7th (Southland) Mounted Rifles explained

Unit Name:7th (Southland) Mounted Rifles
Dates:1911–1921
Country: New Zealand
Allegiance:New Zealand Crown
Branch:New Zealand Army
Role:Mounted
Size:Regiment
Command Structure:New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade
Battles:World War I
Commander1:Major General Sir Alexander Godley
Commander1 Label:Honorary Colonel

The 7th (Southland) Mounted Rifles was raised on 17 March 1911. During World War I they formed part of the Otago Mounted Rifles Regiment and served in the Battle of Gallipoli and was then withdrawn to Egypt. They would later serve in France, with the New Zealand Division.

Great War Battles

Major General Sir Alexander Godley was appointed honorary colonel of the Regiment in 1914.[1]

Between the Wars

They amalgamated with the 5th Mounted Rifles (Otago Hussars) and the 12th (Otago) Mounted Rifles to become the 5th New Zealand Mounted Rifles in 1921.[2] [3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: No. 67. New Zealand Gazette. 16 July 1914. 2815.
  2. Web site: firstaif . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080724080529/http://www.firstaif.info/pages/nz_mounted.htm . 2008-07-24 .
  3. Web site: diggerhistory . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100427043043/http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-nz/nzef.htm . 2010-04-27 .