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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 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, the Wellington Mounted Rifles, and smaller sized support units. All together the brigade has an establishment of 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 only had a dismounted rifle strength the equivalent of an infantry battalion. By the end of 1914, the brigade had arrived in 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 defence of the Suez Canal. Then following an abortive Turkish attack in the Sinai Desert, took part in clearing the invaders from Egypt. Then in the next two years, 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. ==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,〔(【引用サイトリンク】publisher=New Zealand History )〕 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〕 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「New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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