2nd/4th Regiment Mounted Rifles

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=2nd/4th Regiment Mounted Rifles
dates=September 29, 2004
country=flagicon|Belgium Belgium
branch=Land Component
type=Cavalry
command_structure=7th Brigade
role=Armoured reconnaissance
garrison=Saive

The 2nd/4th Regiment Mounted Rifles ( _nl. 2-4 Regiment Jagers te Paard, _fr. 2/4 Régiment de Chasseurs à Cheval) is a cavalry regiment in the Land Component of the Belgian Armed Forces. The regiment is the armoured reconnaissance regiment of the 7th Brigade.

History

In march 1814 Prince Ferdinand de CROŸ received the permission to create his Hussard’s Regiment . It is a part of « Légion Belge » until the first of September 1814, when it was integrated in the new army of the Netherlands.When William, Souvereign Prince of the United Provinces, became King of the Netherlands, the Belgian Hussard´s Regiment of CROŸ becomes the Hussards Regiment N° 8. The Regiment keeps its original uniform until after de battle of Waterloo at which it participated within the Hollandic-Belgian cavalry.While remaining in Belgium, the Hussards Regiment No 8 becomes, by law of the provisional government of October 1830, the 2 ChCh, founded in Ghent by Colonel d’HANE de STEENHUYSE.On 20 August 1914 the Regiment distinguishes itself during the operations surrounding Antwerp. On 16 October 1914 the Battle of the Yser takes a start, and with that 4 years of battles in the trenches on the Yser front. On 6 March 1918, the 2 ChCh is able to withstand a massive attack by the enemy at Reigersvliet (Belgium). The Regiment executes a counter-attack together with other units of the Cavalry Division. After the occupation of the Rhineland the 2 ChCh makes Namur definitively its home.On 10 May 1940, the by then motorised Regiment occupies a part of the bridge over the Ourthe. On 13 and 14 May 1940, it takes part in a hard battle behind the river Gette. From 25 May 1940 onwards and until the end of the hostilities, the 2 ChCh is able to stop all enemy attacks on the river Lys.The Regiment was definitively reformed in 1952. From then onwards, during its stays in Vogelsang (Germany), Arnsberg (Germany), Kassel and Lüdenscheid (Germany), it adopts the American way of organisation and its material. It is equipped with PATTON tanks. In 1973 its re-organisation on CVR-T takes a start and in 1986, the LEOPARD I makes its appearance. The Regiment remains tank battalion up until 1992. From then onwards the 2 ChCh, with its surveillance radars comes back to its mission of reconnaissance. It leaves Altenrath in Germany and comes to Saive in 2003.

The 4th Regiment of Chasseurs à Cheval was founded during the re-organisation of the army in 1913, and becomes as such the youngest cavalry unit of the Belgian army. It participates in the First World War 14-18 and helps the Second Army Division during its reconnaissance actions. It distinguishes itself during de Antwerp operations between 30 August and 8 October 1914. During the second break-out of Antwerp the 4th Regiment of Chasseurs à Cheval makes it to the surroundings of Leuven. One of the platoons, under the orders of Lieutenant Van Camp, is able to enter Blauxpert, in the vicinity of the university city. During the retrait of Antwerp, his defense on the Lisse canal, near Somerghem on 12 October 1914, although with great losses, is able to stop the enemy. Thanks to this, the Division is able to make a relatively easy retrait to Bruges and escapes enemy attacks. On the river Yser, the 4th Regiment of Chasseurs à Cheval is able to adapt itself to the war in the trenches and courageously does the infantry work for which it was not really prepared. It is of enormously great help. The 4th Regiment of Chasseurs à Cheval was dissolved in February 1918.In 1919 the 4th Regiment of Chasseurs à Cheval is being re-installed and from October 1921 onwards has its base in Mons, after a stay in Krefeld. Another reorganization of the army in 1923 leads to its dissolution on 3 August. It is not being re-installed for the mobilisation in 1939, but within other units the honours of the regiment are being defended by the ‘ancient guard’.On 1 February 1961 the 4th Regiment of Chasseurs à Cheval is re-created as the Regiment of reconnaissance of the 1st Belgian Corps. It has its base in Quartier Houhulst in Werl. In July 1964 the Regiment leaves Werl and makes its base in Quartier Reigersvliet in Arnsberg, Sauerland. As a consequence of a re-organisation of the Armed Forces in 1993 the Regiment is being reduced to a Squadron. On 3 June 1994 the unit leaves Arnsberg after 30 years of stay. That same day the Squadron 4th Chasseurs à Cheval is officially installed as Independent Squadron of Reconnaissance of the 1st Mechanical Division in Altenrath, between Cologne and Bonn, until the end of 2001. The 1st of January 2002, it becomes the unit of reconnaissance of the 7th Mechanical Brigade of Marche-en-Famenne. The Squadron 4th Chasseurs à Cheval remains in Altenrath until September 2003, after which date they return to Belgium. Through this move to Saive, near Liege, the Squadron 4th Chasseurs à Cheval receives the status of Regiment again. In first instance it will consist of a regimental Head Quarter, a support squadron and one Recce Squadron (5 platoons, being three of reconnaissance, one of infantry and one ATK platoon).

As a consequence of the fusion of the 2 units, on 29 September 2004 the 2/4 Regiment of Chasseurs à Cheval is born. The Regiment has participated in its first humanitarian mission from July to December 2006, named BELKOS 22 (KOSOVO).

Lineage

External links

* [http://www.mil.be/armycomp/units/index.asp?LAN=fr&ID=616 Section of the website of the Belgian Ministry of Defence about the 2nd/4th Regiment Mounted Rifles] - Only available in Dutch and French