Wellington's Rifles: The Origins, Development and Battles of the Rifle Regiments in the Peninsular War and at Waterloo

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Corporal McMillan appears to be wearing a ‘type 1’ (first pattern) triple fern hat badge and large fern collar badges. 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. [12] Once trained the men were sent to Sydney or Melbourne in Australia, where they embarked on Australian troopships bound for Suez. [13] Egypt [ edit ] In 1921, the New Zealand territorial infantry regiments were reorganised into larger regiments, similar to those of the First World War. The 5th (Wellington) Regiment was redesignated as 1st Battalion, Wellington Regiment, while the 7th (Wellington west Coast), 9th (Wellington East Coast) and 11th (Taranaki Rifles) regiments became the 2nd, 3rd and 4th battalions, respectively. [17] The amalgamation was short lived and in 1923 the 2nd, 3rd and 4th battalions reverted to being independent regiments. [18] On 1 st April 1956 the unit was renamed the 4 th Armoured Regiment (Wellington East Coast) RNZAC with the Headquarters based in Hastings. On being granted the Freedom of the City of Hastings on 7 th September 1958 the unit name was adjusted to 4 th ARMOURED REGIMENT (WELLINGTON EAST COAST – CITY OF HASTINGS OWN) RNZAC.

Trooper James Meaney, Serial No. 11/2153, B Squadron, 9th Reinforcements, Wellington Mounted Rifles, Embarkation Date: 8 January 1916. Urban's lively, journalistic style is well suited to his subject. The Rifles and their legendary deeds have inspired many writers of fiction. Many have read Bernard Cornwell's accounts of the doings of Tom Sharpe. Georgette Heyer described how Captain Harry Smith rescued his "Spanish Bride" from the mayhem after the capture of Badajos, protecting her in the months afterwards until they could marry. CS Forrester also wrote about individual riflemen. While military historians can describe the facts themselves, something more is needed to bring individuals to life. This true tale is, anyway, sometimes stranger than fiction. st Brigade: commanded by Colonel Cadogan: 1 st/50 th, 1 st/71 st 1 st/91 st Foot and 1 company of 5 th/60 th Foot The Portuguese and Spanish played an important part in the war. Retrained and reorganised by Marshal William Beresford, Portugal’s soldiers fought bravely alongside those of Britain. The stubborn Spanish defence of cities and towns tied down thousands of French troops. Spanish armies, though frequently defeated, kept reappearing, forcing France to send more armies against them.The next day, 15 November, the Turkish force had completely withdrawn. The brigade continued the advance north, stopping just beyond Richon-le-Zion. The next day, at 09:30, patrols from the regiment entered the port of Jaffa. The town's only inhabitants were the civilian population, the Turkish troops having evacuated the town beforehand. At 11:00 the regiment's commander, Whyte, took formal possession of the Government buildings, posting guards at the German and Austrian Consulates and the post office. [121] [122] The Wellington regiment captures Jaffa; 16 November 1917. Corporal James McMillan, Serial No. 7/1322, 6th Reinforcements, Canterbury Mounted Rifles, Embarkation Date: 14 August 1915. Retrieval of the 9WECMR Guidon Armistice Day 2021 by permission of the Mayor of Hastings Sandra Hazelhurst. Brass polished NZMR shoulder titles and regulation brass polished 5/8 inch Regimental numbers (NZMR numbered from 1 to 12) Brigade: commanded by Major General Kempt: 1 st/43 rd Foot, 1 st/95 th Rifles (8 Cos), 3 rd/95 th Rifles (5 companies) and 3 rd Caçadores

This Trooper is wearing a ‘type 7’ basic frame A/8 hat badge and “First Type” Mounted Rifles collar badges. Trooper Scott appears to be wearing a ‘type 1’ (first pattern) triple fern hat badge and small fern collar badges. Trooper Sidney Myers, Serial No. 11/1729, 7th Reinforcements, Wellington Mounted Rifles, Embarkation Date: 9 October 1915 (Killed in action 29 May 1916) Trooper Marsh is wearing a ‘type 3’ basic frame F/7 hat badge and (territorial) 2nd (Wellington West Coast) Mounted Rifles collar badges. The Mayor signified that he was ready and with the Town Clerk took a position near to the case that had been provided for the reception of the Guidon.Broadley, Jon (December 2012). "Territorials Become More Joined Up" (PDF). NZ Army News. pp.8–9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 February 2013 . Retrieved 6 March 2022. E and F" designations were shared with the NZ Rifle Brigades first reinforcements to the 1st Battalion (E Company) and 2nd Battalion (F Company). a b "Fifth Regiment". The Evening Post. 14 May 1914. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022 . Retrieved 6 March 2022. Initially The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Regiments were not authorised to carry a Standard of any kind, with the result that it was necessary to request permission from the Imperial authorities. In 1927 the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Regiments received permission from King George V to carry Guidons.