The Victorian Mounted Rifles was raised as the mounted arm of the Victorian Colonial defence force in 1885. It was under the command of Colonel Thomas Caradoc Rose (Tom) Price (1842-1911). Price was born in Tasmania, educated in Hobart Town and at Scotch College, Melbourne, before entering the East India Military College, Addiscombe, England. He was commissioned on 7 July 1861 in the Madras Infantry and began twenty years’ service in India with several regiments, retiring in April 1883. On his return to Victoria he was tasked with raising of a force of one thousand, to be known as the Victorian Mounted Rifles, and appointed a lieutenant-colonel in the Permanent Military Forces. Companies of the Victorian Mounted Rifles were raised in rural districts throughout Victoria. The soldiers were paid a small annual allowance and were required to provide their own horse. Many members served in contingent to the Boer War. After Federation the VMR was gathered up into the Australian Light Horse. Typed draft of a letter from Lieutenant Robert Morrison ' A ' Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles to Major M. Parker, Director Royal Tournament Committee, Horse Guards, London exploring the possibility of a team from 8/13 Heritage Troop competing at the Royal Tournament in 1986. He suggests horses might be provided by affiliated regiment 14/20 Hussars as they did in 1891.

White cotton napkin printed with 9 sketches of aspects of the Boer WarSketch captions: Mounted Rifles, South African War 1900, Infantry in Camp, Colonel Tom Price, Our Brotherhood, Colonel Hoad, Mounted Rifles in Action, Lieut G O Bruce, Infantry in Action