2nd Mounted Division | |
---|---|
Active | 2 September 1914 – 21 January 1916 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type | Yeomanry |
Size | Division |
Part of | IX Corps |
Engagements | World War I |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | General Sir William Eliot Peyton KCB KCVO DSO |
The 2nd Mounted Division was a yeomanry (Territorial Army cavalry) division that served in the First World War. At the outbreak of war it was assigned to defence of the Norfolk coast. In March 1915 it formed a 2nd Line [lower-alpha 1] duplicate of itself, the 2/2nd Mounted Division. Leaving the 2/2nd on coastal defence, it then fought at Gallipoli from April to December 1915, under the command of Major General William Peyton, before being disbanded in January 1916.
A different 2nd Mounted Division, was formed in Egypt in 1918 from the Indian elements of the 5th Cavalry Division in France, but then renumbered as the 5th Cavalry Division, served in Palestine and was a part of the Palestine Occupation Force.
A decision was made to form a new mounted division from the mounted brigades in and around the Churn area of Berkshire. On 2 September 1914, 2nd Mounted Division, with Headquarters at Goring, came into being with three mounted brigades transferred from 1st Mounted Division [4] (1st South Midland Mounted Brigade at Newbury, 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade at Churn and the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade at South Stoke) and the London Mounted Brigade at Streatley. The brigades were relatively widely dispersed to allow an adequate water supply for the horses and to provide sufficient training areas. [5]
1st South Midland Mounted Brigade 1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry | London Mounted Brigade 1/1st County of London Yeomanry | Medical 1st South Midland Field Ambulance, RAMC |
2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade 1/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars | Royal Horse Artillery (Territorial Force) I Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F.)
II Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F.)
| Veterinary 1st South Midland Mobile Veterinary Section |
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade 1/1st Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry | Signal Service 1st South Midland Signal Troop | 2nd Mounted Division Train 1st South Midland Transport and Supply Column, ASC |
|
In November 1914, the division moved to Norfolk on coastal defence duties. Headquarters was established at Hanworth and the mounted brigades were at King's Lynn (1st South Midland), Fakenham (2nd South Midland), Holt (Notts. and Derby.) and Hanworth (London). [5]
In March 1915, the division was put on warning for overseas service. In early April, the division starting leaving Avonmouth and the last elements landed at Alexandria before the end of the month. By the middle of May, the Divisional Headquarters, the 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade and Notts. and Derby. Mounted Brigade were at Cairo, the 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade was at Alexandria, and the London Mounted Brigade and the horse artillery batteries were near Ismaïlia on Suez Canal defences. [5] The mounted brigades were numbered at this time. [7]
On 10 August 1915, the division was reorganized as a dismounted formation in preparation for service at Gallipoli. [9] Each Yeomanry Regiment left a squadron headquarters and two troops (about 100 officers and men) in Egypt to look after the horses. [10] The artillery batteries and ammunition columns, signal troops, mobile veterinary sections, Mounted Brigade Transport and Supply Columns and two of the Field Ambulances were also left behind in Egypt. The Yeomanry Mounted Brigade, which was formed in Egypt in January 1915, was likewise dismounted and joined the division on 13 August as a fifth brigade. [11] The division entrained for Alexandria on 13 August, sailed the next day and reached Mudros on 17 August. It landed at Suvla Bay that night. [5]
1st (1st South Midland) Mounted Brigade 1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry | 5th (Yeomanry) Mounted Brigade 1/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry |
2nd (2nd South Midland) Mounted Brigade 1/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars | Signal Service 2nd Mounted Division Signal Squadron |
3rd (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire) Mounted Brigade 1/1st Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry | Medical 2nd South Midland Field Ambulance, RAMC |
4th (London) Mounted Brigade 1/1st County of London Yeomanry | 2nd Mounted Division Train 2nd Mounted Division Company, ASC |
The division landed at "A" Beach, Suvla Bay on the night of 17 August / morning of 18 August and moved into reserve positions at Lala Baba on the night of 20 August. On 21 August it advanced to Chocolate Hill under heavy fire and took part in the attack on Hill 112. [12]
Due to losses during the Battle of Scimitar Hill and wastage during August 1915, the division had to be reorganised. [lower-alpha 2] On 4 September 1915, the 1st Composite Mounted Brigade was formed from the 1st, 2nd and 5th Mounted Brigades, and the 2nd Composite Mounted Brigade from the 3rd and 4th Mounted Brigades. [13] Each dismounted brigade formed a battalion sized unit, for example, 1st South Midland Regiment (Warwickshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire Yeomanry). [14]
The Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade landed as Suvla on 2 September and joined the division. Likewise, the Highland Mounted Brigade joined the division after landing on 26 September. Both brigades were dismounted in the UK before sailing directly for Gallipoli. [7]
1st Composite Mounted Brigade 1st South Midland Regiment | Engineers |
2nd Composite Mounted Brigade 3rd Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment | Signal Service 2nd Mounted Division Signal Squadron |
Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade 1/1st Scottish Horse | Medical 2nd South Midland Field Ambulance, RAMC |
Highland Mounted Brigade 1/1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry | 2nd Mounted Division Train 2nd Mounted Division Company, ASC |
The division returned to Egypt from Gallipoli in December 1915 and was reformed and remounted. [13] The artillery batteries and other units left in Egypt rejoined the division between 10 and 20 December 1915. [15] However, the dismemberment of the division began almost immediately as units were posted to the Western Frontier Force or to various other commands.
On 21 January 1916, 2nd Mounted Division was disbanded. [13]
The 2nd Mounted Division had the following commanders: [20]
From | Rank | Name |
---|---|---|
31 August 1914 | Major-General | W.E. Peyton |
21 August 1915 | Brigadier-General | P.A. Kenna, VC (acting) |
23 August 1915 | Major-General | W.E. Peyton |
13 November 1915 | Brigadier-General | Marquis of Tullibardine (acting) |
14 November 1915 | Major-General | W.E. Peyton |
The Australian Mounted Division originally formed as the Imperial Mounted Division in January 1917, was a mounted infantry, light horse and yeomanry division. The division was formed in Egypt, and along with the Anzac Mounted Division formed part of Desert Column, Egyptian Expeditionary Force in World War I. The division was originally made up of the Australian 3rd Light Horse Brigade, the reconstituted 4th Light Horse Brigade, and two British yeomanry brigades; the 5th Mounted Brigade and 6th Mounted Brigade.
The 1st Mounted Division was a Yeomanry Division of the British Army active during World War I. It was formed in August 1914 for the home defence of the United Kingdom from four existing mounted brigades of the Territorial Force, each of three regiments of Yeomanry. The divisional order of battle changed often, as the 1st Line brigades left for service overseas and were replaced by 2nd Line formations. It was converted to the 1st Cyclist Division in July 1916, and was broken up in November 1916 without being involved in active service. It remained in East Anglia throughout its existence.
The Welsh Horse Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army that served in the First World War. The regiment was raised shortly after the outbreak of the war. Initially it served in East Anglia on anti-invasion duties, before being dismounted in 1915 and sent to take part in the Gallipoli Campaign. After withdrawal to Egypt, it was amalgamated with the 1/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry as the 25th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers and served as such throughout the rest of the war. It took part in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign in 1917 and 1918, before being transferred to the Western Front where it remained until the end of the war. The regiment formed 2nd and 3rd Lines in 1914, but these never left the United Kingdom before being disbanded in 1916 and early 1917, respectively. The 1st Line was disbanded in 1919.
The 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade was a yeomanry brigade of the British Army, formed as part of the Territorial Force in 1908.
The 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade was a yeomanry brigade of the British Army, formed as part of the Territorial Force in 1908.
The London Mounted Brigade was a yeomanry brigade of the British Army, formed as part of the Territorial Force in 1908.
The Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade was a yeomanry brigade of the British Army, formed as part of the Territorial Force in 1908.
The 2nd Dismounted Brigade was a formation of the British Army in the First World War. It was formed in Egypt in February 1916 by absorbing the Highland Mounted Brigade and the 2nd South Western Mounted Brigade. In October it absorbed the remnants of the 1st Dismounted Brigade. The brigade served as part of the Western Frontier Force and the Suez Canal Defences.
The 3rd Dismounted Brigade was a formation of the British Army in the First World War. It was formed in Egypt in February 1916 by absorbing the Eastern Mounted Brigade and the South Eastern Mounted Brigade. The brigade served as part of the Western Frontier Force and the Suez Canal Defences.
The Eastern Mounted Brigade was a formation of the Territorial Force of the British Army, organised in 1908. After serving dismounted in the Gallipoli Campaign, it was absorbed into the 3rd Dismounted Brigade in Egypt in February 1916.
The Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army. First raised in 1794, it participated in the Second Boer War and the First World War before being amalgamated with the Royal North Devon Yeomanry in 1920 to form the Royal Devon Yeomanry.
The Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade was a formation of the Territorial Force of the British Army, raised in August 1914, during the First World War. After service in the Gallipoli Campaign and in the defence of Egypt, it was absorbed into the 1st Dismounted Brigade in February 1916.
The Lowland Mounted Brigade was a formation of the Territorial Force of the British Army, organised in 1908. After service in the Gallipoli Campaign, it was absorbed into the 1st Dismounted Brigade in February 1916.
The Highland Mounted Brigade was a formation of the Territorial Force of the British Army, organised in 1908. After service in the Gallipoli Campaign and in the defence of Egypt, it was absorbed into the 2nd Dismounted Brigade in February 1916.
The 2nd South Western Mounted Brigade was a formation of the Territorial Force of the British Army, organised in 1908. After service in the Gallipoli Campaign and in the defence of Egypt, it was absorbed into the 2nd Dismounted Brigade in February 1916.
The 1st Composite Mounted Brigade was a formation of the British Army in World War I. It was formed by the 2nd Mounted Division during the Gallipoli Campaign on 4 September 1915 by absorbing the 1st South Midland, 2nd South Midland and 5th Mounted Brigades. The brigade was dissolved on return to Egypt in December 1915.
The Yeomanry Mounted Brigade was a formation of the Territorial Force of the British Army, raised in January 1915 during the First World War. After service in the Gallipoli Campaign and with the Western Frontier Force in World War I, it was broken up in March 1916.
I Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery , along with its sister II Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F.), was a horse artillery brigade of the Territorial Force that was formed in September 1914 for the 2nd Mounted Division at the start of World War I.
II Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery , along with its sister I Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F.), was a horse artillery brigade of the Territorial Force that was formed in September 1914 for the 2nd Mounted Division at the start of World War I.
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.