2nd Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
The 2nd Cavalry Division was a regular British Army
division
that saw service in World War I
. It also known as Gough's Command, after its commanding General and was part of the initial British Expeditionary Force which landed in France
in September 1914.
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.
On November 11, 1918 , units of the division were east and northeast 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 November 17, 1918. On December 1, it crossed the frontier south of St Vith.
The winter was spent south of Liege, and demobilisation commenced.
The division ceased to exist on March 31, 1919.
unless shown
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
that saw service in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It also known as Gough's Command, after its commanding General and was part of the initial British Expeditionary Force which landed in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in September 1914.
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.
On November 11, 1918 , units of the division were east and northeast of Mons, in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Orders were received that the division would lead the advance of Fourth Army into Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, a move that was to begin on November 17, 1918. On December 1, it crossed the frontier south of St Vith.
The winter was spent south of Liege, and demobilisation commenced.
The division ceased to exist on March 31, 1919.
3rd Cavalry Brigade
- 4th (Queen's Own) Hussars
- 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers
- 16th (The Queen's) Lancers
- 3rd Signal Troop Royal EngineersRoyal EngineersThe Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
- 3rd Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (formed 29 February 1916)
4th Cavalry Brigade
- Household CavalryHousehold CavalryThe term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's...
Composite Regiment - 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers)
- 3rd (King's Own) 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...
- 4th Signal Troop R.E.
- 4th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron , (formed 28 February 1916)
5th Cavalry Brigade
- 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys)
- 20th Hussars20th HussarsThe 20th Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. In 1922 it was amalgamated with the 14th Hussars to form the 14th/20th Hussars, later the 14th/20th King's Hussars.-History of the 20th Hussars:...
- 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)12th Royal LancersThe 12th Royal Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. In 1960, it was amalgamated with 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, to form 9th/12th Royal Lancers .-History:...
- 5th Signal Troop R.E.
- 5th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron , (formed 26 February 1916)
Divisional Artillery
All units of the Royal Horse ArtilleryRoyal Horse Artillery
The regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
unless shown
- III Brigade RHA (comprising D and E Batteries, D Battery was attached to 3rd Cavalry Brigade, E Battery to 5th Cavalry Brigade)
- IV Brigade RHA
- J Battery RHA
- 1st Warwickshire Battery RHA
- 2nd Cavalry Divisional Ammunition Park
Divisional Commanders
- Major General Sir H. de la P. GoughHubert GoughGeneral Sir Hubert de la Poer Gough GCB, GCMG, KCVO was a senior officer in the British Army, who commanded the British Fifth Army from 1916 to 1918 during the First World War.-Family background:...
from formation in October 1914 until April 1915. - Major General C.T. McM. KavanaghCharles KavanaghLieutenant General Sir Charles Toler MacMorrough Kavanagh KCB KCMG CVO DSO was a British Army officer who commanded the Cavalry Corps at the Battle of Amiens.-Military career:...
from 19 April 1915 to July 1915. - Major General Sir P. ChetwodePhilip Chetwode, 1st Baron ChetwodeField Marshal Philip Walhouse Chetwode, 1st Baron Chetwode, 7th Baronet of Oakley, GCB, OM, GCSI, KCMG, DSO was a British cavalry officer who became Commander in Chief in India.-Early life and education:...
from 15 July 1915 to November 1916. - Major General W. Greenly from 16 November 1916 to April 1918.
- Major General T. Pitman from 16 April 1918.