2nd Cavalry Division | |
---|---|
Active | 13 September 1914 – 31 March 1919 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type | Cavalry |
Size | Division |
Part of | Cavalry Corps |
Engagements | World War I
|
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Hubert Gough Charles Kavanagh Philip Chetwode |
The 2nd Cavalry Division was a division of the regular British Army that saw service in the Peninsular War and in World War I, when it also known as Gough's Command, after its commanding general. It was part of the British Expeditionary Force that served in France in from 1914 to 1918. [1] It was involved in most of the major actions where cavalry were used as a mounted mobile force, and also many where the troops were dismounted and effectively served as infantry. [2]
On 11 November 1918 units of the division were east and north-east of Mons, in Belgium. Orders were received that the division would lead the advance of Fourth Army into Germany, a move that was to begin on 17 November 1918. On 1 December it crossed the frontier south of St. Vith. The winter was spent south of Liège, and demobilisation commenced. The division ceased to exist on 31 March 1919. [2]
After the war the division was reformed in the Territorial Army. [3]
During the Peninsular War, Wellington organized his cavalry into one, later two, cavalry divisions. They performed a purely administrative, rather than tactical, role; [4] the normal tactical headquarters were provided by brigades commanding two, later usually three, regiments. [5] On 19 June 1811, the cavalry was reorganized as two divisions and the existing Cavalry Division was redesignated as 1st Cavalry Division with the formation of the 2nd Cavalry Division. [6]
Major General Sir William Erskine took command on formation. [6] He was absent from 8 December 1811 to 8 April 1812, though at this time the division only comprised one brigade. [7] He resumed command briefly, but committed suicide in Lisbon on 13 February 1813. [6] The divisions were once again amalgamated as The Cavalry Division on 21 April 1813 with Lieutenant General Stapleton Cotton (of the 1st Cavalry Division) in command. [8]
The division was formed on 19 June 1811 with De Grey's and Long's Brigades; Long's Brigade was to remain with the division throughout its existence. Between 8 November 1811 and 23 March 1812 it commanded just one brigade and it never exceed three brigades in strength. [9]
Brigade | From | To |
---|---|---|
De Grey's | 19 June 1811 [lower-alpha 1] | 5 October 1811 [lower-alpha 2] |
Long's | 19 June 1811 [lower-alpha 3] | 21 April 1813 [lower-alpha 4] |
Le Marchant's | 30 August 1811 [lower-alpha 5] | 8 November 1811 [lower-alpha 6] |
von Bock's | 23 March 1812 [lower-alpha 5] | 14 April 1812 [lower-alpha 2] |
Slade's | 14 April 1812 [lower-alpha 7] | 21 April 1813 [lower-alpha 4] |
Rebow's | 25 January 1813 [lower-alpha 5] | 5 February 1813 [lower-alpha 2] |
Grant's | 15 April 1813 [lower-alpha 5] | 21 April 1813 [lower-alpha 4] |
On 6 September, the formerly independent 5th Cavalry Brigade was joined with the 3rd Cavalry Brigade from the Cavalry Division as Gough's Command. Named for the commander of 3rd Cavalry Brigade, Brigadier-General Hubert Gough, it took part in the First Battle of the Aisne (12–15 September). On 13 September, the command was re-designated as the 2nd Cavalry Division, with the addition of divisional troops from the Royal Horse Artillery, Royal Engineers etc. [10]
The 4th Cavalry Brigade joined the division on 14 October from 1st Cavalry Division to bring it up to the standard three brigade strength. The division remained on the Western Front until the end of the war. [11]
In 1914, the division took part in First Battle of Ypres, notably the battle of Gheluvelt (29–31 October). In 1915, the division was in action at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle (10–12 March 1915) and the Second Battle of Ypres notable the Battle of St Julien (26 April–3 May) and the Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge (24–25 May). [10]
1916 saw no notable actions, but in 1917 the division saw action in the Battle of Arras (First Battle of the Scarpe, 9–11 April). and the Battle of Cambrai (the Tank Attack of 20 and 21 November, the Capture of Bourlon Wood of 24–28 November and the German Counter-Attack of 30 November–3 December). [10] At other times, the brigades formed dismounted units and served in the trenches as regiments under the command of their brigadiers. [12]
1918 saw the return of the war of movement and the division took part in the First Battle of the Somme notably the Battle of St Quentin (21–23 March), the Battle of the Lys (Battle of Hazebrouck of 14–15 April), the Battle of Amiens (8–11 August) and the Second Battle of the Somme (Battle of Albert of 21–23 August and the Second Battle of Bapaume of 31 August–3 September). [13]
The division was then split up with the 3rd Cavalry Brigade serving with First Army, 4th Cavalry Brigade with Third Army and 5th Cavalry Brigade with Fourth Army. [13] The brigades variously took part in the battles of the Hindenburg Line: the battles of Canal du Nord (27 September–1 October), St. Quentin Canal (29 September–2 October), Beaurevoir Line (3–5 October) and Cambrai (8–9 October) and the Pursuit to the Selle (9–12 October). Its final action was to take part in the Advance in Picardy (17 October–11 November) including the Battle of the Sambre (4 November) and the capture of Mons (11 November, 3rd Canadian Division with 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers and one section [lower-alpha 8] of D Battery, RHA). [13]
At the Armistice, units of the division had reached Clairfayts (5th Cavalry Brigade with Fourth Army), Erquelinnes (4th Cavalry Brigade with Third Army) and Havré and St. Denis (3rd Cavalry Brigade with First Army). On 15 November, the division was re-assembled near Maubeuge and ordered to advance into Germany as an advance screen for Fourth Army and form part of the Occupation Force. The move began on 17 November, Ciney and Rochefort were reached five days later and the 5th Cavalry Brigade crossed the German border south of St. Vith on 1 December. [13]
In late December, the division moved to winter quarters south and south-east of Liège. It remained here until 30 January 1919 when it exchanged regiments with 1st and 3rd Cavalry Divisions then gradually moved back to England. The Division ceased to exist at midnight 31 March / 1 April 1919. [13]
The brigade joined Gough's Command on 6 September from The Cavalry Division and remained with the division until the end of the war. [10]
Unit | From | To |
---|---|---|
4th (Queen’s Own) Hussars | Mobilization | |
5th (Royal Irish) Lancers | Mobilization | |
16th (Queen’s) Lancers | Mobilization | |
1/1st Leicestershire Yeomanry | 4 April 1918 [lower-alpha 9] | |
D Battery, RHA | 17 September 1914 [lower-alpha 10] | |
3rd Signal Troop, Royal Engineers | Mobilization | |
3rd Cavalry Brigade Field Ambulance | Mobilization | 13 September 1914 [lower-alpha 11] |
3rd Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron, MGC | 29 February 1916 [lower-alpha 12] |
The brigade joined the division on 14 October from 1st Cavalry Division and remained with the division until the end of the war. [11]
Unit | From | To |
---|---|---|
Household Cavalry Composite Regiment | Mobilization | 11 November 1914 [lower-alpha 13] |
6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) | Mobilization | |
3rd (King's Own) Hussars | Mobilization | |
1/1st Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars | 11 November 1914 [lower-alpha 14] | |
J Battery, RHA | 16 September 1914 [lower-alpha 15] | |
4th Signal Troop, Royal Engineers | Mobilization | |
4th Cavalry Brigade Field Ambulance | Mobilization | 16 October 1914 [lower-alpha 16] |
4th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron, MGC | 28 February 1916 [lower-alpha 12] |
The brigade, formerly independent, joined Gough's Command on 6 September and remained with the division until the end of the war. [10]
Unit | From | To |
---|---|---|
2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) | Mobilization | |
12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) | Mobilization | |
20th Hussars | Mobilization | |
J Battery, RHA | Mobilization | 16 September 1914 [lower-alpha 15] |
E Battery, RHA | 17 September 1914 [lower-alpha 17] | |
4th Field Troop, Royal Engineers | Mobilization | 15 October 1914 [lower-alpha 18] |
5th Signal Troop, Royal Engineers | Mobilization | |
5th Cavalry Brigade Field Ambulance | Mobilization | 13 September 1914 [lower-alpha 19] |
5th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron, MGC | 28 February 1916 [lower-alpha 12] |
The division was supported by the following units: [11]
Unit | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|
Engineers | 2nd Field Squadron, Royal Engineers | 16 October 1914 [lower-alpha 18] | |
Signals | 2nd Signal Squadron, Royal Engineers | 28 September 1914 | |
Medical | 2nd Cavalry Field Ambulance | 13 September 1914 [lower-alpha 22] | |
5th Cavalry Field Ambulance | 13 September 1914 [lower-alpha 19] | ||
4th Cavalry Field Ambulance | 16 October 1914 [lower-alpha 16] | ||
No. 4 Sanitary Section | 12 January 1915 [12] | ||
2nd Cavalry Division Field Ambulance Workshop | 26 February 1915 | 16 April 1916 [lower-alpha 23] | |
Veterinary | 7th Mobile Veterinary Section | 16 September 1914 | |
8th Mobile Veterinary Section | 16 September 1914 [lower-alpha 24] | ||
9th Mobile Veterinary Section | 15 October 1915 [lower-alpha 25] | ||
Army Service Corps | 424th (Horsed Transport) Company, ASC HQ 2nd Cavalry Divisional ASC | 10 October 1914 | |
575th (Horsed Transport) Company, ASC 2nd Cavalry Divisional Auxiliary (Horse) Company | 25 September 1915 | ||
46th (Mechanical Transport) Company, ASC 2nd Cavalry Divisional Supply Column | Formation | ||
413th (Mechanical Transport) Company, ASC 2nd Cavalry Divisional Supply Column | Formation | 10 October 1916 [lower-alpha 26] | |
56th (Mechanical Transport) Company, ASC 2nd Cavalry Divisional Ammunition Park | Formation | 23 December 1917 | |
Others | 772nd Divisional Employment Company | 16 September 1917 |
In the 1920s the division was reformed from Yeomanry regiments in the Territorial Army with the following organisation: [3]
On the outbreak of World War II 2nd Cavalry Division's units were reorganised as 1st Cavalry Division and served in Palestine, Iraq and Syria before being converted into 10th Armoured Division on 1 August 1941. [22]
The 2nd Cavalry Division had the following commanders: [23]
From | Rank | Name |
---|---|---|
Formation | Major-General | Sir H. de la P. Gough |
19 April 1915 | Major-General | C.T.McM. Kavanagh |
15 July 1915 | Major-General | Sir P.W. Chetwode, Bt. |
6 November 1916 | Brigadier-General | T.T. Pitman (acting) |
16 November 1916 | Major-General | W.H. Greenly [lower-alpha 27] |
22 March 1918 | Brigadier-General | T.T. Pitman (acting) |
27 March 1918 | Major-General | W.H. Greenly (sick, 28 March 1918) |
28 March 1918 | Brigadier-General | T.T. Pitman (acting) |
16 April 1918 | Major-General | T.T. Pitman |
The Yeomanry Mounted Division was a Territorial Force cavalry division formed at Khan Yunis in Palestine in June 1917 from three yeomanry mounted brigades. It served in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War, mostly as part of the Desert Mounted Corps. In April 1918 six of the regiments were withdrawn from the division and sent to France, being converted from Yeomanry to battalions of the Machine Gun Corps. These were replaced by Indian Army cavalry regiments withdrawn from France, and the division was renamed 1st Mounted Division, the third such division to bear that title. In July the combined division was renamed as the 4th Cavalry Division.
The 1st Cavalry Division was a regular Division of the British Army during the First World War where it fought on the Western Front. During the Second World War it was a first line formation, formed from Yeomanry Regiments. It fought in the Middle East before being converted to the 10th Armoured Division.
The 4th Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Army. It served in the Napoleonic Wars, in the First World War on the Western Front where it was initially assigned to The Cavalry Division before spending most of the war with the 2nd Cavalry Division, and with the 1st Cavalry Division during the Second World War.
The 5th Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Army. It served in the Napoleonic Wars, in the First World War on the Western Front where it was initially independent before being assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Division, and with the 1st Cavalry Division during the Second World War.
The 3rd Cavalry Division was a division of the British Army in the First World War. It was formed at Ludgershall, Wiltshire England in September 1914 under the command of Major-General the Hon. Julian Byng. The division moved to Belgium in the first week of October 1914, landing at Ostend, although its third Brigade was only formed there once. During the war the division took part in most of the major actions where cavalry were used as a mounted mobile force, and also many where the troops were dismounted and effectively served as infantry.
The 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade was a yeomanry brigade of the British Army, formed as part of the Territorial Force in 1908.
The 3rd Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Army. It served in the Napoleonic Wars, in the Boer War, and in the First World War on the Western Front where it was initially assigned to The Cavalry Division before spending most of the war with the 2nd Cavalry Division.
The 9th Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Army in World War I. It was formed in France in 1915 and served on the Western Front as part of the 1st Cavalry Division until the end of the war.
The 8th Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Army in World War I. It was formed in Belgium in 1914 and served on the Western Front as part of the 3rd Cavalry Division. It left the 3rd Cavalry Division on 14 March 1918.
The First World War British Cavalry Corps was formed 9 October 1914.
6th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery was a Regiment of the Royal Horse Artillery that acted as a training formation during World War II. It was the last RHA unit to serve in India between December 1945 and April 1947, before being redesignated as 6th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery in Palestine in 1948.
IV Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery was a brigade of the Royal Horse Artillery which existed in the early part of the 20th century. It served with 3rd Cavalry Division throughout World War I but was dissolved shortly thereafter.
III Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery was a brigade of the Royal Horse Artillery which existed in the early part of the 20th century. It served with the 1st and 2nd Cavalry Divisions on the Western Front throughout World War I.
The Hampshire Royal Horse Artillery was a Territorial Force Royal Horse Artillery battery that was formed in Hampshire in 1909. It saw active service during the First World War in Egypt and Palestine from 1916 to 1918, initially as field artillery with 52nd (Lowland) Division before being converted back to horse artillery and serving with the Yeomanry Mounted Division and 1st Mounted / 4th Cavalry Division. A second line battery, 2/1st Hampshire RHA, served on the Western Front in 1917 and 1918 as part of an Army Field Artillery Brigade. Post-war, it was reconstituted as a Royal Field Artillery battery.
The Essex Royal Horse Artillery was a Territorial Force Royal Horse Artillery battery that was formed in Essex in 1908. It saw active service during the First World War in Egypt and Palestine from 1916 to 1918, initially as field artillery with 52nd (Lowland) Division before being converted back to horse artillery and serving with the 2nd Mounted / 5th Cavalry Division. A second line battery, 2/1st Essex RHA, served on the Western Front in 1917 and 1918 as part of an Army Field Artillery Brigade.
A Battery, Honourable Artillery Company is a L118 light gun battery that provides a reserve to 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery. Its predecessor was a horse artillery battery that was formed from Light Cavalry Squadron, HAC, in 1891. It transferred to the Territorial Force in 1908 as artillery support for the London Mounted Brigade.
B Battery, Honourable Artillery Company was a horse artillery battery that was formed from the Field Artillery, HAC in 1899. It transferred to the Territorial Force in 1908 as artillery support for the South Eastern Mounted Brigade.
The Leicestershire Royal Horse Artillery was a Territorial Force Royal Horse Artillery battery that was formed in Leicestershire in 1908. It saw active service during the First World War in Egypt and Palestine from 1916 to 1918, initially with ANZAC Mounted Division before joining the Yeomanry Mounted Division and 1st Mounted / 4th Cavalry Division. A second line battery, 2/1st Leicestershire RHA, served on the Western Front with the 63rd Division from 1916 to 1918. Post-war, it was reconstituted as a Royal Field Artillery battery.
The Warwickshire Royal Horse Artillery was a Territorial Force Royal Horse Artillery battery that was formed in Warwickshire in 1908. It was the first Territorial Force artillery unit to go overseas on active service, spending the whole of the First World War on the Western Front, mostly with 1st Cavalry Division and 29th Division. A second line battery, 2/1st Warwickshire RHA, also served on the Western Front in 1917 and 1918 as part of an Army Field Artillery Brigade. Post-war it was reconstituted as a Royal Field Artillery battery.
The Nottinghamshire Royal Horse Artillery was a Territorial Force Royal Horse Artillery battery that was formed in Nottinghamshire in 1908. It saw active service during the First World War in the Middle East – in the Senussi Campaign and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign – from 1915 to 1918. A second line battery, 2/1st Nottinghamshire RHA, served in the Mesopotamian Campaign in 1917 and 1918 as a Field Artillery battery. Post-war, it was reconstituted as a Royal Field Artillery battery.