The 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles (8th/13th VMR) was an armoured regiment of the Australian Army Reserve. Formed in 1948, the regiment initially operated M3 Grant medium tanks, but was later re-equipped with Centurion tanks in the late 1950s. Operating out of several depots across northern Victoria and southern New South Wales, throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s the regiment undertook both an armoured and reconnaissance role operating both tanks and armoured cars before being re-equipped with M113A1 armored personnel carriers in the early 1970s. In 1976, the regiment was reduced to a squadron sized element. It was eventually merged with the 4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse in 1992.
Pro Rege Et Patria (Latin: "For My King and Country")[1]
HistoryEdit
Raised in May 1948 as part of the re-establishment of the Australia's part-time military force following the demobilisation of its wartime military,[2] the 8th/13th was formed in the states of Victoria and New South Wales, as part of the 2nd Armoured Brigade, within the 3rd Military District.[3][4] It was initially designated the "8th/13th Armoured Regiment (Victorian Mounted Rifles), but in 1949 it was renamed the "8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles".[5]
Upon formation, the regiment's first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Tom Fogarty, who had served with the 2/8th Armoured Regiment during the war.[3] With depots at Albury, Wangaratta, Benalla, in the first years of its existence the regiment operated M3 Grant medium tanks, before converting to Centurions in 1957.[3][7] 8th/13th VMR converted to a reconnaissance role in 1959, and took delivery of several scout car variants including Ferrets, Saracens, and Whites; nevertheless, it continued to operate a small number of Centurions into the early 1970s;[8] but they were later re-roled and equipped with M113 armoured personnel carriers. In 1973, the depot at Cobram was added to the unit. In 1976, the 8th/13th VMR was reduced to a single independent squadron, before being merged with the 4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse in 1991–92,[3] forming a squadron element within that regiment.[9]
Dennis, Peter; Grey, Jeffrey; Morris, Ewan; Prior, Robin; Connor, John (1995). The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History (1st ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-553227-9.
Festberg, Alfred (1972). The Lineage of the Australian Army. Melbourne, Victoria: Allara Publishing. ISBN978-0-85887-024-6.
Finlayson, David (2012). Green Fields Beyond. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Department of Veterans' Affairs. OCLC 799180097.
Grey, Jeffrey (2008). A Military History of Australia (3rd ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-521-69791-0.
Hopkins, Ronald (1978). Australian Armour: A History of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps 1927–1972. Puckapunyal, Victoria: Royal Australian Armoured Corps Tank Museum. ISBN0-642-99407-2.
Jobson, Christopher (2009). Looking Forward, Looking Back: Customs and Traditions of the Australian Army. Wavell Heights, Queensland: Big Sky Publishing. ISBN978-0-9803251-6-4.
October 21, 2023
13th, victorian, mounted, rifles, 13th, armoured, regiment, australian, army, reserve, formed, 1948, regiment, initially, operated, grant, medium, tanks, later, equipped, with, centurion, tanks, late, 1950s, operating, several, depots, across, northern, victor. The 8th 13th Victorian Mounted Rifles 8th 13th VMR was an armoured regiment of the Australian Army Reserve Formed in 1948 the regiment initially operated M3 Grant medium tanks but was later re equipped with Centurion tanks in the late 1950s Operating out of several depots across northern Victoria and southern New South Wales throughout the 1950s 60s and 70s the regiment undertook both an armoured and reconnaissance role operating both tanks and armoured cars before being re equipped with M113A1 armored personnel carriers in the early 1970s In 1976 the regiment was reduced to a squadron sized element It was eventually merged with the 4th 19th Prince of Wales s Light Horse in 1992 8th 13th Victorian Mounted RiflesActive1948 92Country AustraliaBranchAustralian Army ReserveRoleArmoured reconnaissanceSizeRegimentPart of2nd Armoured BrigadeGarrison HQNorthern Victoria Southern New South WalesMotto s Pro Rege Et Patria Latin For My King and Country 1 History EditRaised in May 1948 as part of the re establishment of the Australia s part time military force following the demobilisation of its wartime military 2 the 8th 13th was formed in the states of Victoria and New South Wales as part of the 2nd Armoured Brigade within the 3rd Military District 3 4 It was initially designated the 8th 13th Armoured Regiment Victorian Mounted Rifles but in 1949 it was renamed the 8th 13th Victorian Mounted Rifles 5 The regiment drew its lineage from three previously existing light horse regiments the 8th 13th and 20th Light Horse Regiments and through these linkages inherited battle honours from the Boer War World War I and World War II 5 Through the 20th Light Horse it was linked to the Victorian Mounted Rifles which had been raised by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Price in 1885 3 6 Upon formation the regiment s first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Tom Fogarty who had served with the 2 8th Armoured Regiment during the war 3 With depots at Albury Wangaratta Benalla in the first years of its existence the regiment operated M3 Grant medium tanks before converting to Centurions in 1957 3 7 8th 13th VMR converted to a reconnaissance role in 1959 and took delivery of several scout car variants including Ferrets Saracens and Whites nevertheless it continued to operate a small number of Centurions into the early 1970s 8 but they were later re roled and equipped with M113 armoured personnel carriers In 1973 the depot at Cobram was added to the unit In 1976 the 8th 13th VMR was reduced to a single independent squadron before being merged with the 4th 19th Prince of Wales s Light Horse in 1991 92 3 forming a squadron element within that regiment 9 References EditCitations Jobson 2009 p 159 Grey 2008 p 200 a b c d e The 8th 13th Victorian Mounted Rifles Digger History Archived from the original on 1 January 2011 Retrieved 18 May 2014 Finlayson 2012 p 251 a b Festberg 1972 p 17 Dennis et al 1995 p 472 Hopkins 1978 pp 340 341 Hopkins 1978 pp 298 amp 341 Finlayson 2012 p 323 BibliographyDennis Peter Grey Jeffrey Morris Ewan Prior Robin Connor John 1995 The Oxford Companion to Australian Military History 1st ed Melbourne Victoria Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 553227 9 Festberg Alfred 1972 The Lineage of the Australian Army Melbourne Victoria Allara Publishing ISBN 978 0 85887 024 6 Finlayson David 2012 Green Fields Beyond Canberra Australian Capital Territory Department of Veterans Affairs OCLC 799180097 Grey Jeffrey 2008 A Military History of Australia 3rd ed Melbourne Victoria Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 69791 0 Hopkins Ronald 1978 Australian Armour A History of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps 1927 1972 Puckapunyal Victoria Royal Australian Armoured Corps Tank Museum ISBN 0 642 99407 2 Jobson Christopher 2009 Looking Forward Looking Back Customs and Traditions of the Australian Army Wavell Heights Queensland Big Sky Publishing ISBN 978 0 9803251 6 4 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 8th 13th Victorian Mounted Rifles amp oldid 1000687762, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
