks and 600 horses. It was formed from three squadrons belonging to pre war Territorial Force regiments:

306-525: A British yeomanry regiment. The advance forced the Turkish outposts to withdraw. By 16:45, using the cover available, the regiment drew close enough to charge the Turkish defences, capturing 250 prisoners and a field hospital . All together the brigade took 1,000 prisoners and a mountain artillery battery. The regiment's casualties were two dead and six wounded. Early the next day the NZMRB moved towards Katia , with

459-529: A Turkish assault building in the south of the post. Then thirty minutes later the Turks again attacked No.3 Post, with hand grenades and their small arms. However, the 2nd Squadron could now assist with covering fire, from their position. At dawn one of the 2nd Squadron's troops , counter-attacked and cleared the Turks out of the trenches to the left of No.2 Post. At 06:30, using signal flags 9th Squadron re-established communications with brigade headquarters. Throughout

612-553: A battalion from the Imperial Camel Corps would attack point "A". The Canterbury Mounted Rifles would support the attack on the regiment's left. At 01:45 the regiment moved forward, dismounted and managed to get close enough to the first objective to charge home without being seen, capturing the first trench, five machine-guns and twenty-three prisoners. The regiment continued on, capturing the position. At daybreak Turkish troops were able to bring enfilade fire from point "B" against

765-518: A compulsory training system and the four New Zealand Military Districts were required to supply a mounted regiment for the NZEF. To meet that obligation the Territorial Force regiments, each provided a squadron, which kept their own regimental badges and traditions. All together the brigade has an establishment of 1,940 men and 2,032 horses. However the entire brigade only had a dismounted rifle strength

918-489: A continuous line as they moved back. They withdrew without attracting the attention of the Turkish troops and at 04:00 the regiment arrived back at Ain es Sir. The brigade was designated as the force rearguard. At 16:00 a large Turkish force was reported by the Canterbury Mounted Rifles to be approaching from the north, so the regiment was sent to help. The Turkish force had come to within 1,000 yards (910 m) of

1071-551: A dismounted role as part of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). A rear party remained behind to look after the horses while twenty-six officers and 482 other ranks boarded the transport ships. On 12 May they landed at ANZAC Cove and the next day took over from the Royal Naval Brigade in the front line . The regiment was responsible for the section of the front known as "Walker's Top" and "The Nek", opposite what

1224-585: A field headquarters and four troops. Although the regiment used horses, they were not cavalry but mounted infantry , and were expected to ride to the battlefield, dismount and fight as traditional infantry. The regiment was assigned to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade , serving alongside two other mounted infantry regiments—the Wellington Mounted Rifles and the Canterbury Mounted Rifles . What remained of August and most of September

1377-533: A large convoy of transport ships, four warships and 9,000 men, they sailed again for an "unknown destination". Stopping at Hobart , the New Zealand convoy waited until 1 November to be joined by an Australian contingent, then thirty-eight ships set sail, heading north. With only brief halts to re-coal at Colombo on 15 November and Aden on 24 November, the convoy entered the Suez Canal on 1 December. Four days later,

1530-602: A number of armoured or ceremonial mounted regiments . With the invention of accurate and quick firing repeating pistols and rifles in the mid-19th century, cavalry started to become increasingly vulnerable. Many armies started to use troops which could either fight on horseback or on foot as circumstances dictated. Fighting on horseback with swords and lances would allow rapid movement without cover from enemy fire , whilst fighting on foot with pistols and rifles allowed them to make use of cover and to form defensive lines. The first mounted infantry units were raised during

1683-429: A position to the south-south-east of Salmana. By 04:45 the regiment was ready and the attack started. They galloped towards the Turkish position on a mound, defended by around 200–300 men. Reaching the base of the mound, they dismounted and charged uphill with bayonets fixed. The defenders withdrew, pursued by the 3rd Squadron until Turkish reinforcements appeared and the squadron rejoined the regiment. Turkish casualties in

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1836-417: A post office, a cinema, sixteen dining halls, six cook-houses and stables for 500 horses. The training programme included eight weeks of dismounted drill, two weeks of shooting, eight weeks of mounted drill and lectures on sanitation, military law and discipline, animal management and stable duties. All mounted reinforcements had to pass confirmatory riding tests before being cleared to go overseas. Once trained

1989-426: A raft was constructed to ferry men and materials across. By dawn the Turkish had discovered them crossing and were engaging the crossing infantry with machine-gun fire. Engineers had finished the pontoon bridge by 08:10 and more troops were crossing, but their exploitation was restricted to around five hundred yards (460 m) from the river line as they were confronted by strong Turkish defences. At 05:00 on 23 March

2142-525: A rear area. Their casualties were fifty-seven dead, 144 wounded and twenty-seven missing in action . On 23 August those survivors with the Wellington Mounted Rifles returned to the front line and four days later took part in the fighting around Hill 60. Their assault began at 17:00 and the regiment, with the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, captured the Turkish front line. The Wellington Mounted Rifles and Otago Mounted Rifles , following up, passed beyond

2295-401: A result, the regiment was ordered to rejoin the brigade, and by 11:30 they were observing around 2,000 Turkish troops on Mount Royston. For the next thirty minutes the regiment was bombed by Turkish artillery, when a brigade attack was ordered. The 3rd Squadron, supported by Lewis guns from the machine-gun sections, was positioned in the centre of the line between the Canterbury Mounted Rifles and

2448-636: A single battalion. Consequently, their employment reflected this lack of mass, with the tactics seeking to harness greater mobility and fire to overcome opposition, rather than echeloned mass attacks. Mounted infantry began to disappear with the shift from horses to motor vehicles in the 1920s and 1930s. Germany deployed a few horse-mounted infantry units on the Russian Front during the Second World War, and cyclist units on both fronts as well, and both Germany and Britain (which had used cyclist battalions in

2601-483: A strength of 310 all ranks that had started the battle. The Canterbury Mounted Rifles lost 105 men around forty percent of their strength. The Wellington Mounted Rifles, had sixty-seven men left from 173 all ranks. Two weeks later the Canterbury and Otago Mounted Rifles were selected to take part in the next battle to capture Hill 60. At 15:30 21 August the battle began, the Canterbury Mounted Rifles charging straight at

2754-472: A telephone wire that the withdrawing Turks had failed to disconnect, enabling them to monitor the German and Turkish command issuing orders. The next day the brigade became the division reserve, so the regiment had a day of rest. On the following day, 8 August, they advanced again. By then, Oghratina was unoccupied. Later that day reconnaissance patrols located the Turkish force around two miles (3.2 km) west of

2907-463: A then-unknown destination. Which was followed by the news of the Gallipoli landings . Then a week later the brigade was ordered to prepare to follow the rest of the division. However, they would leave their horses behind serving in a dismounted role. The brigade's transport ships arrived off Gallipoli on 12 May. The troops were kept on board until dark, then landed at Anzac Cove , camping that night on

3060-500: A time kept the attackers at bay. But the strength of the Turkish attack enabled them to advance to the edge of the New Zealander's trenches. At midnight the 2nd Squadron Wellington Mounted Rifles, were sent forward to reinforce the position. But were unable to break through the Turkish lines and had to establish their own defensive position on the slopes between No.2 and No.3 Posts. At 03:00 the 9th Squadron, opened fire on and thwarted

3213-415: A wadi under machine-gun fire, but there was plenty of cover for the men and horses. The squadron dismounted one hundred yards (91 m) from the Turkish front line and continued on foot. The 3rd and 4th Squadrons meanwhile had ridden to within eight hundred yards (730 m) to the north, then dismounted to continue on foot. Advancing by troops, covered by their machine-guns, good progress was made. At 14:10

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3366-507: A warning that they would commence firing in ten minutes, and they returned to their trenches. However an armistice was later agreed for the 24 May, between 07:30 and 16:30, so they could bury the dead. The Turkish troops, were also observed improving and constructing new trenches at the Nek, Baby 700, and further north on Battleship Hill and along the Sari Bair hills. On 27 May the brigade realised

3519-634: Is retained in the modern New Zealand Army. On 4 August 1914, the British Empire declared war on the German Empire . Two days later, to assist the war effort, New Zealand offered to send a New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) to fight alongside the British Army . That offer was accepted by the Imperial Cabinet and amongst the troops asked for was a mounted infantry brigade. Which became known as

3672-452: The 3rd (Auckland) Mounted Rifles , the 4th (Waikato) Mounted Rifles and the 11th (North Auckland) Mounted Rifles . It included a small headquarters and, until 1916, a Maxim machine-gun section. During the war, the Maxim guns were withdrawn but the regiment's fire-power increased until each squadron had four Hotchkiss machine-guns , one per troop , by the end of the war. As mounted infantry,

3825-470: The 9th Light Horse Regiment , and moved to the rear. In June the regiment repeatedly moved between front and rear area positions, and was not involved in a major battle. With Mackesy ill, Major Frank Chapman arrived from Egypt on 25 May to assume command of the regiment. He was followed five days later by one officer and 107 other ranks as reinforcements. He was followed, five days later, by one officer and 107 other ranks of reinforcements. The situation remained

3978-671: The Australian Light Horse and the Canadian Mounted Rifles ) were MI (mounted infantry), as well as locally raised irregulars like the Imperial Light Horse and South African Light Horse . As artillery was of limited use against scattered Boer guerrilla bands later in the war, the mounted personnel of Royal Artillery units were formed into Royal Artillery Mounted Rifles . As part of the lessons learned from that war, British regular cavalry regiments were armed with

4131-470: The Canterbury Mounted Rifles , the Wellington Mounted Rifles – and smaller support units. Altogether the brigade had an establishment of 1,940 men and 2,032 horses and by the end of the war over 17,700 men had served in the brigade. However, the entire brigade's dismounted rifle strength was the equivalent of only a battalion of infantry. By the end of 1914, the brigade had arrived in British Egypt and

4284-750: The Ceylon Mounted Rifles , Cape Mounted Rifles , Natal Carbineers , and Marshall's Horse fought as mounted infantry. In the Second Boer War , the British copied the Boers and raised large forces of their own mounted infantry. Among various ad hoc formations, the Imperial Yeomanry was raised from volunteers in Britain between 1900 and 1901. Many of the contingents from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand (e.g.

4437-669: The Mexican–American War (as the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen , but redesignated Third Cavalry Regiment in 1861), and others followed, for example in Australia in the 1880s. Terms such as "mounted rifles" or "Light Horse" were often used. The French Foreign Legion used mule -mounted companies from the 1880s. Each mule was shared by two legionnaires, who took turns in riding it. This arrangement allowed faster and more prolonged marches that could cover 60 mi (97 km) in one day. In

4590-639: The New Zealand Engineers , a Field Ambulance and an Ammunition Subsection. New Zealand did not supply an artillery battery for the brigade, as it was always intended artillery would be provided by the British Army. Another regiment, the Otago Mounted Rifles , raised as a divisional cavalry regiment, was assigned to the brigade during the Gallipoli Campaign . Then in the early stages of

4743-715: The Philippine Scouts assisted in the defense of the Philippines at the onset of World War II. The 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army also maintained a mounted reconnaissance troop throughout World War Two, which saw service in Italy and Austria during the war. Countries with entrenched military traditions, such as Switzerland, retained horse-mounted troops well into the Cold War , while Sweden kept much of its infantry on bicycles during

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4896-605: The River Jordan . The time it had taken the NZMRB to negotiate the track allowed the Turkish forces to retire to the east bank of the river by a pontoon bridge at Ghoraniyeh . While the Australians captured Jericho, the regiment established a camp in the valley under the Mount of Temptation , north of Jericho. The brigade was then made responsible for guarding the river from the Dead Sea to

5049-544: The Sinai Desert to counter a Turkish attack against the British yeomanry at Katia. The following week the whole brigade relieved the 2nd Light Horse Brigade at Romani. The defeated Turkish troops had withdrawn east around twenty-five miles (40 km) to Salmana and the brigade was ordered to attack those positions. On 30 May the Auckland Mounted Rifles moved in advance of the brigade, circling around to get into

5202-646: The Suez Canal . Then following an abortive Turkish attack in the Sinai Desert , it took part in clearing the invaders from Egypt. Then in the next two years, it forced the Turkish forces out of Palestine, collectively known as the Sinai and Palestine Campaign . Following its successful conclusion in 1918, the brigade played a small part in the Egyptian Revolution of 1919 , before being disbanded in June 1919. As of 2022 one mounted rifles unit ( Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles )

5355-421: The 11th Squadron located, in an orange grove, a Turkish concentration of troops that counter-attacked the regiment. McCarroll, who had kept up with his forward line of troops, ordered the rest of the regiment, including headquarters troops, to move up in support of the 11th Squadron. The 3rd Squadron galloped forward, dismounting just behind the front line, and engaged the Turkish attack with enfilade fire, forcing

5508-417: The 11th Squadron moved around to the right of the 4th Squadron. By 15:00 the 3rd Squadron was able to move forward again and at 16:00 the regiment was preparing to charge the position. Then the division received word that Turkish reinforcements were approaching. That and the loss of daylight convinced Major-General Harry Chauvel , commanding the division, to order a withdrawal. However, the order never reached

5661-481: The 11th Squadron, forcing them to fly at a higher altitude. By 09:00 the regiment was positioned overlooking Hareira, Sheria , and the Gaza- Beersheba rail line. Several times during the day they were machine gunned by hostile aircraft, but no casualties were sustained. That night at 22:00, as ordered, they returned to Shellal. The next day the regiment returned to their previous task of flank protection. At midday

5814-433: The 17:30 19 December, followed by the second smaller group at 21:35. The last group of men having to cover for the whole brigade kept up a steady rate of fire and moved their machine-guns around the position to support the deception that all defences were fully manned. The last group was also divided into three, the first of which left at 01:45 20 December. Followed by the next group who waited ten minutes then followed them and

5967-557: The 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel. Dragoon regiments were established in most European armies during the late 17th century and early 18th century. The name is possibly derived from a type of firearm (called a dragon ) carried by dragoons of the French Army . There is no distinction between the words dragon and dragoon in French. The title has been retained in modern times by

6120-426: The 3rd and 11th Squadrons were located along the ridge south-east of El Buggar , forcing the Turkish observation posts to retire. The day was almost a replica of the previous one and the regiment was back at Shellal at 21:30. Instead of resting overnight, they moved to El Mendur , arriving there at 06:00 on 19 April. The division was now required to be more aggressive, to draw the Turkish forces towards them, because of

6273-412: The 4th Squadron asking for assistance failed to get through. Eventually the squadron received the message and charged across the open ground, recapturing the hill. This brought the rest of the Turkish line into range of the squadron's guns. Confronted by the new threat, the Turkish troops retired back to their starting point. McCarroll was ordering a regiment attack on the orange grove when he was wounded in

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6426-409: The 4th Squadron, were ordered to charge on horseback. The two troops captured the position and continued forward, occupying the high ground on the left in front of the Wellington Mounted Rifles. The 3rd Squadron, in reserve, provided covering fire as the 11th Squadron moved forward alongside the 4th on their left. Covered by the 4th Squadron, the 11th Squadron moved forward. At 14:15 the advance troops of

6579-513: The 60th (London) Division and the Imperial Camel Corps Brigade . Reconnaissance patrols had discovered that the river was not fordable and they would have to construct bridges to get across. Three viable sites had been selected at Makhadet (which means ford), Hajlah three miles (4.8 km) north of the Dead Sea, and Ghoraniyeh . Two crossings were to be constructed. At Hajlaha, pontoon bridge made from steel would be assembled for

6732-399: The 6th Squadron was relieved by the 9th Squadron Wellington Mounted Rifles. The squadron attempted to improve their defences, but thirty minutes later around 1,000 Turks had surrounded, and attacked the post and by 23:30 had cut the telephone wires to the rest of the brigade. The dead ground to their front meant the defenders had to expose themselves on the trench parapet to open fire, which for

6885-517: The ANZAC positions, preparing an attack. Just after midnight 19 May, from No.2 Post to Chathams Post, the Turks opened fire with their small arms and artillery, and threw hand grenades at the ANZAC trenches. This continued until 03:30 when the Turkish infantry went over the top . In the brigade's sector their main effort fell on the Auckland Mounted Rifles. They held their fire until the Turks were around twenty yards (18 m) away. Then every weapon opened up,

7038-512: The Australian light horse brigades and British infantry were having similar problems. Eventually the British secured a position that allowed then to bring fire onto the Turkish defences in front of the regiment, forcing them to retire further up the Kalimun hill. The regiment's horse holders brought the mounts forward and the regiment charged the position on horseback. The Turkish forces retired, but kept

7191-538: The Beersheba-Bir Arara Road, to the south-east of the one thousand feet (300 m) high Saba hill, with the regiment being the brigade reserve. At 09:00 the regiment and the Somerset Battery RHA were ordered to attack Saba, to the east of Beersheba, positioned between the Canterbury Mounted Rifles on their right and the 3rd Light Horse Regiment on their left. The 11th Squadron, leading, advanced up

7344-416: The British left flank. Travelling through the night, at 07:30 they had reached Jemmaleh , where they rested for two hours. Continuing their advance, they reached Hesy at 13:30, Bureir at 14:30, then finally Hamama , where they established a rest camp. The march was difficult for men and horses, with virtually no food or water. The horses were taken to the sea to drink. Their supplies finally caught up with

7497-519: The First World War) experimented with motorcycle battalions. Germany also utilized organic horse and bicycle mounted troops within infantry formations throughout World War Two, although bicycle use increased as Germany retreated into its own territory. Japan deployed cyclists to great effect in its 1941 to 1942 campaign in Malaya and drive on Singapore during World War II. A horsed cavalry regiment of

7650-572: The Ghoraniyeh bridge. However, on 22 February the rest of the NZMRB returned to Ayun Kara, leaving the regiment in the valley under command of the 60th (London) Division , tasked to carry out mounted patrols of the river. The regiment was next involved in a raid on the village of Amman to the east of the River Jordan. The force assembled for the operation comprised the ANZAC Mounted Division,

7803-518: The Hong Kong and Singapore Mountain Artillery Battery. Progress was slow along the steep tracks and they had to camp in the hills that night at an altitude between 2,000 to 3,000 feet (610 to 910 m). During the night it started to rain, making travelling along the small tracks even harder at daylight. Because the rest of the division was having even worse problems than the brigade, they stopped at

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7956-503: The NZMRB. McCarroll, recovered from his wounds, resumed command of the regiment on 15 January 1918. It was still understrength, with only twenty-two officers and 486 other ranks. In February the ANZAC Mounted Division was ordered to cross over to the British right flank, to conduct operations in the Jordan Valley by first capturing Jericho. By 19 February the regiment was east of Bethlehem and at 09:30 started toward Jericho along what

8109-592: The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade. Being mounted infantry the brigade was expected to ride to the site of the battle, then dismounted and fight on foot, just like normal infantry. The brigade's first commanding officer was Colonel Andrew Russell . His command comprised a headquarters, three regiments, each with three squadrons, and support troops, formed from the New Zealand Territorial Force , The Territorial Force included

8262-516: The New Zealand lines, but did not attack. The next day, 1 April, the withdrawal continued and several times Turkish troops were sighted following. They eventually reached Nimrin in the Jordan Valley at 20:00 that night. The regiment's exact casualties are not documented, but the NZMRB lost thirty-eight dead, 122 wounded and had thirteen men reported missing during the raid. Mounted infantry The origins of mounted infantry go back to at least

8415-577: The Old No.3 Post. To their left the Canterbury and Otago Mounted rifles without firing a shot, only using their bayonets, cleared the Chailak Dere valley, then advanced to Aghyl Dere in the north. Capturing Taylor's Hollow, Walden's Point, and finally Beauchop Hill. To the right the Wellington Mounted Rifles and the Māoris captured Destroyer Ridge, and then scaled the north-east face of Table Top and at 22:55 attacked

8568-571: The Sinai Campaign the Australian 5th Light Horse Regiment , for a time, replaced the Wellington Mounted Rifles. In July 1916, the three regiments lost their machine-gun sections, which were amalgamated, to form the Brigade Machine-Gun Squadron . In New Zealand, the brigade's reinforcements trained at Featherston Camp north east of Wellington where about 8,000 men were housed in nearly 300 buildings, including three billiard rooms,

8721-640: The Suez Canal in the area of the Great Bitter Lake . At the same time, it also lost some of its veterans, including those who were wounded and convalescing in England, when several men were transferred to the infantry and artillery on the Western Front . In March the regiment, still part of the brigade, was assigned to the newly formed ANZAC Mounted Division . Then on 23 April the regiment was ordered to move into

8874-494: The Territorial Force regiments provided a squadron, which kept its own regimental badges and traditions. The squadrons for the Auckland Mounted Rifles came from the 3rd (Auckland) Mounted Rifles , the 4th (Waikato) Mounted Rifles and the 11th (North Auckland) Mounted Rifles . Upon its establishment, the regiment comprised twenty-six officers and 523 other ranks , who were mounted on 528 riding horses, seventy-four draught horses and six pack horses . Each squadron of 158 men had

9027-502: The Turkish defences, which consisted of trenches and redoubts , with a good field of fire to their front. At 09:00 the brigade was ordered to move around to attack the position from the right flank, while covering the area north to the Mediterranean Sea . At 09:30 the attack started. Galloping forward for about one mile (1.6 km), the regiment was subjected to Turkish artillery fire. When they got within two miles (3.2 km) from

9180-459: The Turkish defenders to withdraw. Once secured the 6th Squadron Wellington Mounted Rifles, carrying spades and picks to improve the defences, moved in to occupy the position. Now known as No.3 Post, the squadron was ordered to "hold the post till relieved". Digging through the night, at daybreak they had to stop and take cover when the post came under fire from the surrounding hills. Unable to do anything but take cover all day, that night at 21:30

9333-467: The Turkish lines, they dismounted and advanced on foot with the 3rd and 4th Squadrons leading and the 11th Squadron in reserve. On the right were the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, on the left the 1st Light Horse Brigade ; the Wellington Mounted Rifles were the brigade reserve. At midday, the complete brigade attacked the Green Knoll redoubt. The 3rd Squadron, unable to make any progress, held its position while

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9486-552: The Turks from the rear capturing the position. The next day the Auckland and Canterbury Mounted Rifles, the New Zealand Infantry Brigade and two British battalions, were combined as No.1 Column commanded by Brigadier-General Francis Earl Johnston . The Column were to hold the ground already occupied and extend their lines to the south and east. When they reported to Johnstone at "Chailak Dere", where they ordered to hold

9639-457: The Turks to retire. At 14:45, covered by an artillery barrage and machine-gun fire, the Turkish troops counter-attacked again. The regiment's machine gunners returned fire and for a short time the battle became a machine-gun engagement. During this time the Wellington Mounted Rifles, to the right, had occupied a prominent hill, but were under heavy fire. To support them, the 3rd Squadron sent two troops to engage their opponents, which they caught in

9792-451: The Turks were building a new position, at the base of the foothills, around 450 yards (410 m) east of the No.2 Post and when completed it would be a danger to the New Zealand post. So it would have to be captured and the task was given to the 1st Squadron, Canterbury Mounted Rifles. The squadron assembled at No.2 Post and after dark, at 22:00, 28 May assaulted the position, and by 23:30 had forced

9945-473: The Wellington and Otago Mounted Rifles isolated on a narrow front. So the brigade consolidated the ground already captured and moved forward their machine-guns, to support the defence, the forward line of which only consisted of forty men. However, all four regiments suffered heavy casualties and had to fight off several counter-attacks. Until 29 August when they were relieved and moved to the rear. In September

10098-601: The Western Theater of the American Civil War , several infantry regiments were converted to mounted infantry and armed with repeating rifles . The Lightning Brigade at the Battle of Chickamauga was an example of these Union mounted infantry units. In the British Army , infantry units in some parts of the British Empire had a mounted platoon for scouting and skirmishing . In addition, many locally raised units such as

10251-407: The advance east recommenced, with the regiment forming the vanguard for the ANZAC Mounted Division. Travelling overnight, they reached El Arish by dawn, which had been evacuated by the Turkish forces. Magdhaba , with its 2,000-man garrison, was twenty-four miles (39 km) to the south-east, on the Wadi El Arish. At 10:30 on 22 December, the 3rd Squadron was sent along the wadi, in advance of

10404-404: The assault are unknown, but the regiment had only one man wounded. The regiment now lost its Maxim machine-gun section; the guns were withdrawn to help form the brigade Machine-Gun Squadron . They were replaced with three Lewis guns , one per squadron. The loss of the section reduced the regiment's establishment to twenty-four officers and 499 other ranks. At the end of July, the 3rd Squadron

10557-408: The attack was defeated. The regiment lost one man dead and four wounded during the day's fighting. While the rest of the brigade retired to the west, the regiment remained at the front manning observation posts until 11 November, when they were relieved by the British Westminster Dragoons . The regiment left Beersheba to rejoin the brigade, then had to move sixty miles (97 km) across the front to

10710-421: The beach. The next day they took over the northern, No.4 Section, of the beachhead. Relieving the Royal Naval Brigade , on Walkers Ridge, brigade headquarters was set up on the highest point of the ridge, which became known as Russell's Top. The Wellington Mounted Rifles were on the right, looking down into Monash Valley, the Auckland Mounted Rifles in the centre and the Canterbury Mounted rifles on their left, on

10863-409: The beginnings of organised warfare. With the weight of ancient bronze armor , the opposing champions would travel to battle on chariots before dismounting to fight. With the evolution of hoplite warfare, some hoplites would travel to battle on horseback, before dismounting to take their place in the phalanx . The early pre- Marian Roman military had units consisting of infantrymen clinging to

11016-469: The bottom of a valley, with enfilade fire. Then in front of the regiment a fresh Turkish battalion was sent to assault them. In some places, the Turkish force got close enough to throw hand grenades into the regiment's defences. These killed or wounded all those defending a small hill, which was then occupied by the Turkish troops, bringing indirect fire onto the rest of the regiment's positions, which by now were becoming untenable. At first, messengers sent to

11169-511: The brigade left Zeitoun and headed east camping that night beside the Great Bitter Lake on the Suez Canal. While here they conducted desert training and each squadron, in turn, was sent across the canal on reconnaissance patrols into the Sinai Desert . In February they carried out a dual role of manning trenches along the canal, dismounted, and doing long range mounted patrols into the Sinai. Then in March,

11322-548: The brigade was assigned to the newly formed ANZAC Mounted Division , alongside the Australian 1st , 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Brigades . Without any notice at 20:30 23 April, the brigade was ordered to Kantara thirty-two miles (51 km) away on the Suez Canal. The reason was not then known, but it later transpired a Turkish force in the Sinai Desert had attacked British yeomanry positions at Katia and Oghratina . They reached Kantara at 07:00 and an hour later moved into

11475-414: The brigade's other regiment and the 4th Squadron were fighting a Turkish cavalry force. On 4 November the brigade moved to Wadi El Sultan. The next day the 4th Squadron was tasked to support the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, advancing against a Turkish position eight hundred yards (730 m) away. The Turks counter-attacked the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, so the 3rd Squadron was moved forward to support them and

11628-454: The brigade, in a display of strength, marched through Cairo. The brigade used their time training, which consisted of day and night marches through the desert, combined with rifle and machine-gun practice. Culminating in a four-day exercise, in February, when they marched around twenty-five miles (40 km) each day. In April the division's two infantry brigades were given orders to leave for

11781-484: The brigade, now only twenty officers and 229 other ranks, was relieved by the Australians and left the peninsula for the rest camp on the island of Lemnos , arriving at Moudros on 14 September. While recuperating the survivors were joined by, thirty officers and 1,060 other ranks, replacements for their casualties. On 10 November the brigade returned to Gallipoli, Moving back into the front line, they were not involved in any more assaults. Then on 12 December orders for

11934-413: The brigade, which had fixed bayonets and charged the remaining 200 to 300 yards (180 to 270 m) to the Turkish trenches. They captured the first trench line, and the defenders started to surrender. Seeing what was happening, the remainder of the division returned to assist and the position was captured. The regiment's casualties for the battle were seven dead and forty-one wounded. At 02:30 on 26 March,

12087-538: The bulk of their army, and special care was taken to ensure the health, fodder, and availability of horses on-campaign. Other notable infantry to use horses to enhance their mobility include the Genoese crossbowmen , and Viking raiders who would gather all the horses they could find in the vicinity of their landings. Dragoons originally were mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills . However, usage altered over time and during

12240-408: The cavalry charge in the Battle of Beersheba (1917) during World War I are labelled as mounted infantry brigade in popular media; however, they were in fact mounted rifles as were the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade which also took part in this battle. Mounted rifles regiments lack the mass of a mounted infantry battalions, as a light horse brigade could only muster as many rifles in the line as

12393-515: The crossing, the 3rd and 11th Squadrons dug in on the northern bank. The next day, at 14:45, the squadrons were attacked and by 17:45, first the horse holders and the regiment's mounts were sent back across the river. The squadrons were forced to retire to the lines of the supporting infantry. By 20:00 the entire British position was under threat and had to withdraw back across to the south of the river. The regiment's casualties were one dead, one missing and nineteen wounded, including Whitehorn. Command of

12546-412: The day both squadrons held their positions, but ammunition and supplies were running low. So the 6th Squadron Wellington Mounted Rifles was sent forward to join the 2nd Squadron, but in the face of the Turkish firepower, they could not advance any further. The Turkish, now estimated to number around 3,000 men, continued attacking all day to capture No.3 Post. At 19:10 the 9th Squadron reported they had lost

12699-567: The dead and collecting war materials. It then returned to El Arish on Christmas Day. On 8 January 1917, the ANZAC Mounted Division headed out for their next objective, the police post at Rafa, thirty miles (48 km) to the east on the Egyptian-Palestinian border. Reaching Sheik Zowaiid at 22:00, the regiment rested for three hours. At dawn the regiment surrounded the Bedouin village Shokh El Sufi, four miles (6.4 km) south of Rafa. One of

12852-439: The death of one man, the troop leader who had ordered the charge. The troop sent north had forced a machine-gun post covering the river to withdraw, but the gun and its crew were later captured by men from the 4th Squadron. While this move had been progressing, the troop of the 11th Squadron had been sent north from the crossing. At the same time the 3rd and 4th Squadrons galloped north to take the Turkish defenders at Ghoraniyeh from

13005-450: The desert camping at Hill 70 for the night and sent out reconnaissance patrols into the desert and manned observation posts. Patrol activity was kept up, most of the time at troop strength, but some involved the complete brigade. On 15 July 1916, the three mounted regiments lost their machine-gun sections, which were transferred to the newly formed brigade Machine-Gun Squadron . However, a shortage of equipment meant that they only had six of

13158-421: The division consolidated their positions, planning to resume the assault on 30 March. McCarroll was given command of the assault. Position "A" was their main objective. The approach route would be along a ridge line between "B" and "C," which were to be neutralised by two troops in case the Turkish tried to intervene in the attack. Once "A" was captured, it was believed "B" and "C" would surrender. The regiment and

13311-416: The division, to determine whether the well at Lahfan could support the brigade. The brigade, leaving El Arish at midnight, followed the squadron. By daylight the division had surrounded Magdhaba. In the ensuing fighting, the village was captured after a bayonet charge in the late afternoon. The regiment, being held in reserve, took no part in the battle, but was afterwards left in charge of the village, clearing

13464-506: The equivalent of an infantry battalion . Such was the nature of the fighting they were involved in, that by the end of the war over 17,700 men would serve in the brigade. New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade August 1914 Initially, in 1914, the brigade comprised a Brigade Headquarters, three mounted regiments, the Auckland Mounted Rifles , the Canterbury Mounted Rifles , the Wellington Mounted Rifles , and support units, from

13617-414: The evacuation were issued. The first men to leave were anyone with the slightest illness. Then one regiment or battalion from each brigade, the Auckland Mounted Rifles, were chosen, from the brigade. This meant that the remainder had to extend their lines covering for them. The last men were due to leave over the night of 19/20 December. Each regiment was divided into three groups, the first group leaving at

13770-481: The front line at "Gloucester Hill". On 14 December the regiment left for Lemnos again. They remained on the island until 22 December, when they sailed for Egypt. Disembarking four days later, they returned to their previous camp at Zeitoun. Mackesy returned to command the regiment on 27 December. The regiment spent its first month back in Egypt training. Then, once more back up to full establishment, it moved forward to defend

13923-508: The gathering and forced them to withdraw. The rest of the day was quiet, apart from both sides artillery, then on 20 May another Turkish attack began, but faltered in the face of the brigade's machine-gun fire and withdrew back to their own lines. That afternoon white flags appeared above the Turkish trenches, and all the firing stopped. It appeared they wanted a truce to collect their wounded but instead started collecting arms and ammunition and bringing forward reinforcements. The brigade issued

14076-492: The hill now occupied by the regiment under an artillery barrage. The next day there was no trace of any Turkish forces and the advance continued. At times, this was again only possible by moving in single file, leaving the brigade spread along five miles (8.0 km) of tracks. At 09:00 the regiment moved out of the hills and into the Jordan Valley, just north of the Dead Sea and south of Jericho, about eight miles (13 km) from

14229-436: The hill suffered sixty percent casualties, among them their commanding officer. They did however succeed in capturing the Turkish trench, within fifteen minutes of going over the top . But on either side of them, the rest of the attack had failed, leaving the two regiments isolated from the rest of the force. By themselves, the two regiments did not have the manpower to continue the assault, so they were ordered to dig in and hold

14382-452: The inhabitants shot and killed one of the men. Another was knocked unconscious when hit on the head with a sword. Both of the Bedouins escaped on the troopers' horses. At 06:00, the regiment crossed the border into Palestine. Moving out of the desert, the firmer ground made it easier for horse and wheeled transport. Forty-five minutes later, the regiment was located behind a ridge line observing

14535-416: The intention of attacking a Turkish gun emplacement. The brigade positioned itself between the 2nd Light Horse Brigade on the left and the 3rd Light Horse Brigade on the right. Taking the lead, the regiment advanced close enough by 14:30 to charge the position on horseback, then dismounted and continued the attack on foot, all in the face of heavy rifle and machine-gun fire. No progress was made and they spent

14688-422: The lack of progress by the force attacking Gaza. The 3rd Squadron was detailed as a guard force for the division's artillery, accompanying them to Atawineh . The squadron moved into the front line, losing one dead and seventeen wounded by the time it withdrew at 20:00. The rest of the regiment was held in reserve, having two men wounded during an aircraft attack. By the end of the day, the second attempt to take Gaza

14841-427: The last small group of men left at 02:05. Once on the evacuation beach, they boarded their transport ships they sailed back to Lemnos. Then on 22 December returned to Egypt, arriving at Alexandria on 26 December, and eventually arrived back at their old camp at Zeitoun. During the campaign 4,000 men served with the brigade and almost fifty percent of them, 727 dead and 1,239 wounded, became casualties. In January 1916,

14994-449: The left flank. Advancing by troops they came under machine-gun fire. The 3rd Squadron was dispatched to occupy the high ground on the regiment's right while the other squadrons took cover. Then a force of Turkish cavalry appeared to their left. McCarroll sent the 11th Squadron to check on their dispositions and numbers. However, the squadron encountered heavy rifle and machine-gun fire and could not move forward. To assist them, two troops from

15147-466: The machine-guns causing severe casualties amongst the attackers, who were forced to go to ground and take cover. At daybreak they Turks started to retire to their own lines leaving thousands of dead behind, 500 of them in front of the Auckland's positions. The Canterbury Mounted Rifles defending in No.2 Post, then observed a Turkish force opposite Walker's Ridge, forming for another attack. One of their machine-guns catching them with enfilade fire, broke up

15300-477: The men were sent to Sydney or Melbourne in Australia, where they embarked on Australian troopships bound for Suez. A little over two months after the declaration of war, in October 1914, the brigade sailed from New Zealand. Arriving in the Suez Canal on 3 December 1914, they disembarked at Alexandria two days later. Then entrained for Cairo , and established a camp in the western suburb of Zeitoun . The brigade

15453-403: The mounted troops. The second crossing point, at Ghoraniyeh where there was already a damaged pontoon bridge, would have three bridges for the 60th Division: a normal pontoon bridge, a barrel bridge, and an infantry bridge. At midnight on 21 March, the infantry tried to cross at Ghoraniyeh, however the river was flowing too fast for their swimmers to get across. At Hajlah they had more success and

15606-407: The neck and shoulder, forcing Major Henry Whitehorn to assume temporary command of the regiment. By then it was getting dark and the only Turkish offensive action was an artillery bombardment. Instead of attacking, the regiment spent the rest of the day evacuating the wounded and strengthening their lines. Their casualties during the battle were fifteen dead and seventy-four wounded. The next morning it

15759-529: The next day for the rest camp on the island of Lemnos , where they were joined by three officers and 216 other ranks as reinforcements on 5 October. Three days later, James Neil McCarroll assumed command of the regiment on temporary promotion to lieutenant-colonel, while Mackesy was temporarily commander of the brigade. On 10 November the regiment, now ten officers and 286 other ranks, returned to Gallipoli, to prepare defences at "Waterfall Gully". Three days later, another sixty-six reinforcements arrived and moved into

15912-425: The northern side of the post, which had been captured by the Turks. During the same time the 6th Squadron had managed to advance to within 100 yards (91 m) of the post. However, as it got dark the Turkish attacks petered out and at 22:30 the 10th Squadron and half of the 8th Squadron Canterbury Mounted Rifles managed to break through to No.3 Post and relieved the defenders. The Canterbury Mounted Rifles now occupied

16065-413: The position "to the last man". All during the following day, the attacking Turks sky-lining themselves moving over the hill, becoming easy targets for the defenders, and were engaged with enfilade fire. Holding out until they were relived on 9 August, the brigade, which was understrength to start with, had virtually ceased to exist as a fighting unit. The Auckland Mounted Rifles only had sixty-six men from

16218-437: The position. Which they did until 23 August when they were relieved by the Auckland and Wellington Mounted Rifles. On 27 August a second attempt to capture Hill 60 began. At 17:00 the Auckland and Canterbury Mounted Rifles captured the Turkish front line. The Wellington and Otago Mounted Rifles following up, passed beyond them and captured the Turkish reserve line. On the other flanks the supporting assaults had failed, leaving

16371-484: The post and fought off several Turkish attacks. But events had convinced the high command that it was impossible to defend No.3 Post and it was abandoned the same night. The brigade's casualties, were forty-two dead and 109 wounded. On 28 May the Otago Mounted Rifles , which had been attached to the brigade, took over from the Canterbury Mounted Rifles in the front line. The objective of the British August offensive

16524-522: The rear as they were ill and two men were missing. Whitehorn returned on 16 December to resume temporary command of the regiment. Two days later the regiment returned to Jaffa and came under command of the 52nd (Lowland) Division . Then on 20 December the Lowland Division assaulted the River Auja and the regiment patrolled north of the river, supporting the division until 25 December, when they rejoined

16677-455: The rear. At 09:00 the leading troops, without loss, captured the first Turkish outpost with seventeen prisoners. One troop of the 3rd Squadron dismounted and captured two machine-gun posts overlooking the crossing, which allowed the rest of the squadron to drive off the remaining defenders. While the 3rd Squadron concentrated on the crossing the 4th Squadron was ordered to gallop and capture the village of Shunet Nimrin , but were unable to approach

16830-402: The regiment and that night they moved again to a new camp two miles (3.2 km) north of Sukereir . The next day the regiment rejoined the brigade, outside the village of Ayun Kara . At 11:00 on 14 November the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, the brigade vanguard, encountered Turkish observation posts. The brigade ordered an attack on the main Turkish defences. The regiment was positioned to cover

16983-434: The regiment disembarked at Alexandria . They entrained for Cairo and established their camp on the edge of the desert, in the suburb of Zeitoun . In the following months, the regiment practised their horsemanship, conducted small arms and bayonet training, and learned to construct trenches . In May 1915, the regiment, with the rest of the brigade, was warned to prepare to embark for the Gallipoli Campaign , serving in

17136-454: The regiment from advancing. When two infantry battalions and an artillery battery arrived at 11:30 plans were made for another assault at 13:00. But still faced with heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, by 16:00 the regiment had only managed to advance five hundred yards (460 m) onto the lower slopes of Hill 3039. The position there was untenable and the regiment was forced to withdraw to a better location that night. The next day, 29 March,

17289-478: The regiment held the position. By nightfall no further progress was made and the division decided to hold onto what territory they had occupied and wait for assistance from 60th Division. The day's fighting had cost the regiment eighteen casualties. They still had not received any supplies and the rations they carried were exhausted. That night, 27/28 March, the Turkish forces in Amman were reinforced, which again prevented

17442-470: 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 engagement was 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,

17595-523: The regiment set out from Dier El Belah towards Gaza . The division was to circle the town, cutting off any escape route east and provide a blocking force to stop Turkish reinforcements, while the 53rd (Welsh) Division and a brigade of the 54th (East Anglian) Division carried out a frontal assault. Positioned at the Humra mound in the east with the 4th and 11th Squadrons, the regiment was assigned to watch for Turkish reinforcement coming from Huj . The main attack

17748-406: The regiment spread out to provide a more difficult target. Moving forward under Turkish artillery and machine-gun fire, the regiment galloped from cover to cover by troops. This continued until around midday when the 11th Squadron got close enough to assault a Turkish position on the right of the valley. At the same time, the 3rd and 4th Squadrons were advancing in the centre and to the left. Elsewhere

17901-464: The regiment sustained 334 dead from all causes and 555 wounded, several of those more than once. After the war, the regiment played a minor role in the Egyptian Revolution of 1919 before it was disbanded in June 1919. The Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment was raised in August 1914, at the start of the First World War , from the region around Auckland on the North Island of New Zealand. The regiment

18054-436: The regiment temporarily passed to Major Duncan Munro. After the battle at the River Auja, the brigade camped to the south-east of Sarona , out of range of the Turkish artillery. The regiment, having only sixteen officers and 375 other ranks left effective, spent the time building up its strength in men and horses. In the last month the regiment had lost twenty-seven dead and eighty-eight wounded, sixty-one had to be evacuated to

18207-534: The regiment to capture the Turkish reserve line. All four regiments suffered heavy casualties and had to fight off several counter-attacks. On 29 August the regiment was relieved and moved to a safer area; their casualties during the battle amounted to thirty-eight dead, and sixty-five wounded. Early in September the regiment, now five officers and eighty-three men, were moved back into the front line at "Cheshire Ridge". They were relieved on 12 September and left Gallipoli

18360-461: The regiment took part in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign from 1916 to 1918. Their early battles included 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,

18513-421: The regiment was ordered to assault the position. Thirty minutes later, a hill four hundred yards (370 m) east of Saba was taken with sixty prisoners and three machine-guns. A short while later, Saba itself was captured with 132 prisoners and four machine-guns. However, the regiment had six dead and twenty-two wounded, including a squadron leader. The regiment remained, consolidating Saba until 2 November while

18666-418: The regiment's defences before they were stopped by rifle and machine-gun fire. With no further progress being made anywhere, and the arrival of more Turkish reinforcements, a withdrawal back across the River Jordan was ordered that night. Plans were made for the wounded to leave first, then the fighting troops falling back in turn. McCarroll gave each unit exact times they were to retire, so they still presented

18819-418: The regiment's positions. So 4th Squadron, with 3rd Squadron providing covering fire, mounted an attack and captured that position. At 09:30 Turkish troops were seen gathered on the north-east side of the hill. McCarroll asked for artillery support to break up their troops, but there was none available. The mountain battery, at the time, only had four rounds left. The Turkish forces attacked and managed to close on

18972-407: The regiment, the first mounted force, began to cross the river. They were passing beyond the infantry forward troops by 07:30. Two troops from the 11th Squadron were dispatched to the east and another north-east. One troop, twenty men, encountered a force of sixty Turkish cavalry and charged them, armed only with rifles and bayonets. The troop killed twenty cavalrymen and captured seven, in exchange for

19125-537: The regiment. Still supported by the RHA, the brigade held its positions. For the next three and a half hours, the brigade was subjected to a heavy artillery bombardment. This was followed by another attack by three Turkish battalions. Holding out until 16:15 the regiment was then ordered to pull back. The day's fighting cost the regiment twelve dead and twenty-one wounded. The next three months were spent on reconnaissance patrols and manning observation posts until 20 December, when

19278-508: The rest of the day returning fire from cover. The engagement cost the regiment one dead and six wounded. That night the regiment bivouacked at Katib Gannit and returned to the site of the battle the next day, 6 August, but the Turkish army had withdrawn eastwards. The brigade was ordered to advance until contact was regained with the Turkish force, which they located around 12:00, to the east of Oghratina . The regiment remained in contact all day, without suffering any casualties. They also located

19431-437: The right. Their right flank was supposed to be covered by the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, but it had failed to arrive. In consequence the regiment had to extend its lines to cover the open flank, so two troops from the 4th Squadron were sent there. Things were also not going well on the other flank. At 11:20 the Canterbury Mounted Rifles were forced to retire. Then, just before midday, two Turkish battalions of about 1,100 men attacked

19584-500: The saddles of the cavalry to take them to battle and then dismounting to fight. Gallic and Germanic warbands were reported to use double-riders, with a second warrior joining a horseman only for a short distance before dismounting to fight on foot. The Han dynasty also extensively used mounted infantry in their campaigns against the Xiongnu confederation . During many of the Han campaigns,

19737-461: The same in July, and another two officers and ten men arrived to replace casualties. August saw the regiment involved in the largest engagement of the campaign, at Chunuk Bair. After successfully capturing a Turkish position at "Old No.3 Post" on 6 August, they fought off several counter-attacks, until 9 August, with a strength of only sixty-six men from the 310 who started the battle, they were withdrawn to

19890-442: The same rifle as the infantry and became well-trained in dismounted tactics. A version of the standard infantry rifle, the shorter-barreled LEC or "Lee-Enfield Cavalry Carbine Mark I" had been introduced in 1896. Many European armies also used bicycle infantry in a similar way that mounted infantry used horses. However they were handicapped by the need for proper roads. The Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade which took part in

20043-428: The slopes down to the sea, with responsibility for the No.1 and No.2 Posts. The No.2 Post was the beach-heads furthest north position, only two miles (3.2 km) from Chatham's Post the southernmost point. The outlying position of the two posts meant that movement between them and the main lines, could only be done safely at night. In May intelligence reports indicated that Turkish reinforcements were grouping around

20196-457: The snow-free months. New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade was a brigade of the New Zealand Army during the First World War . Raised in 1914 as part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force , it was one of the first New Zealand units to sail for service overseas. The brigade was formed from three regiments – the Auckland Mounted Rifles ,

20349-528: The south of Beersheba. Waiting until the next night at 18:00, they started north to attack Beersheba, the first ten miles (16 km) along a metalled road . Then they followed the Wadi Imshash for the next ten miles (16 km), stopping at 02:00 while the Canterbury Mounted Rifles reconnoitred a suspected Turkish post. The night march started again an hour later. By daylight the brigade was positioned three miles (4.8 km) to four miles (6.4 km) south of

20502-557: The south. The vanguard was provided by the regiment with the 4th Squadron leading. When they got within three miles (4.8 km) of the village, they came under a Turkish artillery barrage. At 12:00 when the regiment was 1,500 yards (1,400 m) from the rail line, which would be their right flank position, they turned north. Then a Turkish train arrived along the tracks from the south. The regiment's machine-gunners opened fire of it, and they were just about to charge when it continued on into Amman. By now Turkish artillery and machine-gun fire

20655-475: The squadrons were issued Hotchkiss machine-guns , on a scale of one per troop, which replaced the regiment's three Lewis guns. The second British attempt to take Gaza would be on 17 April, but the day before the brigade moved to Hareira , providing flank protection and preventing Turkish reinforcement from that direction. The regiment reached Shellal at 03:00, where they stopped to water their horses. At dawn hostile aircraft appeared overhead, which were engaged by

20808-475: The vast majority of the army rode on horseback; either as mounted cavalry or mounted infantry who fought dismounted. The Arabs, during their campaigns in the deserts of Mesopotamia and Syria against the Byzantines and Sassanids , used camels to enhance their mobility, marking a stark contrast to their enemies, especially in the desert environment. The Carolingians under Charlemagne also used horses as transport for

20961-434: The village of Ain es Sir. During the day, they captured seven Germans and eighty-eight Turkish troops. Another problem for the regiment was the lack of supplies; their rations were stuck somewhere behind them on the track. The remainder of the division arrived during the day and the raid on Amman was planned for the next day, 27 March. At 08:00 the NZMRB set out heading south-east, the plan called for them to assault Amman from

21114-417: The village when confronted by heavy artillery fire. The day's battle cost the regiment one dead and two wounded. By that night the bridge at Ghoraniyeh was completed and the remainder of the ANZAC Mounted Division were crossing at Hajlah. The next morning, when the NZMRB had crossed the river, McCarroll was given command of the vanguard, comprising the regiment, a squadron from the Canterbury Mounted Rifles and

21267-463: The well at Abd. After halting overnight, the regiment led the NZMRB at 04:30 to attack the Turkish position. By 05:15 the regiment made contact with the Turkish outposts and advanced on foot towards the main Turkish defences, under covering fire from the Royal Horse Artillery (RHA). The regiment had the 3rd Squadron on the left, and two troops of the 11th Squadron and a machine-gun section on

21420-429: Was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Ernest Randolph Mackesy , and comprised a headquarters, a machine-gun section and three squadrons formed from Territorial Force regiments. The New Zealand Territorial Force included a compulsory training system and New Zealand's four military districts were required to supply a mounted regiment for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force . To meet that obligation, each of

21573-517: Was assigned to the New Zealand and Australian Division . Its first active service was, in a dismounted role, during the Gallipoli Campaign , where they fought against the forces of the Ottoman Turkish Empire . Seven months later, after the evacuation from Gallipoli, the brigade returned to Egypt, and in 1916, became part of the ANZAC Mounted Division . The brigade was then used in defence of

21726-572: Was called off, the defences being to strong for a frontal assault. Instead of withdrawing, the British remained in a forward line of trenches and redoubts. The regiment positioned itself around Karim Abu El Hiseia, on the Wadi Ghuzze. McCarroll assumed command of the regiment again, Mackesy being appointed as the administrator of the Khan Yunus-Deir and the Belah region. For the next few months patrol duty

21879-402: Was described as "little more than a goat track". At times the track was so steep that the men had to dismount and lead their horses by hand. After stopping overnight, the regiment set out again as the vanguard at 04:30, moving in single file. Soon afterwards, Turkish guns opened fire on them from two hills, Kaneitera and Kalimun, which could dominate their approach. Upon reaching the valley bottom,

22032-423: Was discovered that Ayun Kara had been evacuated by the Turkish troops. On 15 November the brigade moved forward again to Rishon LeZion village five miles (8.0 km) south of the port of Jaffa . The next day the regiment moved forward alone and established a line of observation posts between Beit Dejan and Safiriyeh , just under four miles (6.4 km) from Jaffa. Reconnaissance patrols discovered that Jaffa

22185-405: Was interspersed with occupying the front line and training. At 17:00 on 25 October the regiment, located around twenty miles (32 km) from Beersheba, started to moved forward. Its first objective, fifteen miles (24 km) south-east at Esani , was reached at 01:00 on 26 October. Here they rested for two days before setting out again, travelling another fifteen miles (24 km) to Asluj to

22338-471: Was not occupied by any Turkish forces, so the 3rd Squadron and the Canterbury Mounted Rifles moved in to provide a garrison, while the rest of the regiment and the Wellington Mounted Rifles returned to Ayun Kara. The regiment moved further north on 18 November and over the next few days carried out a reconnaissance of the River Auja . On 27 November the brigade secured a bridgehead over the river. To help defend

22491-417: Was not progressing well, so the brigade, along with the rest of the division, was ordered to attack Gaza. Still watching out for Turkish reinforcements, the regiment was held in reserve. The brigade had made good progress and was inside the town when it was ordered to withdraw. Less the 4th Squadron, which was the division's rearguard, the regiment had returned to Dier El Belah by early the next day. On 3 April

22644-562: Was now assigned to the New Zealand and Australian Division , with the New Zealand Infantry Brigade , and two Australian brigades' the 1st Light Horse Brigade and the 4th Brigade . On 18 December Egypt until then a Turkish province, came under the protection of the British Empire , and the Khedive was replaced by Prince Hussein Kamel Pasha , as the Sultan of Egypt . Three days after his coronation

22797-438: Was possibly the strongest Turkish position, only fifty yards (46 m) away. They defeated their first Turkish attack on 18/19 May, when their position was subjected to small arms fire from midnight until 03:00. Then the Turkish troops assaulted "Walker's Top" and "Quinn's Post". The attack lasted an hour, and cost the regiment twenty-two dead and twenty-seven wounded, but they held the position. On 22 May they were relieved by

22950-414: Was proving effective and the regiment was unable to make any progress. Hill 3039, in front of the 3rd Squadron, was well defended with numerous machine-guns, so the 4th Squadron were sent forward to support the assault. While 11th Squadron moved right, to the higher ground, to give covering fire. At 18:00 Turkish troops mounted a counter-attack against the Canterbury Mounted Rifles on the regiment's left, but

23103-531: Was sent to patrol twenty miles (32 km) to the south near the Nagid well, observing the left flank of a Turkish force crossing the Sinai. On 1 August patrols from the 11th Squadron were sent east of Dueidar , to the En Nuss and Nagid wells, as a defence force and to expand the wells to support a brigade. On 3 August the rest of the regiment moved to Dueidar. At that time, a Turkish force occupied Mount Royston at Romani. As

23256-405: Was taken up with training, until the regiment received embarkation orders and set sail from Auckland on 23 September. The unescorted transport ships returned to the same harbour the next morning, believing two German cruisers , were in the area. The troops disembarked and it was not until 11 October that they sailed again. This time they reached Wellington on 14 October. Two days later, now part of

23409-421: Was to seize Chunuk Bair, a high point in the Sari Bair mountain range. The New Zealand and Australian Division would provide the attacking force. The initial part of the attack was to clear the Turks from the foothills, which was given to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, reinforced by a Māori Pioneer Battalion . The attack began over the night of 5/6 August the Auckland Mounted Rifles successfully captured

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