The Light Horse Troop provided escort to VIPs, mounted drill display and tent pegging display.‘A’ Squadron 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles took part in Bicentennial Parade at Wodonga 2 January 1988. Parade included Light Horse Heritage Troop, Historical Vehicle Club and current armoured vehicles.Three colour photograph of 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles Heritage Troop preparing to participate in Bicentenial celebrations at Wodonga 2 January 1988.Troop members are : Captain Robert Morrison, Corporals Nigel Morris, Shane Welch, E. Touzel, Lance Corporal Russell Walsh, Troopers Adrian Younger and Chris Ellison.light horse, vmr

In the period 5-20 March 1988, ‘A’ Squadron 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles participated in an exercise conducted at Puckapunyal by 4th Infantry Brigade (Reserve) codenamed ‘Fiery Cauldron’. Other units participating included 5th/6th Battalion and 8th/7th Battalion Royal Victorian Regiment, 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse Regiment and 1st Armoured Regiment. The training focussed on armoured/infantry cooperation, in particular the use of armoured personnel carriers. Colour photograph of group of ' A ' Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles soldiers at Puckapunyal during Exercise " Fiery Cauldron " 5 - 20 March 1988. Identified from left : Troopers Fabrik & Thrift, Corporal Beckett, Trooper Hale, Corporals S. Walch, Marshall and Burke.vmr, puckapunyal, fiery cauldron, exercise, training military

The 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles Museum at Buna Barracks Albury was officially opened by Colonel G F Howard, Director of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps, on 1 May 1988. The opening followed at Birthday Parade. Participating in the Parade was ‘A’ Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles including the Heritage Light Horse Troop and the Heritage Vehicle Club, and the Pipes and Drums of the 5th/6th Battalion Royal Victorian Regiment.Colour photograph of Colonel G.F.Howard,Director RAAC with 5 members of 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles Heritage Troop at Other Ranks Mess, Buna Barracks Albury,1 May 1988. The group are posing with the VMR Regimental flag. From left: Corporal G.Morris, Trooper Walsh, Corporal Touzel, Colonel G.F.Howard, Corporal S.Walch and trooper C. Ellison.

Armoured Corps Regiments celebrate the first successful attack by tanks near village of Cambrai, France, 30 November 1917, often with a regimental dinner..Collection of four colour photographs of ' A ' Squadron, 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles cooks preparing food for Cambrai Dinner at Buna Barracks, Albury. Segeant Cooks J. Robinson, K. Muller wearing chef's hat, Corporal Cooks Teweson wearing tee shirt and B. Lewis.cambrai, dinner, vmr, muller, robinson, tewson, lewis, cooks

‘A’ Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles conducted a parade at Buna Barracks, Albury on Sunday 1 May 1988 to mark the 103rd Anniversary of the formation of the Victorian Mounted Rifles and the 40th Anniversary of the linking of the 8th (Indi), 13th (Gippsland) and 20th (Victorian Mounted Rifles) Light Horse Regiments to form the 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles. Colonel G K Howard, Director of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps was the Reviewing Officer. The Pipes and Drums of the 5th/6th Battalion Royal Victorian Regiment provided the music for the occasion. Following the parade Colonel Howard officially opened the Regimental Museum.Single fold card setting out the program for the ceremonial parade held at Buna Barracks Albury 1 May 1988 to mark the fortieth anniversary of the raising of the 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles Regiment. The card lists officers and NCOs holding appointments for the parade.vmr, parade, anniversary, buna barracks, albury

The first British designed and made Centurion tanks arrived in Australia in June 1952. The first tanks went to the 1st Armoured Regiment, but as more tanks became available armoured regiments of the Citizen Military Forces received replacements for their aging General Grant tanks. The Centurion was a great improvement on the Grant with a bigger gun and the ability to fire accurately while moving. Serving soldiers of regiments such as 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles were converted to the new tank and National Servicemen received full-time training while at Puckapunyal. In February 1968, C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, equipped with Centurion tanks was sent to Vietnam. This tank No 169073 was one of the twenty tanks which served in Vietnam. There were many doubters about the likely usefulness of the Centurion in the jungle and paddy field environment of South Vietnam. How would this very large tank perform? No one needed to have worried. The tanks performed magnificently and were treasured by the infantry with whom they operated. ‘Tanks save lives’ was the catchcry. Several Reserve officers were attached to the Squadron in Vietnam including Colonel John Neale and Major Gordon Cole. Following the Australian withdrawal, the tanks were refurbished and issued to Army Reserve regiments for training. Our tank was allocated to 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles. Together with the tanks came a crop of Regular Army Cadre staff and training reached a new peak. When the Centurion was superseded by the Leopard surplus vehicles were allocated to museums and regimental collections as trophy vehicles. Black and white photograph of Centurion Tank No. 169073 at Buna Barracks, Albury, home of 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles 1988.centurion, tank, buna barracks, albury, vmr

In 1988, as part of a Defence of Mainland Australian policy, defence of facilities of strategic importance in northern Australia were allocated to Army Reserve units. ‘A’ Squadron was allocated the defence of Tindal Air Force base located 15 KM outside Katherine in Northern Territory. Consequently the Squadron deployed on Exercise ‘Northern Explorer’ to gain first-hand knowledge of operating conditions for mounted and dismounted patrolling in the area.Rare patrol report made by soldiers of a Victorian regiment while on exercise in Northern Territory.Report of patrol carried out by soldiers of 'A' Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles 18 September 1988 near Tindal Air Base Northern Territory. Six pages plus sketch map.military, patrol, tindal, northern territory, vmr

Jaffles were a very popular meal using tinned stew and issued sliced bread. Freshness of bread was not important.Good study of officer of 8/13 VMR cooking in the field.Black and white photograph of Lieutenant Bill Russell in beret and tank suit kneeling beside fuel stove holding a jaffle iron. Probably taken at Puckapunyal during 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles Annual Camp, 1986. Plastic mug in foreground.Lt. Russellmilitary, training, stove, jaffle, cmf, vmr

Under training conditions, armoured vehicles pulled alongside supply vehicles to collect water, rations, fuel and ammunition as quickly as possible and without dismounting.Colour photograph of M113 Armoured Carriers with light camouflage alongside trucks. Taken during 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles Annual camp at Puckapunyal, 1986.training, vmr, carrier, resupply, puckapunyal

The Fire Support Vehicle mounted a 76mm gun and added greatly to the fire power of a cavalry troop.Colour photograph of 3 crewmen on M113A1 Fire Support Vehicle ( FSV ) during 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles Annual camp at Puckapunyal 1986. Crew are from left: Corporal Ramsdale, Corporal RAC McDonald and Sergeant King.fire support, vmr, military, training, puckapunyal

The 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles was raised as a regiment of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps on 1 May 1948 with Headquarters in Melbourne and squadrons in Sale, Benalla/Wangaratta and Albury. In 1955 Regimental Headquarters moved to Wangaratta and a second squadron was located at Albury. The Sale squadron transferred to 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse. In 1977 8/13 VMR Regiment was reduced to an independent squadron A Squadron 8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles and in 1991 was linked with 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse forming the VMR Squadron of that regiment.Colour photogtraph of ' A ' Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles parading at Buna Barracks Albury 1986. Lieutenant W. Russell is marching off parade ground.

While many recruits could already drive when they joined 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles it took many hours of instruction and training before they were licenced to drive heavier, more complex army vehicles both on and off road and under combat conditions.Members of the Women’s Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) were posted to Army Reserve units in the 1980s and 1990s. They were rarely posted to Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) but were invaluable in the A1 Echelon driving fuel, ammunition, ration and water supply vehicles. Shows citizen soldiers on weekend training.Colour photograph of 4 soldiers of ' A ' Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles at a road side break during a driving exercise, 1986. From left : Corporal M. Roberts, Private T. Roche, Corporal Tewson and Trooper Bowerman.military, citizen soldiers, vmr, uniform

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. Two colour photographs of ' A ' Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles formed for the march to Holy Trinity Church Benalla 4 August 1985 for the Centenary Service.

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. Two colour photographs of ' A ' Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles marching to Holy Trinity Church Benalla 4 August 1985 prior to the Centenary Church Service.benalla, vmr, centenary, church

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. First Day Cover commemorating 100 years of service Victorian Mounted Rifles Postmarked 1 May 1985 at Albury NSW 2640. Badge of 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles on left side of envelope.3109908 Tpr Ellison. C. E. A Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles Buna Barracks Victoria Street Albury NSW 2640military, vmr, postage, centenary, victoria

Clear study of armoured corps soldiers parading at Buna Barracks c. 1988Colour photograph of soldiers of A Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles on parade at Buna Barracks Albury.military, parade, buna barracks, vmr, uniform

Army Reserve regiments had ARA officers and senior NCOs posted to them for training and administrative purposes. The duration of the posting was usually two yearsRecords a presentation of memento in soldiers' messColour photograph of Lance Corporal Mahony, " A " Squadron 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles presenting a plaque to Cadre Staff Sergeant Whitney on his departure from Salamaua Barracks Cobram December 1987.military, mess, cobram, salamaua barracks, vmr

Salamaua Barracks, home of the Citizen Military Forces/Army Reserve in Cobram district was first an Infantry Depot and later an Armoured Corps Depot with a sub-unit of the 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles.Two colour photographs of a parade at Salamaua Barracks Cobram , December 1987. Soldiers are Captain Robert Morrison, Lieutenant John Burke and lance Corporal Taylor.military, salamaua, cobram, vmr, morrison