4th Mounted Division

Last updated

4th Mounted Division
2nd Cyclist Division
Active20 March 1916 – 16 November 1916
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
Type Yeomanry then Cyclist
Size Division
Headquarters Colchester then Ipswich
Service World War I
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Lord Lovat

The 4th Mounted Division was a short-lived Yeomanry Division of the British Army active during World War I. It was formed on 20 March 1916, converted to 2nd Cyclist Division in July 1916 and broken up on 16 November 1916. It remained in England on Home Defence duties throughout its existence. [1]

Contents

History

4th Mounted Division

The 4th Mounted Division was formed on 20 March 1916 from three 2nd Line [lower-alpha 1] mounted brigades (2/1st Eastern, 2/1st South Eastern and 2/1st South Western) and the new 2/1st Southern Mounted Brigade. The Headquarters was at Colchester [5] and Brigadier-General (Major-General from 26 May) Lord Lovat was appointed to command. [6] The brigades were stationed at Wivenhoe, Canterbury, Kelvedon and Manningtree; they were numbered as 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th Mounted Brigades, respectively, on 31 March. [4] Being formed relatively late, it did not appear to suffer the same organizational problems (lack of equipment and personnel) as other 2nd Line divisions, for example the 1st and 2/2nd Mounted Divisions. [5]

2nd Cyclist Division

In July 1916 there was a major reorganization of 2nd Line yeomanry units in the United Kingdom. All but 12 regiments were converted to cyclists: [4] the rest were dismounted, handed over their horses to the remount depots and were issued with bicycles. The 4th Mounted Division was reorganized as the 2nd Cyclist Division, now commanding the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Cyclist Brigades. [6] On reorganisation, 14th Mounted Brigade  with 2/1st Hertfordshire, 2/1st Queen's Own West Kent and 2/1st Essex Yeomanry  was posted to the new 1st Mounted Division (3rd Mounted Division redesignated) where it formed the new 3rd Mounted Brigade and remained mounted. [7] In exchange, the 10th Mounted Brigade (2/1st South Midland) joined as the 8th Cyclist Brigade. [8]

The Headquarters remained at Colchester and the brigades at Wivenhoe, Kelvedon, Manningtree and West Malling. It was assigned to the Southern Army, Home Defence Troops, [5] and Lord Lovat remained in command. [6] The Headquarters moved to Ipswich in September 1916 and the brigade were now at Wivenhoe, Wingham, Woodbridge and Ipswich. [5]

A further reorganization in November 1916 saw the 2nd Cyclist Division broken up. The cyclist brigades were dispersed and the yeomanry regiments were amalgamated in pairs to form Yeomanry Cyclist Regiments in new cyclist brigades. The division had remained in England on Home Defence duties throughout its brief existence. [5]

Orders of battle

See also

Notes

  1. In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 ( 7 Edw. 7, c.9) which brought the Territorial Force into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service. Therefore, TF units were split into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. [2] 2nd Line units performed the home defence role, although in fact most of these were also posted abroad in due course. [3] Likewise, existing pre-war formations (brigades and divisions) formed duplicate 2nd Lines with the same structure as their 1st Line parents. [4]
  2. 2/1st Berkshire Royal Horse Artillery was attached to 7th Cyclist Brigade from September 1916 until the division was broken up. [7]
  3. 2/1st Nottinghamshire Royal Horse Artillery was attached to 8th Cyclist Brigade from September 1916 until the division was broken up. [7]

Related Research Articles

The 2nd Mounted Division was a yeomanry 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 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheshire Yeomanry</span> Military unit

The Cheshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment that can trace its history back to 1797 when Sir John Leicester of Tabley raised a county regiment of light cavalry in response to the growing fears of invasion from Napoleonic France. Its lineage is maintained by C Squadron, the Queen's Own Yeomanry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shropshire Yeomanry</span> Military unit

The Shropshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1795, which served as a cavalry and dismounted infantry regiment in the First World War and as a cavalry and an artillery regiment in the Second World War. It was then amalgamated with the Shropshire Royal Horse Artillery.

The 3rd Mounted Division was a Yeomanry Division of the British Army active during World War I. It was formed on 6 March 1915 as the 2/2nd Mounted Division, a replacement/depot formation for the 2nd Mounted Division which was being sent abroad on active service. In March 1916, it was renumbered as the 3rd Mounted Division and in July 1916 as the 1st Mounted Division. In September 1917, the division was reorganized as a cyclist formation and redesignated as The Cyclist Division. It remained in the United Kingdom throughout the war and was disbanded in June 1919.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincolnshire Yeomanry</span> Military unit

The Lincolnshire Yeomanry was a volunteer cavalry unit of the British Army formed in 1794. It saw action in the Second Boer War and the First World War before being disbanded in 1920.

The Royal East Kent Yeomanry was a British Army regiment formed in 1794. It saw action in the Second Boer War and the First World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry</span> Military unit

The Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry was a British Army regiment formed in 1794. It served in the Second Boer War and the First World War. It amalgamated with the Royal East Kent Yeomanry to form the Kent Yeomanry in 1920.

The Royal North Devon Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army. First raised in 1798, it participated in the Second Boer War and the First World War before being amalgamated with the Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry in 1920 to form the Royal Devon Yeomanry.

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 1st Dismounted Brigade was a formation of the British Army in World War I. It was formed in Egypt in February 1916 by absorbing the Lowland and Scottish Horse Mounted Brigades. The brigade was on Suez Canal defences attached to the 52nd (Lowland) Division and was broken up in October 1916.

The 21st Mounted Brigade previously known as the 2/1st Western Mounted Brigade was a 2nd Line yeomanry brigade of the British Army during the First World War. In July 1916 it was converted to a cyclist formation as 14th Cyclist Brigade and in October 1916 was redesignated as 10th Cyclist Brigade. It was still in existence, in Ireland, at the end of the war.

The 17th Mounted Brigade previously known as the 2/1st Welsh Border Mounted Brigade was a 2nd Line yeomanry brigade of the British Army during the First World War. In July 1916 it was converted to a cyclist formation as 10th Cyclist Brigade and in November 1916 was redesignated as 6th Cyclist Brigade. It was still in existence, in Ireland, at the end of the war.

The 20th Mounted Brigade previously known as the 2/1st Lowland Mounted Brigade was a 2nd Line yeomanry brigade of the British Army during the First World War. In July 1916 it was converted to a cyclist formation as 13th Cyclist Brigade and in November 1916 was redesignated as 9th Cyclist Brigade. It was still in existence, in Ireland, at the end of the war.

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.

The Glamorganshire Royal Horse Artillery was a Territorial Force Royal Horse Artillery battery that was formed in Glamorganshire in 1908. It saw active service during the First World War on the Western Front in 1917 and 1918 as part of an Army Field Artillery Brigade. A second line battery, 2/1st Glamorganshire RHA, served in England and Ireland before being broken up in January 1917. Glamorganshire RHA was not reconstituted in the post-war Territorial Force.

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 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nottinghamshire Royal Horse Artillery</span> Former British Army horse 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.

References

  1. Becke 1936 , pp. 27–30
  2. Rinaldi 2008, p. 35
  3. Baker, Chris. "Was my soldier in the Territorial Force (TF)?". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 James 1978, p. 36
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Becke 1936 , p. 30
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Becke 1936 , p. 27
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Becke 1936 , p. 29
  8. 1 2 3 Becke 1936 , p. 22
  9. 1 2 Becke 1936 , p. 28
  10. Becke 1936, p. 20

Bibliography