- Waikato Mounted Rifles
The Waikato Mounted Rifles is an armoured regiment of the
New Zealand Army , part of theRoyal New Zealand Armoured Corps . The unit is a single squadron within the Territorial Force that serves in the armoured reconnaissance role.The Current Role of the Unit is "to provide general purpose medium reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in order to support NZLAV mounted battalion operations. It is to provide trained personnel to top up and round out Queen Alexandra's Squadron".
Time line
*1911 - Waikato Mounted Rifles is descended from the 2nd and 4th Regiments Auckland Mounted Rifles, which were amalgamated in 1911 to form4th (Waikato) Mounted Rifles.
*WWI - Provided 4th (Waikato) Squadron of Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade and provided reinforcements.
*1921 - renamed The Waikato Mounted Rifles.
*1942 - renamed 4th Light Armoured Fighting Vehicles Regiment (Waikato Mounted Rifles).
*1944 - amalgamated with 3rd Light Armoured Fighting Vehicles Regiment (Auckland Mounted Rifles), and 11th Light Armoured Fighting Vehicles Regiment (North Auckland Mounted Rifles), to form 1st Armoured Regiment.
*1950 - 1st Armoured Regiment (Waikato), RNZAC absorbed The Waikato Regiment.
*1962 - amalgamated with The Wellington East Coast Regiment (City of Hastings' Own), to form Waikato/Wellington East Coast Sqn, Queen Alexandra's Regiment.
*1999 - transferred to 6th Battalion (Hauraki), Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.
*2002 - renamed Waikato Mounted Rifles.External links
* http://www.regiments.org/regiments/newzealand/volmil/cav/44-1waik.htm
* http://www.army.mil.nz/our-army/territorial-force/6-hau/waikato-mounted-rifles.htm - official Army siteBattle HonoursThe Battle Honours of the Waikato Mounted Rifles stem from service in South Africa and the First World War. The Second World War (1939-1945) Battle Honours were inherited from the 18th Armoured Regiment. Altogether they are:
*South Africa 1900-02
*Anzac
*Defence of Anzac
*Hill 60 (Anzac)
*Sari Bair
*Gallipoli 1915
*Rumani
*Rafah
*Egypt 1915-17
*Gaza
*Jerusalem
*Jaffa
*Jericho
*Jordan
*Megiddo
*Nablus
*Palestine 1917-18
*The Sangro
*Castel Frentano
*Orsogna
*Advance to Florence
*San Michele
*Paula Line
*Celle
*Pisciatello
*The Senio
*Santerno Crossing
*Bologna
*Idice Bridgehead
*Italy 1943-45
*Motto
*Libertas et Natale Solum - Liberty and HomelandCurrent Role of the Unit - The Squadron's role was laid down in the Chief of Army on 3 November 2003:
* "to provide general purpose medium reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in order to support NZLAV mounted battalion operations. It is to provide trained personnel to top up and round out Queen Alexandra's Squadron".Location: Squadron Headquarters 106 Rostrevor Street PO Box 212 Hamilton. Ph 07 839 4603
This page was last reviewed on 05 February 2008 and is current.
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