1st Mounted Division
Encyclopedia
The 1st Mounted Division was formed in August 1914 for the home defence of the United Kingdom. It was formed from existing mounted brigades of the Territorial Force
, each of three regiments of Yeomanry
.
The Divisional order of battle would often change, as the First Line Brigades left for service overseas and were then replaced by Second Line units. It would be converted to the 1st Cyclist Division in July 1916, and was then broken up in the November 1916 without being involved in active service.
Another, unrelated, 1st Mounted Division was formed in July 1916 from what had been 3rd Mounted Division, lasting until September 1917. Another incarnation of 1st Mounted Division was created in April 1918 from the Yeomanry Mounted Division, lasting until July 1918.
In September 1915, the brigade was dismounted and moved via Egypt
to ANZAC bridgehead on Gallipoli
, attached to 54th Division.
The Brigade moved to the 2nd Mounted Division in September 1914, and was replaced in the Division by the South Wales Mounted Brigade.
The Brigade moved to the 2nd Mounted Division in September 1914 and was replaced in the Division by the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade.
The Brigade moved to the 2nd Mounted Division in August 1914 and was replaced in the Division by the North Midland Mounted Brigade.
The Brigade joined the Division in September 1914 to replace the South Midland Brigade and was itself replaced in the Division by the 2/1st Eastern Mounted Brigade. In November 1915 the Brigade units were dismounted and moved to Egypt
in March 1916, and was absorbed along with the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade into 4th Dismounted Brigade which joined the Western Frontier Force
. The would be re designated as the 231st Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division.
The Brigade joined the Division in September 1914 to replace the 2nd South Midland Brigade, in November 1915 the regiments were dismounted and moved to Egypt in March 1916, and was absorbed into 4th Dismounted Brigade along with the South Wales Mounted Brigade.
The Brigade joined the Division in September 1914,to replace the Notts and Derbys Brigade. In October 1915, the Brigade left and became an independent command and would be replaced in thie Division by the 2/1st North Midland Brigade. The orders to move to Salonika were altered and the Brigade moved to Egypt
instead, arriving November 1915. They were then redesignated the 22nd Mounted Brigade in April 1916.
The Brigade joined Division in March 1916, to replace the South Wales Brigade. They left the Division by July 1916.
The Brigade replaced the Eastern Brigade in October 1915. They were then redesignated the 4th Mounted Brigade in July 1916. In the same month when this Division became the 1st Cyclist Division, they were then redesignated as the 4th Cyclist Brigade.The Brigade was broken up in November 1916.
The 2/1st North Midland Brigade Replaced the North Midland Brigade in October 1915. It was redesignated as the 3rd Mounted Brigade in July 1916. In the same month when this Division became the 1st Cyclist Division, they were then redesignated as the 3rd Cyclist Brigade.The Brigade was broken up in November 1916.
The brigade joined the Division in March 1915 to replace the Welsh Border Brigade, they would leave the Division in July 1916 and were replaced by the 2nd Mounted Brigade.
The brigade which was redesignated from the 2/1st Highland Brigade, joined the Division in May 1916 to replace the 2/1st Eastern Brigade, they would leave the Division in July 1916.
The brigade which was redesignated from the 2/2nd South Western Mounted Brigade, joined the Division in May 1916 to replace the 2/1st Welsh Border Brigade. In July 1916 when this Division became the 1st Cyclist Division, they would be redesignated as 1st Cyclist Brigade. The brigade was broken up in November 1916.
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
, each of three regiments of Yeomanry
Yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.-History:...
.
The Divisional order of battle would often change, as the First Line Brigades left for service overseas and were then replaced by Second Line units. It would be converted to the 1st Cyclist Division in July 1916, and was then broken up in the November 1916 without being involved in active service.
Another, unrelated, 1st Mounted Division was formed in July 1916 from what had been 3rd Mounted Division, lasting until September 1917. Another incarnation of 1st Mounted Division was created in April 1918 from the Yeomanry Mounted Division, lasting until July 1918.
Commanding Generals
- Major General E. Alderson (5 August to 28 September 1914)
- Lieutenant General R. Broadwood (September 1914 to November 1916)
Eastern Mounted Brigade
- 1/1st Duke of Yorks Own Loyal Suffolk HussarsDuke of Yorks Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars-History:The Duke of Yorks Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars was a unit of the British Army from 1794–1961.The regiment was formed as volunteer cavalry in 1794, during the French Revolutionary Wars. The Suffolk Yeomanry was raised in as the Loyal Suffolk Hussars, they fought in the Boer war as part...
- 1/1st Norfolk YeomanryNorfolk YeomanryThe Norfolk Yeomanry was a regiment of the British Army.In 1901, the Norfolk Yeomanry were raised at the express wish of King Edward VII, after a gap of 33 years, and titled the King's Own Royal Regiment with the Royal cipher as their badge.In September 1915, the regiment embarked on RMS Olympic...
- 1/1st Essex YeomanryEssex YeomanryThe Essex Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army raised in 1797. The regiment recruited volunteers from the county of Essex in the East of England.-Origins:...
- Essex Battery Royal Horse ArtilleryRoyal Horse ArtilleryThe regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
In September 1915, the brigade was dismounted and moved via Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
to ANZAC bridgehead on Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
, attached to 54th Division.
1st South Midland Mounted Brigade
- 1/1st Warwickshire YeomanryWarwickshire YeomanryThe Warwickshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794, which served as a cavalry and dismounted infantry regiment in the First World War and as a cavalry and an armoured regiment in the Second World War, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own...
- 1/1st Royal Gloucestershire HussarsRoyal Gloucestershire HussarsThe Royal Gloucestershire Hussars was a unit of the British Army.Raised in 1795 following William Pitt's 1794 order to raise volunteer bodies of men to defend Great Britain, through various re-organisations, the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars remain today on the establishment of the Territorial...
- 1/1st Queen's Own Worcestershire HussarsQueen's Own Worcestershire Hussars-History:The Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars were formed in 1794, as the Worcestershire Yeomanry, when King George III, was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger was the Prime Minister of Great Britain, and across the English Channel, Britain was faced by a French nation that had recently...
- Warwickshire Battery Royal Horse ArtilleryRoyal Horse ArtilleryThe regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
The Brigade moved to the 2nd Mounted Division in September 1914, and was replaced in the Division by the South Wales Mounted Brigade.
2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade
- 1/1st Berkshire YeomanryBerkshire Yeomanry94 Signal Squadron forms part of 39 Signal Regiment. They are currently based in three locations in the Home Counties...
- 1/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars
- 1/1st Queen's Own Oxfordshire HussarsQueen's Own Oxfordshire HussarsThe Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars was the designated name of a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army between 1888 and 1922. In response a call by the government for troops of volunteers to be formed in the shires, meeting of “Nobility, Gentry, Freeholders and Yeomanry” was called at the Star Inn...
- Berkshire Battery Royal Horse ArtilleryRoyal Horse ArtilleryThe regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
The Brigade moved to the 2nd Mounted Division in September 1914 and was replaced in the Division by the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade.
Notts and Derby Mounted Brigade
- 1/1st Sherwood Rangers YeomanrySherwood Rangers YeomanryThe Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry is one of the five squadrons of the Royal Yeomanry , an armoured regiment of the Territorial Army. Designated as 'S' Squadron, the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry's current role is to support the Formation Reconnaissance Regiments and the Joint Chemical Biological Nuclear...
- 1/1st South Nottinghamshire HussarsSouth Nottinghamshire HussarsThe South Nottinghamshire Hussars were a unit of the British Army formed as volunteer cavalry in 1794. Converted to artillery in 1922, it now forms a battery of a Territorial Army regiment.-World War I:...
- 1/1st Derbyshire YeomanryDerbyshire YeomanryThe Derbyshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794, which served as a cavalry regiment and dismounted infantry regiment in the First World War and provided two reconnaissance regiments in the Second World War, before being amalgamated into The Leicestershire...
- 1/1st Nottinghamshire RHA
The Brigade moved to the 2nd Mounted Division in August 1914 and was replaced in the Division by the North Midland Mounted Brigade.
South Wales Mounted Brigade
- 1/1st Pembroke YeomanryPembroke YeomanryThe Pembroke Yeomanry were formed in 1794, by Lord Milfordwhen King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger was Prime Minister of Great Britain, and across the English Channel, Britain was faced by a French nation that had recently guillotined its King and which possessed a...
- 1/1st Montgomeryshire YeomanryMontgomeryshire YeomanryThe Montgomeryshire Yeomanry unlike the other Yeomanry regiments was only formed in 1813 when the threat of a French invasion was almost over. They served as part of the Imperial Yeomanry during the Boer War and formed three regiments for service during World War I.-Boer War:The Montgomeryshire...
- 1/1st Glamorgan YeomanryGlamorgan YeomanryThe Glamorgan Yeomanry were formed in 1797, when King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger was the Prime Minister of Great Britain, and across the English Channel, Britain was faced by a French nation that had recently guillotined its King and possessed a revolutionary army...
- Glamorgan Battery Royal Horse ArtilleryRoyal Horse ArtilleryThe regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
The Brigade joined the Division in September 1914 to replace the South Midland Brigade and was itself replaced in the Division by the 2/1st Eastern Mounted Brigade. In November 1915 the Brigade units were dismounted and moved to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in March 1916, and was absorbed along with the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade into 4th Dismounted Brigade which joined the Western Frontier Force
Western Frontier Force
The Western Frontier Force was a force of British Empire troops formed in response to the Senussi Uprising and coming under the command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force....
. The would be re designated as the 231st Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division.
Welsh Border Mounted Brigade
- 1/1st Shropshire YeomanryShropshire YeomanryThe 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, before being amalgamated with the Shropshire Royal Horse...
- 1/1st Cheshire YeomanryCheshire YeomanryThe Cheshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment that can trace its history back to 1797 when Sir John Fleming Leicester of Tabley raised a county regiment of light cavalry in response to the growing fears of invasion from Napoleonic France....
- 1/1st Denbighshire HussarsDenbighshire HussarsThe Denbighshire Hussars was a unit of the British Army from 1794–1921. It saw service in the First World War before being merged into a unit of the Royal Artillery.-Early history:...
- Shropshire Battery Royal Horse ArtilleryRoyal Horse ArtilleryThe regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
The Brigade joined the Division in September 1914 to replace the 2nd South Midland Brigade, in November 1915 the regiments were dismounted and moved to Egypt in March 1916, and was absorbed into 4th Dismounted Brigade along with the South Wales Mounted Brigade.
North Midland Brigade
- 1/1st Staffordshire YeomanryStaffordshire YeomanryThe Staffordshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army.Raised in 1794 following Prime Minister William Pitt's order to raise volunteer bodies of men to defend Great Britain from foreign invasion, the Staffordshire Yeomanry began as volunteer cavalry regiment. It first served overseas at the...
- 1/1st Lincolnshire YeomanryLincolnshire YeomanryThe Lincolnshire Yeomanry was a volunteer cavalry unit of the British Army from 1794–1920.-Boer War:On 13 December 1899, the decision to allow volunteer forces serve in the Second Boer War was made...
- 1/1st Welsh HorseWelsh HorseThe Welsh Horse unlike the other Yeomanry regiments was newly formed and raised in 1914, almost single handed by their aspiring Commanding Officer Lt Colonel Arthur Owen Vaughan DSO OBE DCM. During the Great War the Regiment would raise three regiment but only the First Line Regiment would see...
(joined and left early 1915) - 1/1st East Riding Yeomanry (joined May 1915)
- Leicestershire Battery Royal Horse ArtilleryRoyal Horse ArtilleryThe regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
The Brigade joined the Division in September 1914,to replace the Notts and Derbys Brigade. In October 1915, the Brigade left and became an independent command and would be replaced in thie Division by the 2/1st North Midland Brigade. The orders to move to Salonika were altered and the Brigade moved to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
instead, arriving November 1915. They were then redesignated the 22nd Mounted Brigade in April 1916.
2/1st Eastern Brigade
- 2/1st Duke of Yorks Own Loyal Suffolk HussarsDuke of Yorks Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars-History:The Duke of Yorks Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars was a unit of the British Army from 1794–1961.The regiment was formed as volunteer cavalry in 1794, during the French Revolutionary Wars. The Suffolk Yeomanry was raised in as the Loyal Suffolk Hussars, they fought in the Boer war as part...
- 2/1st Norfolk YeomanryNorfolk YeomanryThe Norfolk Yeomanry was a regiment of the British Army.In 1901, the Norfolk Yeomanry were raised at the express wish of King Edward VII, after a gap of 33 years, and titled the King's Own Royal Regiment with the Royal cipher as their badge.In September 1915, the regiment embarked on RMS Olympic...
- 2/1st Essex YeomanryEssex YeomanryThe Essex Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army raised in 1797. The regiment recruited volunteers from the county of Essex in the East of England.-Origins:...
The Brigade joined Division in March 1916, to replace the South Wales Brigade. They left the Division by July 1916.
2/1st South Wales Mounted Brigade
- 2/1st Pembroke YeomanryPembroke YeomanryThe Pembroke Yeomanry were formed in 1794, by Lord Milfordwhen King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger was Prime Minister of Great Britain, and across the English Channel, Britain was faced by a French nation that had recently guillotined its King and which possessed a...
- 2/1st Montgomeryshire YeomanryMontgomeryshire YeomanryThe Montgomeryshire Yeomanry unlike the other Yeomanry regiments was only formed in 1813 when the threat of a French invasion was almost over. They served as part of the Imperial Yeomanry during the Boer War and formed three regiments for service during World War I.-Boer War:The Montgomeryshire...
- 2/1st Glamorgan YeomanryGlamorgan YeomanryThe Glamorgan Yeomanry were formed in 1797, when King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger was the Prime Minister of Great Britain, and across the English Channel, Britain was faced by a French nation that had recently guillotined its King and possessed a revolutionary army...
The Brigade replaced the Eastern Brigade in October 1915. They were then redesignated the 4th Mounted Brigade in July 1916. In the same month when this Division became the 1st Cyclist Division, they were then redesignated as the 4th Cyclist Brigade.The Brigade was broken up in November 1916.
2/1st North Midland Brigade
- 2/1st Staffordshire YeomanryStaffordshire YeomanryThe Staffordshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army.Raised in 1794 following Prime Minister William Pitt's order to raise volunteer bodies of men to defend Great Britain from foreign invasion, the Staffordshire Yeomanry began as volunteer cavalry regiment. It first served overseas at the...
- 2/1st Leicestershire YeomanryLeicestershire YeomanryThe Leicestershire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794 and again in 1803, which provided cavalry and mounted infantry in the South African War and First World War and provided two field artillery regiments of the Royal Artillery in the Second World War,...
- 2/1st Lincolnshire YeomanryLincolnshire YeomanryThe Lincolnshire Yeomanry was a volunteer cavalry unit of the British Army from 1794–1920.-Boer War:On 13 December 1899, the decision to allow volunteer forces serve in the Second Boer War was made...
The 2/1st North Midland Brigade Replaced the North Midland Brigade in October 1915. It was redesignated as the 3rd Mounted Brigade in July 1916. In the same month when this Division became the 1st Cyclist Division, they were then redesignated as the 3rd Cyclist Brigade.The Brigade was broken up in November 1916.
2/1st Welsh Border Brigade
- 2/1st Shropshire YeomanryShropshire YeomanryThe 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, before being amalgamated with the Shropshire Royal Horse...
- 2/1st Cheshire YeomanryCheshire YeomanryThe Cheshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment that can trace its history back to 1797 when Sir John Fleming Leicester of Tabley raised a county regiment of light cavalry in response to the growing fears of invasion from Napoleonic France....
- 2/1st Denbighshire HussarsDenbighshire HussarsThe Denbighshire Hussars was a unit of the British Army from 1794–1921. It saw service in the First World War before being merged into a unit of the Royal Artillery.-Early history:...
The brigade joined the Division in March 1915 to replace the Welsh Border Brigade, they would leave the Division in July 1916 and were replaced by the 2nd Mounted Brigade.
1st Mounted Brigade
- 2/1st Fife and Forfar YeomanryFife and Forfar YeomanryThe Fife and Forfar Yeomanry was an Armoured Yeomanry Regiment of the British Territorial Army from 1793 to 1956 when it was amalgimated with the Scottish Horse....
- 2/1st Lovat ScoutsLovat ScoutsThe Lovat Scouts were a British Army unit. The unit was first formed during the Second Boer War as a Scottish Highland yeomanry regiment of the British Army and is the first known military unit to wear a ghillie suit...
- 2/2nd Lovat Scouts
The brigade which was redesignated from the 2/1st Highland Brigade, joined the Division in May 1916 to replace the 2/1st Eastern Brigade, they would leave the Division in July 1916.
2nd Mounted Brigade
- 2/1st Royal Devon YeomanryRoyal Devon YeomanryThe Royal Devon Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794, it participated in the Boer War, World War I and World War II and now forms a squadron of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry.-History:...
- 2/1st Royal North Devon Yeomanry
- 2/1st West Somerset YeomanryWest Somerset YeomanryThe West Somerset Yeomanry was formed in 1794, when King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger was the Prime Minister of Great Britain and, across the English Channel, Britain was faced by a French nation that had recently guillotined its King and possessed a revolutionary army...
The brigade which was redesignated from the 2/2nd South Western Mounted Brigade, joined the Division in May 1916 to replace the 2/1st Welsh Border Brigade. In July 1916 when this Division became the 1st Cyclist Division, they would be redesignated as 1st Cyclist Brigade. The brigade was broken up in November 1916.
Cyclist Units
- 1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, the Norfolk Regiment
- 1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, the Suffolk RegimentSuffolk RegimentThe Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the Royal Norfolk Regiment as the 1st East Anglian Regiment in 1959...
- 1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, the Royal Sussex RegimentRoyal Sussex RegimentThe Royal Sussex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed as part of the Childers reforms by the amalgamation of the 35th Regiment of Foot and the 107th Regiment of Foot...
- 1/25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion, the London RegimentLondon RegimentThe London Regiment is a Territorial Army regiment in the British Army. It was first formed in 1908 in order to regiment the various Volunteer Force battalions in the newly formed County of London, each battalion having a distinctive uniform. The Volunteer Force was merged with the Yeomanry in 1908...
(left and moved to India in January 1916) - 2/25th (County of London) Cyclist Bn, the London Regiment (joined by November 1915)