Twenty one years had passed since the Great World War of 1914 - 18 had finished. Little did these troopers realise that a second World War was about to be declared in five months time.
Left to Right: Corporal J. Reeves. K.Little. D.Moore. McDill. N.Robertson. Gairn Robertson. Teed.
second: F.Walker. H.Headley. G.May. M.Ward. R.Croucher. N.Ward.

After the "War to end all Wars" had ended the nations of those participating were all to one degree or another spent. Spent in their losses of young men but also in money, resources and any will to stay armed. The hope for a continued peace began to fade even as early as 1930 and the world headed for a world economic depression.
New Zealand maintained a small regular force and a ill equipped and outdated territorial armed force - among them volunteers in the New Zealand Mounted Rifles.
With the declaration of WWII the men of the NZMR volunteered again for service abroad - this time though the horses were not sent - The Second World War was to become a mechanised war - and the Mounteds were to move from Horseback to trucks, motorcycles and tanks.

Here the two grandsons of 'Harry' Robertson, an original Auckland Mounted Rifleman who fought as a "Rough Ryder" during the Boer War 1899-1902 - Lance Corporal Gairn Robertson (seated center) and Norm Roberstson (front) wait in the street overnight outside the Auckland Recruiting Office the eve of New Zealanders enlisting for service in World War Two.
The boys were then 18 and 17 years old - They joined the New Zealand Divisional Cavalry and were off to Egypt with the First Echelon. Warfare had changed and horses were replaced by the motorised armies. Like their grandfather and father before them they would both become casualties of war, yet survive and return to New Zealand.