Cavalry Regiment Officers Holding Reunion In City

Press, Volume C, Issue 29518, 20 May 1961, Page 9

Cavalry Regiment Officers Holding Reunion In City

Forty-seven former officers of the _ divisional Cavalry Regiment are attending a reunion in. Christchurch. It is the second time a reunion of officers has been held, the first being at New Plymouth four years ago. The present reunion has been organised by Mr R. R. Livingstone, of Christchurch. The history of the divisional Cavalry Regiment is distinguished. The regiment was formed from the mounted rifles regiments of New Zealand in 1939 at Ngaruawahia camp. In January, 1940. the regiment sailed from Wellington for Egypt in the Rangitata. It . was the first regiment to move into the desert when the Italians entered the war The first mention in dispatches of the division was won by Lieutenant-Colonel T. Wallace, of the regiment, who is attending the reunion. The mention was gained when Colonel Wallace was on frontier patrol with the Scots Guards.

Desert Patrols Units of the regiment took part in many patrols in the desert, and exploratory and mapping work done by him on patrols in southern Libya resulted in LieutenantColonel J. H. Sutherland being made a Fellow of the Rovel Geographical Society. The first Military Cross awarded to a member of the regiment was also gained by Colonel Sutherland, who is attending the reunion, and who later commanded the regiment. It was also the first Military Cross awarded to the division.

It was from personnel of the. regiment that the famous Long Range Desert Group was formed. In 1941 the regiment was joined in Egypt by its third squadron second echelon, which had trained in England. The regiment was one of the first in action on the Greek front with its armoured cars, and it acted as the rearguard for the division during the withdrawal through Greece. Members of the regiment served with distinction In Crete, and subsequently the regiment served in 1941 in the Western Desert as the armoured regiment of the division, being equipped with tanks and bren gun carriers.

The battle honours of the regiment include Sidi Rezeg.h, Belhamed, and El Douda, and it took part in the relief of Tobruk and the capture and surrender of Bardia. The regiment moved with the division into Syria for a training period, and was hastily recalled to help stem the advance of the Africa Korps after the breakthrough at Alamein. It was the spearhead of the New Zealand division in the advance on Tripoli, and also took part in the Tunisian campaign.

The regiment moved with the division and took part in the successful conclusion of the Italian campaign. Elements of the regiment also formed part of a composite force which took part in the occupation of Japan.

The New Zealand Scottish Regiment has now succeeded the Cavalry Regiment and has taken over the battle honours.

Programme Last evening officers and their wives attending the reunion were welcomed in a city hotel by the mess president, Colonel Sutherland, before dinner and a mess meeting. This morning those at the reunion will visit Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, the Massey Ferguson assembly plant, and the Cashmere hills. In the evening there will be a mess dinner for the officers, with a separate dinner for their wives, and a visit to. a cinema.

Regimental films will be shown in the hotel this event ing.

On Sunday a short memorial service will be conducted by the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rev. A. K. Warren) in the Cathedral grounds. A wreath will be laid at the war memorial. There will be an excursion to Porters Pass during the day. In the evening there will be visits to private homes in the city. The reunion will end on Monday.