Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles Wellington East Coast Company beat the retreat outside the Wanganui War Memorial Centre yesterday to mark the 150th anniversary of its formation.
Commanding officer, Major Aldis Malskaitis, said the ceremony dated back several hundred years and signified the conclusion of a battle. "Troops would take down the flag and clear the field in preparation for departing the site."
The Mounted Rifles are the oldest serving regular unit of the New Zealand Army, and the 75-strong company has been in Wanganui for two weeks assisting with a number of community projects, including building a new recreational mountain bike track in Lismore Park.
Surrounding the parade were some army vehicles: two armoured personnel carriers, a Ferret armoured car and a Scorpion tank.
The company is based at Linton camp and was formed in 1864 and named after Princess Alexandra, the Princess of Wales.
Troops saw active service in the NZ Wars, mainly on patrolling and despatch riding duties, before being disbanded in late 1865.
Reformed as the Alexandra Cavalry Volunteers, the unit guarded Wanganui during the Titokowaru campaign in 1868 and took part in the Parihaka operation 1881.