17th Light Horse Regiment
17th Light Horse Regiment | |
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The 17th Light Horse Regiment (Prince of Wale's Light Horse) was a
History
The 19th Light Horse (Victorian Mounted Rifles) was formed in 1911 with its headquarters located at Bendigo and elements drawn from Elmore, Rochester, Echuca, Kerang, Pyramid Hill, Mitiamo, Castlemaine and Kyneton.[1] Following the Federal re-organisation of 1912 the unit was retitled the 17th Light Horse (Victorian Mounted Rifles) and a year later as the 17th (Campaspe) Light Horse. During the First World War militia units were precluded from serving oversees, as a result of the Defence Act 1903, however many members of the 17th volunteered for service with the Australian Imperial Force.[2]
Following the war the Australian Light Horse was again reorganised in 1921 and the 17th formed part of the
As a result of the financial pressures in the late 1920s, a number of light horse units were required to amalgamate. The 17th linked with the 19th Light Horse in 1929. The 19th Light Horse was not maintained during the period in which they were linked, with the new unit remaining in the former 17th Light Horse locations. In 1930 the unit was retitled again as the 17th (Prince of Wales’s) Light Horse. In 1933 the units were de-linked only for them to re-link the following year.
When the Second World War broke out the CMF was mobilised for continuous training and home defence. During the early period of the war the unit conducted training with its parent division and many members volunteered to join the
However, by early 1943 the strategic threat to Australia from Japan had lessened, which meant that the need for large armoured formations to defend Australia had vanished. As a result, the 17th Motor Regiment was ordered to disband on 13 February 1942.[2][3] Elements of A Squadron and B Squadron were transferred to the 20th Motor Regiment and C Squadron sent to reinforce the 15th Motor Regiment. Other unit members were transferred to the Australian Army Ordnance Corps as well as various units within the 1st Australian Armoured Division and 3rd Australian Armoured Division.[2]
Following the Second World War, the Victorian light horse units of the 5th Cavalry Brigade were perpetuated through the 4th/19th Prince of Wales Light Horse Regiment, a unit of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps.[5]
References
- ^ a b Peacock, R.K (1936). The Evolution of the Australian Light Horse Regiments 1841–1935. University of NSW, Australian Defence Force Academy: Unpublished Manuscript. p. 15.
- ^ ISBN 0731690427.
- ^ a b c Festberg, A.N (1972). The Lineage of the Australian Army. Melbourne: Allara Publilshing. p. 50.
- ^ Unit History, Order of Battle. "17 Motor Regiment". Orders of Battle. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
- ^ Festberg 1972, p. 16.
Further reading
- Hall, Richard John (1968). The Australian Light Horse. Blackburn, Victoria: W.D. Joynt & Co. OCLC 59504.