4th Light Horse Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 4th Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the First Australian Imperial Force
serving in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I
. The brigade was formed in March 1915 and shipped to Egypt
without their horses and was broken up in Egypt in August 1915. Reformed in February 1917, the Brigade was attached to the Imperial Mounted Division and in June 1917 transferred to the Australian Mounted Division
, where it served in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign
until the end of the war.
The 4th Light Horse Brigade was raised in response to a promise made by the Australian Government to supply a division of 20,000 Australians comprising infantry, artillery and cavalry to be used at the discretion of Britain. The 4th Light Horse Brigade was part of the 4th Contingent that was raised from 4 March 1915. The 4th Light Horse Brigade was primarily raised from recruits currently serving in the various militia light horse formations created as a consequence of the Kitchener Report 1910 and the introduction of Universal Training.
This Regiment was recruited exclusively Victoria in August 1914 as Divisional Cavalry. "B" and "D" Squadrons embarked for France in May 1916. A new "B" Squadron was raised as a consequence. The Regiment was renamed 3rd Camel Regiment in September 1916 and served with the Imperial Camel Corps until it brigaded with the 11th and 12th Light Horse Regiments into the 4th Light Horse Brigade in February 1917.
was recruited exclusively from New South Wales. The Regiment was broken up on 26 August 1915 as reinforcements to Regiments at Gallipoli. "A" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 1st Light Horse Regiment, "B" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 7th Light Horse Regiment and "C" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 6th Light Horse Regiment. The Regiment was reconstituted on 20 February 1916 in Egypt. It was renamed 2nd Camel Regiment in September 1916 and served with the Imperial Camel Corps until it brigaded with the 4th Light Horse Brigade in February 1917.
and 1/1st Notts RHA.
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
serving in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I
Middle Eastern theatre of World War I
The Middle Eastern theatre of World War I was the scene of action between 29 October 1914, and 30 October 1918. The combatants were the Ottoman Empire, with some assistance from the other Central Powers, and primarily the British and the Russians among the Allies of World War I...
. The brigade was formed in March 1915 and shipped 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...
without their horses and was broken up in Egypt in August 1915. Reformed in February 1917, the Brigade was attached to the Imperial Mounted Division and in June 1917 transferred to the Australian Mounted Division
Australian Mounted Division
The Australian Mounted Division was a mounted infantry division formed in Egypt during World War I. When the British forces in the Middle East expanded in late 1916, a second mounted division was created called the Imperial Mounted Division...
, where it served in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign
Sinai and Palestine Campaign
The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
until the end of the war.
Formation
Embarkation
The original Brigade embarked to Egypt during months of May and June 1915. In Egypt additional training occurred at the Heliopolis Camp. Subsequent embarkations of reinforcements occurred as and when sufficient recruits were gathered and prepared for movement to a war theatre.Battle of Beersheba
The most notable action the 4th Light Horse Brigade participated in was the cavalry charge during the Battle of Beersheba in 1917.Disbandment
The Brigade was disbanded in July 1919 when the individual regiments returned to Australia from June to July 1919. As each Regiment arrived in the specific home port, they were disbanded.4th Light Horse Regiment
11th Light Horse Regiment
This was a composite Regiment recruited primarily from Queensland with a South Australian Squadron. "A" Squadron and "B" Squadron recruited from Queensland and "C" Squadron recruited from South Australia. The Regiment was broken up on 26 August 1915 as reinforcements to Regiments at Gallipoli. "A" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, "B" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 5th Light Horse Regiment and"C" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 9th Light Horse Regiment. The Regiment was reconstituted on 20 February 1916 at Heliopolis, Egypt. The Regiment was renamed 1st Camel Regiment in September 1916 and served with the Imperial Camel Corps until it brigaded with the 4th Light Horse Brigade in February 1917.12th Light Horse Regiment
The 12th Light Horse Regiment12th Light Horse Regiment (Australia)
The 12th Light Horse Regiment was a light horse regiment of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in 1915 for service during the First World War, the regiment served in the Middle East against the Turks before being disbanded in 1919...
was recruited exclusively from New South Wales. The Regiment was broken up on 26 August 1915 as reinforcements to Regiments at Gallipoli. "A" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 1st Light Horse Regiment, "B" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 7th Light Horse Regiment and "C" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 6th Light Horse Regiment. The Regiment was reconstituted on 20 February 1916 in Egypt. It was renamed 2nd Camel Regiment in September 1916 and served with the Imperial Camel Corps until it brigaded with the 4th Light Horse Brigade in February 1917.
4th Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron
The 4th Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron was formed when the Parent Brigade was formed in February 1917. The 4th Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron was armed with 12 machine-guns.4th Light Horse Signal Troop
The 4th Signal Troop was created in February 1917 by drafting in four signallers from each of the 12 Regiments in Palestine.4th Light Horse Field Ambulance
The 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance was formed in February 1917 from some 60 men drawn out of all the other Light Horse formations in Egypt.4th Light Horse Brigade Train
The 4th Light Horse Brigade Train was primarily recruited around Melbourne and trained at Broadmeadows. After Gallipoli, this unit underwent some name changes from 4th Supply Section in February 1917 to 36th Australian Army Service Corps Company in August 1917.Artillery
Artillery support was provided for the 4th Light Horse Brigade from the British 19th Horse Artillery Brigade, "A" Battery, Honourable Artillery CompanyHonourable Artillery Company
The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
and 1/1st Notts RHA.
4th Light Horse Training Regiment
Formed in Egypt during February 1917, this unit trained incoming reinforcements while allowing the wounded and sick a place to recover before returning to active service. The Training Regiment contained three squadrons, each duplicating the Regiments within the Brigade to whom it supplied the reinforcements. The Training Regiment was disbanded in July 1918 to be replaced by the Australian Light Horse Training Regiment when recruits were no longer tied to a Regiment but placed in a general pool of reinforcements called the General Service Reinforcements.Commanders
- Brigadier General John Baldwin Meredith (13 February 1917 – 13 September 1917)
- Brigadier General William GrantWilliam Grant (General)Brigadier General William Grant CMG, DSO and Bar, MBE was an Australian Army colonel and temporary Brigadier General in World War I.-Early life and career:...
(13 September 1917 – June 1919)
Campaigns
Palestine:- First Battle of GazaFirst Battle of GazaThe First Battle of Gaza was fought in and around the town of Gaza on the Mediterranean coast in the southern region of Ottoman Palestine on 26 March 1917, during World War I...
- Second Battle of GazaSecond Battle of GazaThe Second Battle of Gaza, fought in southern Palestine during the First World War, was another attempt mounted by British Empire forces to break Ottoman defences along the Gaza-Beersheba line...
- Third Battle of GazaThird Battle of GazaThe Third Battle of Gaza was fought in 1917 in southern Palestine during the First World War. The British Empire forces under the command of General Edmund Allenby successfully broke the Ottoman defensive Gaza-Beersheba line...
- Battle of Beersheba
- Jerusalem
- Es Salt
- Battle of Megiddo (1918)Battle of Megiddo (1918)The Battle of Megiddo took place between 19 September and 1 October 1918, in what was then the northern part of Ottoman Palestine and parts of present-day Syria and Jordan...
- Damascus.
See also
- 1st Light Horse Brigade1st Light Horse BrigadeThe 1st Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the First Australian Imperial Force which served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. The brigade first saw action during the Dardanelles Campaign in the Battle of Gallipoli. After being withdrawn to Egypt in February 1916 they...
- 2nd Light Horse Brigade2nd Light Horse BrigadeThe 2nd Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the First Australian Imperial Force which served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. The brigade first saw action during the Dardanelles Campaign in the Battle of Gallipoli. After being withdrawn to Egypt in February 1916 they...
- 3rd Light Horse Brigade3rd Light Horse BrigadeThe 3rd Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the First Australian Imperial Force which served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I....
- 5th Light Horse Brigade5th Light Horse BrigadeThe 5th Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the First Australian Imperial Force, formed in Palestine in July 1918 they served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, as part of the Australian Mounted Division...