New South Wales Defence Force –  Part 3

Mounted Forces 1885-1903

 Sydney Light Horse/New South Wales Lancers

See https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C215415

The Sydney Light Horse was formed in 1885, becoming lancers (i.e. lance welding cavalry) after the Sudan campaign. The uniform shown above was adopted in 1891, and the name changed to the New South Wales Lancers in 1894. They saw service in the Boer War, and post federation became the 1st Australian Light Horse, and later the 1/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers.

New South Wales  Mounted Infantry/ Mounted Rifles.

Illustrated Sydney News, 22nd November 1890 page 8. Colonel Lassetter, commandant of the Mounted Infantry established in 1888. He arrived in Australia in January 1889. The universal button of the NSW Defence Forces can be seen on his uniform.

Backmark: David Jones Sydney.

The Mounted Infantry was re-titled the NSW Mounted Rifles in 1891 to emphasise that they were not just mounted infantry.  Wikipedia explains that ‘According to the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, “Mounted rifles are half cavalry, mounted infantry merely specially mobile infantry.”‘ In 1903 they became the 2nd Light Horse regiment, and later the 9th, then the 6th Light Horse.

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