KING EDWARD’S HORSE

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18283, 21 March 1931, Page 8

KING EDWARD’S HORSE

STIRRINQ WAR EPISODE. AN ADMIRABLE RECORD. Urritecl Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright LONDON, March 20. Four hundred gallant soldiers from the Dominions were among those commemorated when Colonel Lionel James, the regiment’s last colonel, laid the foundation-stone of King Edward's Horse Hall at the Imperial Service College, Windsor. Colonel James recalled the regiment's admirable war record. He said that at one juncture the only'troops at Ypres holding back the Germans, who were surging on the Channel ports, were 400 men of King Edward's Horse, who withstood the onslaught for eight hours. The regiment, originally a yeomanry force called the King’s Colonials, was organised .as King Edward’s Horse shortly before the war. It contained four squadrons, representing the Dominions, including Australians and New Zealanders. The New Zealanders supplied the majority of the 400 at Ypres, mO'St of whom laid down their lives to prevent the enemy from breaking through.

A large number of New Zealanders who were in England at the outbreak of the war joined up and those who were mounted men were posted to King Edward's Horse. This regiment, which was among the first of the yeomanry troops to be sent to France, was later used as infantry, as was the case with most of the mounted troops sent over.