The 1st Mounted Division was a
Yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units and sub-units in the British Army Reserve which are descended from volunteer cavalry regiments that now serve in a variety of different roles.
History
Origins
In the 1790s, following the ...
Division of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
active during
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. It was formed in August 1914 for the home defence of the United Kingdom from four existing mounted brigades of the
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...
, each of three regiments of
Yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units and sub-units in the British Army Reserve which are descended from volunteer cavalry regiments that now serve in a variety of different roles.
History
Origins
In the 1790s, following the ...
.
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
East Anglia is an area of the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, with parts of Essex sometimes also included.
The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, ...
throughout its existence.
An unrelated 1st Mounted Division was formed in July 1916, from the 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.
History
1st Mounted Division
The Mounted Division was formed on 5 August 1914, immediately after the outbreak of World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, from four existing mounted brigades of the Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...
Eastern, 1st South Midland, 2nd South Midland, and Notts. and Derby. It was assembled in East Anglia
East Anglia is an area of the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, with parts of Essex sometimes also included.
The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, ...
with Headquarters
Headquarters (often referred to as HQ) notes the location where most or all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The term is used in a wide variety of situations, including private sector corporations, non-profits, mil ...
at Bury St Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds (), commonly referred to locally as ''Bury,'' is a cathedral as well as market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk District, West Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer map 211: Bury St. Edmunds an ...
and the brigades at Ipswich
Ipswich () is a port town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in Suffolk, England. It is the county town, and largest in Suffolk, followed by Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds, and the third-largest population centre in East Anglia, ...
, Diss and two at Bury. The division was to spend its entire existence in East Anglia.
Later in the month, a decision was made to concentrate mounted troops in the Churn area of Berkshire
Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...
and at the end of August 1914 these were formed into a new 2nd Mounted Division. The original division was designated as 1st Mounted Division and gained three more 1st Line mounted brigadesSouth Wales
South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...
, Welsh Border, and North Midlandto replace the 1st South Midland, 2nd South Midland, and Notts. and Derby brigades.[
As the 1st Line mounted brigades left for overseas service, they were replaced by 2nd Line formations. As with other 2nd Line divisionswhich the 1st Mounted Division was in all but namethe division experienced considerable problems with regard to equipment and personnel. Even as late as July 1915, some ]Royal Horse Artillery
The Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) was formed in 1793 as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery (commonly termed Royal Artillery) to provide horse artillery support to the cavalry units of the British Army. Although the cavalry link rem ...
batteries were without guns, wagons or harnesses, machine guns were lacking and few of the men had fired a recruits' course of musketry.[
By the beginning of March 1916, the last 1st Line brigades had left and the division was now composed entirely of 2nd Line formations.][ On 31 March 1916, the remaining mounted brigades were ordered to be numbered in a single sequence and the division now commanded the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Mounted Brigades.][
]
1st Cyclist Division
In July 1916 there was a major reorganization of 2nd Line yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units and sub-units in the British Army Reserve which are descended from volunteer cavalry regiments that now serve in a variety of different roles.
History
Origins
In the 1790s, following the ...
units in the United Kingdom. All but 12 regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation.
In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...
s were converted to cyclists:[ the rest were dismounted, handed over their horses to the remount depots and were issued with bicycles. The 1st Mounted Division was reorganized as the 1st Cyclist Division, now commanding the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Cyclist Brigades.][ On reorganisation, 2nd Mounted Brigadewith 2/1st Royal 1st Devon, 2/1st Montgomeryshire and 2/1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanrywas posted to the new 1st Mounted Division ( 3rd Mounted Division redesignated) and remained mounted.] In exchange, the 12th Mounted Brigade (2/1st London) joined as the 4th Cyclist Brigade.
A further reorganization in November 1916 saw the 1st 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.[
]
Other formations
Two other divisions
Division may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
* Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting of 10,000 t ...
of the British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
were named ''1st Mounted Division'' during World War I.
When the original division was converted to a cyclist division in July 1916, the 3rd Mounted Division was renumbered as the 1st Mounted Division as it was the only remaining mounted division. It, too, was converted to cyclists as The Cyclist Division on 4 September 1917.
In March 1918, the 1st Indian Cavalry Division was broken up in France. The British units remained on the Western Front and the Indian elements were sent to Egypt. By an Egyptian Expeditionary Force
The Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) was a military formation of the British Empire, formed on 10 March 1916 under the command of General Archibald Murray from the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and the Force in Egypt (1914–1915), at the ...
GHQ Order of 12 April 1918, the mounted troops of the EEF were reorganised when the Indian Army units arrived in theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...
. On 24 April 1918, the Yeomanry Mounted Division was ''indianized'' and its title was changed to 1st Mounted Division. On 22 July 1918, it was renumbered as the 4th Cavalry Division.
Orders of battle
Commanders
The 1st Mounted Division / 1st Cyclist Division had the following commanders:
See also
* List of British divisions in World War I
* British yeomanry during the First World War
* Second line yeomanry regiments of the British Army
Notes
References
Bibliography
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External links
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{{British Army Divisions
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Military units and formations established in 1914
Military units and formations disestablished in 1916
1914 establishments in the United Kingdom