Queen Nandi Mounted Rifles

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Natal Mounted Rifles
Queen Nandi Mounted Rifles
SANDF Natal Mounted Rifles emblem.jpg
SANDF Natal Mounted Rifles emblem
Active1854–Present
CountryFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
AllegianceFlag of the Natal Colony 1875-1910.svg Colony of Natal
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  Republic of South Africa
Flag of South Africa.svg  Republic of South Africa
BranchEnsign of the South African Defence Force (1981-1994).svg  South African Army
Flag of the South African Army (1994-2002).svg  South African Army
Type Armour
RoleArmour / Tank and Mechanised Infantry Regiment
SizeRegiment
Part of South African Armoured Formation
Army Conventional Reserve
Garrison/HQ Durban
Motto(s)Rough but Ready
AnniversariesRegimental Birthday - 23 March each year.
EquipmentMarmon Herrington Mk1V / Ferret armoured cars / Olifant mk1 A and B tanks
Websitewww.nmr-1854.co.za
Insignia
Boot and SpurPrancing Horse
Beret ColourBlack
Armour Squadron emblems SANDF Armour squadron emblems.jpg
Armour beret bar circa 1992 SANDF Armour beret bar.jpg
AbbreviationQNMR

The Queen Nandi Mounted Rifles (formerly the Natal Mounted Rifles) is an reserve armoured regiment of the South African Army.

Contents

History

Origin

The original and accepted parent unit of the Natal Mounted Rifles is the Royal Durban 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

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 I

At the outbreak of World War I, the regiment became the 3rd Mounted Rifles and was attached to the 8th Mounted Brigade with the Central Force in the German South West African Campaign. 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.

World War II

In 1932 the Regiment's name was simplified to The Natal Mounted Rifles and in 1934 it was converted to infantry. The regiment was mounted for 80 years until July 1934[ citation needed ] when horses were entirely dispensed with and NMR converted to a machine-gun unit. In January 1934[ citation needed ] the regiment was re-mustered as an armoured reconnaissance regiment of the 6th South African Armoured Division.

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] [4]

Post World War II

Border War

Post 1994

Since the 1994 Democratic Elections, the NMR has undergone several training exercises and continues to recruit members into its ranks. It boasts a Regimental Pipe Band and is affiliated to The King's Own Hussars.

Name change

In August 2019, 52 Reserve Force units had their names changed to reflect the diverse military history of South Africa. [5] The Natal Mounted Rifles became the Queen Nandi Mounted Rifles, and have 3 years to design and implement new regimental insignia. [6]

Regimental

Symbols

NMR Badge Plaque NMR Plaque.jpg
NMR Badge Plaque

Regimental mottos:

Previous dress insignia

UDF and SADF eras Natal Mounted Rifles insignia UDF and SADF eras Natal Mounted Rifles insignia.jpg
UDF and SADF eras Natal Mounted Rifles insignia

Alliances

Battle honours

Battle Honours
Awarded
South Africa 1879 Embroidered.png
South Africa 1899-1902 Embroidered.png
Defence of Ladysmith Embroidered.png
Natal 1906 Embroidered.png
South West Africa 1915 Embroidered.png
Gibeon Embroidered.png
East Africa 1940-41 Embroidered.png
Dadaba Embroidered.png
Western Desert 1941-43 Embroidered.png
Gazala Embroidered.png
Springbok Road Embroidered.png
Paliano Embroidered.png
Bir Temrad Embroidered.png
Best Post Embroidered.png
Alamein Defence Embroidered.png
El Alamein Embroidered.png
Italy 1944-45 Embroidered.png
The Tiber Embroidered.png
Celleno Embroidered.png
Florence Embroidered.png
The Greve Embroidered.png
Gothic Line Embroidered.png
Po Valley Embroidered.png
El Yibo Embroidered.png
SWA-Angola 1975-1976 Embroidered.png

Leadership

Natal Mounted Rifles Leadership
FromHonorary ColonelsTo
1900Col Godfrey T Hurst DSO OBE VD 1901
ndVacant20 February 2024
FromCommanding OfficersTo
2001Lt. Col. Donald P Hobson2002
20 February 2024Lt. Col. Denis Currie9 April 2005
9 April 2005Lt Col Mike Rowe23 March 2018
23 March 2018Lt. Col. S. Cele [7] 20 February 2024
FromSecond in CommandTo
2004Maj. F. A. M. van Schaik20 February 2024
FromRegimental Sergeants MajorTo
ndMWO Bobby Freeman20 February 2024

Notes

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References

  1. ↑ "Ladysmith History and the Boer War". Natal Mounted Rifles. Archived from the original on 6 May 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  2. ↑ "Natal Mounted Infantry". AngloBoerWar.com. Retrieved 18 October 2010.
  3. ↑ "Natal Mounted Rifles". SA Armour Association. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  4. ↑ Kleynhans, E.P. (2014). Armoured Warfare, The South African Experience in East Africa, 1940-1941 (MMil). Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University. hdl:10019.1/95919.
  5. ↑ "New Reserve Force unit names". defenceWeb. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  6. ↑ "Renaming process has resulted in an Army structure that truly represents SA". IOL. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  7. ↑ Cole, Barbara (26 March 2018). "Sword of command for NMR's Cele". Daily News. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
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