Raised on 12 August 1914, at the start of the First World War, the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment came from the Canterbury region on the South Island of New Zealand.
Commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel John Findlay, it was composed of 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 the four Military Districts were required to supply a mounted regiment for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
To meet that obligation, the Territorial Force regiments each provided a squadron, which kept their own regimental badges and traditions.
The regiment's squadrons came from the 1st Mounted Rifles (Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry) (1st Squadron), the 8th (South Canterbury) Mounted Rifles (8th Squadron) and the 10th (Nelson) Mounted Rifles (10th Squadron).
The establishment was fixed at twenty-six officers and 523 other ranks, who used 528 riding horses, seventy-four draught horses and six pack horses.
Each squadron, of 158 men, had a field headquarters and four troops.
The Machine-Gun Section, with two Maxim Guns, had one officer, twenty-six other ranks, twenty riding horses and sixteen draught horses.
Even though the regiment used horses, they were not cavalry but mounted infantry, and expected to ride to the battlefield, dismount and then fight as traditional infantry.
Attached to, but not part of, the regiment were medical and veterinary officers, an artificer, three more other ranks and another eighteen horses.
The regiment was assigned to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, serving alongside two other regiments: the Auckland Mounted Rifles and the Wellington Mounted Rifles.
Raised on 12 August 1914, at the start of the First World War, the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment came from the Canterbury region on the South Island of New Zealand. Commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel John Findlay, it was composed of 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 the four Military Districts were required to supply a mounted regiment for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. To meet that obligation, the Territorial Force regiments each provided a squadron, which kept their own regimental badges and traditions. The regiment's squadrons came from the 1st Mounted Rifles (Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry) (1st Squadron), the 8th (South Canterbury) Mounted Rifles (8th Squadron) and the 10th (Nelson) Mounted Rifles (10th Squadron). The establishment was fixed at twenty-six officers and 523 other ranks, who used 528 riding horses, seventy-four draught horses and six pack horses. Each squadron, of 158 men, had a field headquarters and four troops. The Machine-Gun Section, with two Maxim Guns, had one officer, twenty-six other ranks, twenty riding horses and sixteen draught horses. Even though the regiment used horses, they were not cavalry but mounted infantry, and expected to ride to the battlefield, dismount and then fight as traditional infantry. Attached to, but not part of, the regiment were medical and veterinary officers, an artificer, three more other ranks and another eighteen horses. The regiment was assigned to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, serving alongside two other regiments: the Auckland Mounted Rifles and the Wellington Mounted Rifles.
Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment