page_title: Divisional Cavalry Regiment (New Zealand)
section_title: Formation
hierarchical_section_title: Divisional Cavalry Regiment (New Zealand) / Formation
caption_attribution_description: English: NZ Division sector of the Aliakmon Line, 5 April 1941
context_page_description: The Divisional Cavalry Regiment, was an armoured cavalry regiment of the 2nd New Zealand Division during the Second World War and was New Zealand's first armoured unit. It served as a reconnaissance force for the 2nd New Zealand Division. Formed on 29 September 1939, the regiment embarked for Egypt on 4 January 1940. It fought with the division, as part of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force, in Greece, Crete, North Africa and Italy. The regiment formed part of J Force, New Zealand's contribution to the occupation of Japan at the end of the war.
  Initially stationed at Maadi, the regiment was moved to Garawla in July and participated in the defence of the Baggush Box two months later. In January 1941, it moved to Helwan for training. In March, the regiment became part of W Force, the British contingent sent to Greece to defend the country from Nazi Germany. It took up positions on the Aliakmon Line before the regiment was scattered during the British retreat from the country. Most of the regiment ended up in Crete, where it faced a German paratroop attack in May and evacuated with the remainder of the British force.
context_section_description: After the beginning of the Second World War, the government of New Zealand authorised the formation of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2 NZEF). Following discussions with the British government, it was decided that New Zealand's contribution to the war would be an infantry division, the 2nd New Zealand Division. The Divisional Cavalry Regiment was formed to provide a reconnaissance force for the division. It was New Zealand's first armoured unit. 
  The regiment was mobilised as part of 2 NZEF in September 1939 and was issued with six Bren gun carriers. It had a headquarters, a headquarters squadron and a machine-gun squadron; the structure was soon changed to conform with that of the British Divisional Cavalry Regiments, which included three fighting squadrons and a headquarters squadron. The regiment was established from 27 to 30 September at Ngāruawāhia Military Camp, except for No. 3 Squadron (later C Squadron), which was formed at Narrow Neck. It was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Caro Pierce, a World War I veteran and Military Cross recipient. The squadrons at Ngāruawāhia were visited by Governor-General George Galway on 30 November. A special march through Auckland Domain was held on 3 January; the next day, the regiment (except for C Squadron) embarked for Egypt aboard the troopship RMS Rangitata. They arrived at Port Tewfik on 13 February. The regiment disembarked the following day and entrained for the New Zealand base camp at Maadi, the central depot and training area for 2 NZEF in the Middle East. In March, twelve Bren gun carriers and five Light Tanks Mark III arrived, and tank-gunnery training began on the range at Abbassia; the regiment participated in brigade manoeuvres at El Saff the following month. On 19 June, the regiment experienced its first fatality when Trooper Vincent Thompson died of meningitis.
  C Squadron completed its training in New Zealand and was attached to the Second Echelon of the 2 NZEF, in adherence with plans to send one squadron of the regiment to Egypt with the Second Echelon. The squadron was diverted to Britain, while en route to Egypt, when Italy entered the war, and arrived on 16 June. The squadron was based near Aldershot and conducted further training there. C Squadron became part of the Second Echelon's Headquarters Covering Force, defending Britain against German invasion. In early September, the squadron was moved to Westwell, Kent; it underwent further training and was sent back to Aldershot in November. C Squadron left Britain for Egypt on 4 January 1941.
  In July 1940, the 2nd New Zealand Division was sent to Mersa Matruh. The cavalry regiment, camped at Garawla, dug the outer anti-tank ditch along the Wadi Naghamish (later known as the Kiwi Canal). That month, volunteers from the regiment joined the Long Range Desert Patrol, and the regiment's base came under air attack. In the pre-dawn darkness of 15 July, Italian bombers attempting to bomb the NAAFI dump were driven off by anti-aircraft fire from the regiment. During the night of 18 July, regimental anti-aircraft guns mistakenly fired on a damaged Bristol Blenheim. The regiment received orders to move to Baggush and build fortifications, completing the move on 1 September; the following day, it began constructing defences at Maaten Baggush. After finishing the task within a week, it was transferred to the rear area at El Daba. The regiment defended No. 2 sector of the Baggush Box. After Operation Compass, the Allied offensive against Italian positions in Egypt and Libya, began on 9 December, several Italian Fiat M11/39 tanks were left behind at Nibeiwa. The regiment was ordered to salvage the tanks and on 15 December, Lieutenant H. A. Robinson led a party of 25 other ranks to Nibeiwa for the task. Div Cav received Marmon-Herrington Armoured Cars, replacing its obsolete Light Tanks Mk II and Mk III, and was transferred to Helwan in January 1941. The mortally ill Pierce was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Carruth on 22 February and C Squadron joined the regiment at Helwan on 5 March.
caption: Positions of the New Zealand Division on the Aliakmon Line, 5 April 1941
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