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, which made up 22% of the whole 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, the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, and the Wellington Mounted Rifles. Altogether, the brigade had an establishment of 1,680 men, and including the smaller support units, the brigade had 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 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 defense of 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) is retained in the modern New Zealand Army.
Background
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 the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade.Kinloch 2005, p.29 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.Kinloch 2005, p.31
The brigade's first commanding officer was Colonel Andrew Russell.Kinloch 2005, p.32 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 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.Waite 1919, p.6 All together the brigade has an establishment of 1,940 men and 2,032 horses.Kinloch 2005, p.30 However the entire brigade only had a dismounted rifle strength 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.Kinloch 2005, p.15
Formation
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 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 the Sinai Campaign the Australian 5th Light Horse Regiment, for a time, replaced the Wellington Mounted Rifles.Powles 1928, p.106 In July 1916, the three regiments lost their machine-gun sections, which were amalgamated, to form the Brigade Machine-Gun Squadron.Luxford 1923, pp.178–179
Training in New Zealand 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, 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.Kinloch 2005 pp. 242–3 Once trained the men were sent to Sydney or Melbourne in Australia, where they embarked on Australian troopships bound for Suez.Kinloch 2005 p. 243
Egypt A little over two months after the declaration of war, in October 1914, the brigade sailed from New Zealand.Nicol 1921, p.12 Arriving in the Suez Canal on 3 December 1914, they disembarked at Alexandria two days later.Nicol 1921, p.20 Then entrained for Cairo, and established a camp in the western suburb of Zeitoun.Nicol 1921, p.21 The brigade 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.Waite 1919, p.40 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 the brigade, in a display of strength, marched through Cairo.Waite 1919, pp.42–43
The brigade used their time training, which consisted of day and night marches through the desert, combined with rifle and machine-gun practice.Powles 1928, p.15 Culminating in a four-day exercise, in February, when they marched around each day.Powles 1928, p.17 In April the division's two infantry brigades were given orders to leave for a then-unknown destination.Powles 1928, p.27 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.Powles 1928, p.28
Gallipoli
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 the beach.Wilkie 1924, p.15 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.Waite 1919, p.135 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 the slopes down to the sea, with responsibility for the No.1 and No.2 Posts.Wilkie 1924, p.17 The No.2 Post was the beach-heads furthest north position, only from Chatham's Post the southernmost point.Waite 1919, p.136 The outlying position of the two posts meant that movement between them and the main lines, could only be done safely at night.Powles 1928, p.29
Defence of Walker's Ridge
In May intelligence reports indicated that Turkish reinforcements were grouping around the ANZAC positions, preparing an attack.Waite 1919, p.138 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 away. Then every weapon opened up, 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.Nicol 1921, pp.44–45 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 the gathering and forced them to withdraw.Waite 1919, pp.141–142 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.Waite 1919, p.142 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 a warning that they would commence firing in ten minutes, and they returned to their trenches.Powles 1928, p.32 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.Powles 1928, p.36
No.3 Post
On 27 May the brigade realised the Turks were building a new position, at the base of the foothills, around 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 the Turkish defenders to withdraw.Powles 1928, pp.36–37Nicol 1924, p.27