5th Cavalry Division (India)

Last updated

2nd Mounted Division
5th Cavalry Division
ActiveApril 1918 – April 1920
Country India
Branch British Indian Army
Type Cavalry
Size Division
Engagements World War I
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Maj.-Gen. H.J.M. Macandrew

The 2nd Mounted Division was a cavalry division that served as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Palestine in World War I. It was formed in April 1918 when three brigades already in Palestine were merged with elements of the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division withdrawn from the Western Front. In July 1918, the division was renamed as the 5th Cavalry Division. It remained in Palestine after the end of the war on occupation duties until finally broken up in 1920.

Contents

Formation

2nd Mounted Division

In March 1918, the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was broken up in France. The Canadian (Canadian Cavalry Brigade) and British units (notably 7th Dragoon Guards, 8th Hussars and N and X Batteries RHA) remained in France and the Indian elements were sent to Egypt. [1]

By an Egyptian Expeditionary Force GHQ Order of 12 April 1918, the mounted troops of the EEF were reorganised when the Indian Army units arrived in theatre. On 24 April 1918, the 2nd Mounted Division was formed [2] on the Indian Establishment. [lower-alpha 1] This new formation should not be confused with the original 2nd Mounted Division that saw action in the Gallipoli Campaign, though the 5th and 7th Mounted Brigades served in both. [3]

5th Cavalry Division

On 22 July 1918, the 2nd Mounted Division was renumbered as the 5th Cavalry Division and the brigades as the 13th, 14th and 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigades. The sub units (Signal Troops, Combined Cavalry Field Ambulances and Mobile Veterinary Sections) were renumbered on the same date. [9]

Order of Battle, September 1918 [9]
13th Cavalry Brigade

1/1st Royal Gloucestershire Hussars
9th Hodson's Horse
18th King George's Own Lancers
19th Machine Gun Squadron
13th Cavalry Brigade Signal Troop
13th Combined Cavalry Field Ambulance, RAMC
13th Mobile Veterinary Section

14th Cavalry Brigade

1/1st Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry
20th Deccan Horse
34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse
20th Machine Gun Squadron
14th Cavalry Brigade Signal Troop
14th Combined Cavalry Field Ambulance, RAMC
14th Mobile Veterinary Section

15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade

Mysore Lancers
1st Hyderabad Lancers
1st Jodhpur Lancers
15th I.S. Machine Gun Squadron
15th Kathiawar Signal Troop
15th I.S. Cavalry Field Ambulance
15th I.S. Mobile Veterinary Section

Artillery

Essex Battery, RHA
Nottinghamshire Battery, RHA [lower-alpha 2]
Ammunition Column

Divisional Troops

5th Field Squadron, RE [lower-alpha 3]
5th Cavalry Division Signal Squadron

5th Cavalry Division Train

1044th Company ASC
1103rd Company ASC
1104th Company ASC
1105th Company ASC

Battles

Gloucester Yeomanry march through Damascus on 2 October 1918 IWM Q12386Damascus.jpeg
Gloucester Yeomanry march through Damascus on 2 October 1918

The 2nd Mounted / 5th Cavalry Division served with the Desert Mounted Corps for the rest of the war, taking part in the Second Transjordan Raid (30 April to 4 May 1918, 15th I.S. Brigade only), Affair of Abu Tellul (14 July), and the Final Offensive including the Battle of Megiddo (19 25 September), Capture of Haifa (23 September, 15th I.S. Brigade only) and Damascus (1 October), Affair of Haritan (26 October, 15th I.S. Brigade only) and Occupation of Aleppo (26 October). [2]

The division remained in Palestine on occupation duties after the end of the war. However, demobilization began immediately and most of the British war time units had left by the middle of 1919. 14th Cavalry Brigade was broken up in September 1919, and the 15th (I.S.) Cavalry Brigade in January 1920. The division (and 13th Cavalry Brigade) was finally broken up in April 1920. [2]

See also

Notes

  1. British Indian Army standard whereby brigades only retained one British regiment or battalion and most support units were Indian (artillery excepted).
  2. Nottinghamshire, RHA was attached from Australian Mounted Division from September to October 1918. [10]
  3. 7th Field Squadron, RE was renumbered as 5th Field Squadron, RE. [9]

Related Research Articles

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 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)</span> World War-era British Army formation

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 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)</span> WW1 British Army formation

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 Indian Cavalry Division was a division of the British Indian Army formed at the outbreak of World War I. It served on the Western Front, being renamed as 5th Cavalry Division on 26 November 1916. In March 1918, the 5th Cavalry Division was broken up. The British and Canadian units remained in France and the Indian elements were sent to Egypt to help constitute 2nd Mounted Division.

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 North Midland Mounted Brigade was a yeomanry brigade of the British Army, formed as part of the Territorial Force in 1908.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">14th Cavalry Brigade (British Indian Army)</span> Military unit

The Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade was a yeomanry brigade of the British Army, formed as part of the Territorial Force in 1908.

The 11th Gurkha Rifles was a Gurkha regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in Mesopotamia and Palestine in May 1918, saw active service in the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War, and was disbanded in April 1922.

The 7th Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Army. It served in the Napoleonic Wars, notably at the Battle of Waterloo. It was reformed in 1914 and served on the Western Front as part of the 3rd Cavalry Division until the end of World War I.

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 1st Mounted Division was a cavalry division that served as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Palestine in World War I. It was formed in April 1918 when the Yeomanry Mounted Division was merged with elements of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division withdrawn from the Western Front. In July 1918, the combined division was renamed as the 4th Cavalry Division. It remained in Palestine after the end of the war on occupation duties until finally broken up in 1921.

V Lowland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery was a field artillery brigade formed from three Territorial Force Royal Horse Artillery batteries in January 1916. It was assigned to the 52nd (Lowland) Division to replace I Lowland Brigade, RFA (T.F.) and joined the division in Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampshire Royal Horse Artillery</span> Former British Army horse artillery battery

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicestershire Royal Horse Artillery</span> Former British Army horse artillery battery

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.

<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. Perry 1993 , p. 20
  2. 1 2 3 Perry 1993 , p. 28
  3. Perry 1993 , p. 27
  4. James 1978 , p. 29
  5. James 1978 , p. 26
  6. James 1978 , p. 31
  7. Becke 1936 , p. 32
  8. Becke 1936 , p. 33
  9. 1 2 3 4 Perry 1993 , p. 26
  10. Perry 1992, p. 51

Bibliography