Today (3rd March) is the regiment's 125th Birthday!
The Regiment dates from the inauguration of the Sydney Light Horse and other cavalry troops in New South Wales in 1885. In those pre federation days, the raising of such units sprang from a public-spirited wish to give voluntary service, and was not sponsored or directed by the government of the day. In 1899, a squadron of the Regiment, which had been training in England , became the first colonial troops to arrive in South Africa for active service against the Boers in the South African War. In the 1914-1918 war, the Regiment being militia, did not serve abroad however, most of its pre-war members joined the AIF. Subsequently the Lancers were designated as successors to the 1st Light Horse Regiment of the AIF. It had fought at Gallipoli and later in Sinai and Palestine as part of the Desert Mounted Corps. In 1956, the "1st" was linked with the "15th" making the Regiment also the successor to the 15th Light Horse Regiment AlF which had been formed in Palestine in 1918 from personnel of the Camel Corps.
The Lancers were granted the title "Royal" in 1935. It was horsed until 1936, when it was motorised as a mechanised machine gun regiment. In 1942, the unit was incorporated into the AIF as an armoured regiment. Equipped with Matilda Infantry Support Tanks in the New Guinea jungle. Later in the seaborne assault the 7th Division on Balikpapan in Borneo , the Regiment made the heaviest Australian Tank attack of the war. After the war the Regiment was equipped first with Centurion tanks until 1971, when it was converted to a Reconnaissance Regiment, and equipped with the M113 family of track light armoured fighting vehicles. In the decade members of the Regiment have served with full time units in Bouganville, Rifle Company Butterworth (Malaya) and in East Timor . The Regiment, with 21 battle honours, is one of the most highly decorated unit in the Australian Army. This year marks the Regiments 125th anniversary.
Combined Battle Honour of the 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers
1st Royal New South Wales Lancers
15th Light Horse
SOUTH AFRICA 1899 - 1902
DEFENCE OF ANZAC
SARI BAIR
RUMANI
MAGDHABAH-RAFAH
GAZA-BEERASHEBA
JERUSALEM
JAFFA
JERICHO
JORDAN (AMMAN)
MEGIDDO
SW PACIFIC 1943-45
FINSCHAFEN
SATTELBERG
WAREO
LIBERATION OF AUST NEW GUINEA
WAREO LAKONA
GUSIKA-FORTIFICATION POINT
BORNEO
SOUTH AFRICA 1899 - 1902
RUANI
MAGDHABAH-RAFAH
EGYPT 1916-17
GAZA-BEERASHEBA
JERUSALEM
MEGIDDO
JORDAN (AMMAN)
JORDAN (ES SALT)
NABLUS
DAMASCUS
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