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The 1st Machine-Gun Squadron was a sub-unit of the New Zealand Military Forces during the First World War. It was part of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, and served with them in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign from 1916 to 1918. The squadron was formed in Egypt during 1916 by amalgamating three machine-gun sections, belonging to three separate regiments: the Auckland Mounted Rifles, the Canterbury Mounted Rifles and the Wellington Mounted Rifles. Each section was initially equipped with two Maxim guns but following their experience in the Gallipoli Campaign, where the value of the guns in attack and defence was realised, their strength was increased to four guns. The squadron primarily fought against the forces of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, first in Egypt during 1916, then in Palestine and the Jordan Valley in 1917 to 1918. ==Background== In common with the other national armies in the British Empire, in January 1916 the New Zealand Expeditionary Force was required to form a Machine-Gun Corps. The corps would initially have three companies to serve with the New Zealand Division and a squadron to serve with the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade.〔Luxford 1923, p.22〕 The origins of the 1st Machine-Gun Squadron can be traced back to the raising of three machine-gun sections, belonging to three different regiments. These regiments were: the Auckland Mounted Rifles, recruited from the region around Auckland on the North Island of New Zealand;〔Nicol 1921, p.2〕 the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, from the Canterbury Region on the South Island of New Zealand;〔Powles 1928, p.1〕 and the Wellington Mounted Rifles from the region around Wellington, also on the North Island.〔Wilkie 1924, p.3〕 In August 1914, when the sections were formed, they each consisted of two Maxim guns, with one officer in command, and twenty-six other ranks, mounted on twenty riding horses and sixteen draught horses.〔Wilkie 1924, p.3〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「1st Machine-Gun Squadron (New Zealand)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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