Ceylon Mounted Rifles
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2013) |
| Ceylon Mounted Rifles | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1887-1938 |
| Country | Motorised infantry |
| Size | 2 Squadrons |
| Part of | British Army |
| Garrison/HQ | Kandy |
| Nickname(s) | The Horse |
| Engagements | Second Boer War World War I World War II |
Ceylon Mounted Rifles (a.k.a. The Horse) was the only
Ceylon Army was formed. It was a volunteer (reserve) regiment was based in Colombo made up of only of British
.
History
The regiment start out as the cavalry element of the
Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers in 1887 (that was in 1910 renamed Ceylon Defence Force
) and was named as the Ceylon Mounted Infantry (CMI) .
In 1897, the regiment was represented at the
Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Queen Victoria
, in full dress uniform, which consisted of white helmet, scarlet tunic, white breeches and jack boots.
The first deployment of the regiment can in 1900 a company-sized force under the command of
King Edward VII by a contingent under the command of Lieut. J.N. Campbell. The unit was based in Kandy and regularly gave Mounted Escorts for members of the Royal family
who visited Ceylon.
In 1906 the CMI was renamed the Ceylon Mounted Rifles and shortly had created a
mechanized squadron. It was mobilized for war in 1914 when World War I
started. In 1928 the CMR Polo Club was formed.
On Armistice Day 1931, the old regimental guidon was laid up for safe keeping at
Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps
.
Notable members
- Lieutenant Basil Blackett - British World War I flying ace
- Charles Edward Hudson - served in CMR while employed on a tea plantation before World War I.[1] Later won Victoria Cross serving with British Army in the Sherwood Foresters(1918).
Units
- Mounted Squadron
- Motorized Squadron
Alliances
Notes and references
- ISBN 978-0-7509-4436-6.
- regiments.org
- Ceylon Mounted Rifles
- [1]
- [2]
- Brief History of the Ceylon Mounted Rifles . Compiled by Major Anton Edema ,SLLI