Natal Mounted Rifles

The Natal Mounted Rifles / Queen Nandi 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.

Natal Mounted Rifles
SANDF Natal Mounted Rifles emblem
Active1854–Present
Country South Africa
Allegiance
Branch
TypeArmour
RoleArmour / Tank and Mechanised Infantry Regiment
SizeRegiment
Part ofSouth African Armoured Formation
Army Conventional Reserve
Garrison/HQDurban
Motto(s)Rough but Ready
AnniversariesRegimental Birthday - 23 March each year.
EquipmentMarmon Herrington Mk1V / Ferret armoured cars / Olifant mk1 A and B tanks
Battle honours
Battle Honours
Awarded
South Africa 1879
South Africa 1899-1902
Defence of Ladysmith
Natal 1906
South West Africa 1914 - 1915
Gibeon
East Africa 1940-41
Dadaba
Western Desert 1941-43
Gazala
Springbok Road
Paliano
Bir Temrad
Best Post
Alamein Defence
El Alamein
Italy 1944-45
The Tiber
Celleno
Florence
The Greve
Gothic Line
Po Valley
El Yibo
South West Africa/Angola 1975-1976
Websitewww.saarmour.co.za
Commanders
Current
commander		Lt Col S. Cele
Honorary ColonelNone
Insignia
Boot and SpurPrancing Horse
Beret ColourBlack
Armour Squadron emblems
Armour beret bar circa 1992

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
  • 1888: Units amalgamated into a new unit known as the Natal Mounted Rifles
  • 1894: The NMR was split into two units, namely the Border Mounted Rifles and the Natal Mounted Rifles
Border Mounted Rifles insignia
  • 1913: Just prior to World War I the BMR and NMR once more amalgamated and became the 3rd Mounted Rifles (N.M.R.)
  • 1925: The East Griqualanad Mounted Rifles amalgamated into the NMR
  • 1932: Another name change, to the Natal Mounted Rifles
  • 1940: At South Africa's entry to World War II, the NMR was re-formed into two units, namely: The 1st BN (V) N.M.R. and the 2nd BN (V) N.M.R.
  • 1945: The two units amalgamated once more, into the Natal Mounted Rifles,and has remained such to this day

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 1, 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 when horses were entirely dispensed with and NMR converted to a machinegun unit. In January 1934 the regiment was remustered as an armoured reconnaissance regiment of the Sixth SA 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
Main article: South African 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 units of the Reserve Force had their names to reflect the diversity of the current SANDF. [5]

This unit had its name changed to the Queen Nandi Mounted Rifles.

Regimental

Symbols
NMR Badge Plaque

Regimental mottos:

  • 1888–1913: Just and frank
  • 1913 – Present: Rough but ready

Previous Dress Insignia
UDF and SADF eras Natal Mounted Rifles insignia

Alliances
  •  United Kingdom - affiliated 9 April 1930 to The Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own and Royal Irish)
  • Glenwood Boys High School affiliated to NMR on 17 February 1936
  • South African School of Armour affiliated to NMR on 21 March 1997
  • Durban Metro Police Equestrian Unit affiliated to NMR on 25 March 2000
  • South African Air Force No.15 (Helicopter) Squadron, Durban, affiliated to NMR

Battle honours

Leadership
Natal Mounted Rifles Leadership
From Honorary Colonels To
1900 Col Godfrey T Hurst DSO OBE VD 1901
11 August 2020 Vacant 11 August 2020
From Commanding Officers To
2001 Lt. Col. Donald P Hobson 2002
11 August 2020 Lt. Col. Denis Currie 4 September 2005
4 September 2005 Lt Col Mike Rowe 23/03/2018
23/03/2018 Lt. Col. S. Cele[6] present
From Second in Command To
2004 Maj. F. A. M. van Schaik Present
From Regimental Sergeants Major To
11 August 2020 MWO Bobby Freeman Present

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
    6. Cole, Barbara (26 March 2018). "Sword of command for NMR's Cele". Daily News. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
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