Natal Mounted Rifles

Natal Mounted Rifles
Active 1854–Present
Country  South Africa
Allegiance
Branch
Type Armour
Role Armour / Tank and Mechanised Infantry Regiment
Size Regiment
Part of South African Armoured Corps
Army Conventional Reserve
Garrison/HQ Durban
Motto Rough but Ready
Anniversaries Regimental Birthday - 23 March each year.
Battle honours See list
Commanders
Current
commander		 Lt Col M.J. Rowe
Colonel of
the Regiment		 Lt Col M.J. Rowe

The Natal Mounted Rifles is an armoured regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit. It is part of the South African Army Armour Formation and is based in the city of Durban.

History

Origin

The original and accepted "Parent / Unit" of the Natal Mounted Rifles is the "Royal D'Urban Rangers" which was formed at a meeting of the public in the town of Durban, at "Boltbee's Hotel" on 23 March 1854. Other ante-cedant Units that were then subsequently amalgamated into the NMR since 1854 are as follows:

  1. 1854–1869 – Royal D'Urban Rangers
  2. 1888–1869 – Victoria Mounted Rifles
  3. 1875–1887 – Stanger Mounted Rifles
  4. 1865–1888 – Alexander Mounted Rifles
  5. 1878–1879 – Isipingo Mounted Rifles
  6. 1873–1888 – Durban Mounted Rifles
  7. 1884–1888 – Umzimkulu Mounted Rifles

Timeline events

Formation

In May 1868 the Regimental Committee of the Durban Mounted Rifles, presided over by Captain WH Addison, held a meeting to discuss the forming of the Natal Mounted Rifles. The formation of the regiment would entail the amalgamation of four Volunteer Units; Royal D’urban Rangers (1854), Victoria Mounted Rifles (1862), Alexander Mounted Rifles (1865) and Durban Mounted Rifles(1873).[1]

Anglo Boer War

The regiment was re-activated in Durban during February and March 1901 for service in the South African War. It was originally called the 2nd Natal Volunteer Composite Regiment but the name was soon changed to Natal Mounted Infantry. The unit was armed and equipped by the Natal Volunteer Department and horsed by the Imperial Remount Department. The first depot was at Dundee, but, on the unit changing its name, this was transferred to Newcastle.[2]

World War II

On 1 July 1913 the Regiment was re-amalgamated with the Border Mounted Rifles, renamed the 3rd Mounted Rifles (Natal Mounted Rifles) and transferred to the Active Citizen Force of the Union Defence Force. In 1932 the Regiment's name was simplified to The Natal Mounted Rifles and in 1934 it was converted to infantry.

In addition to the campaigns in which its various constituent units fought in before the Regiment's formation, the Natal Mounted Rifles served in the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902), the Zulu Rebellion (1906–1907), World War I (specifically in South-West Africa from 1914 to 1915), World War II (See 1st SA Infantry Division and South Africa's post-war internal conflicts and the South African Border War).[3]

Post World War II

Border War

Regimental

Symbols

NMR Badge Plaque

Regimental mottos:

Alliances

Battle honours

Roll of Honour

Leadership

Natal Mounted Rifles Leadership
From Honourary Colonels To
n.d. unknown Present
From Commanding Officers To
n.d. Lt Col Mike Rowe Present
From Regimental Sergeants Major To
n.d. MWO Bobby Freeman Present

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ "Ladysmith History and the Boer War". Natal Mounted Rifles. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
    2. ↑ "South African Units". Natal Mounted Infantry. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
    3. ↑ http://www.saarmourassociation.co.za/natal-mounted-rifles.aspx
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 Dovey, John. "SA Roll of Honour:". justdone.co.za. Just Done Productions Publishing. Retrieved 4 November 2014.