2nd Light Horse Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 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 After being withdrawn to Egypt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 were involved in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign
until the end of the war. They were attached to a number of different formations being part of the New Zealand and Australian Division
in December 1914, the Anzac Mounted Division
in March 1916 where they remained with until the end of the war, taking part in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign
.
The use of a wallaby fur puggaree gave the 6th Light Horse Regiment a singular and distinctive appearance.
in 1916, the three individual Regimental Veterinary sections were brigaded to form the 7th Mobile Veterinary Section.
Battalions.
See: Troop transport ships for information and photographs about the various ships employed in transporting the troops to Egypt.
Battle of Gallipoli
:
Sinai:
Palestine:
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...
which served 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 first saw action during the Dardanelles Campaign in the Battle of Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
. After being withdrawn to Egypt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 February 1916 they were involved 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. They were attached to a number of different formations being part of the New Zealand and Australian Division
New Zealand and Australian Division
The New Zealand and Australian Division was formed at the start of the Battle of Gallipoli as a composite division under the command of New Zealand general Alexander Godley. At the start of World War I New Zealand had mustered insufficient infantry battalions to form their own division while...
in December 1914, the Anzac Mounted Division
Anzac Mounted Division
The ANZAC Mounted Division was a mounted infantry and mounted rifles division formed in March 1916 in Egypt during World War I following the Battle of Gallipoli when the Australian and New Zealand regiments returned from fighting dismounted as infantry...
in March 1916 where they remained with until the end of the war, taking part 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...
.
Formation
The 2nd 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 2nd Light Horse Brigade was part of the 2nd Contingent that was hastily put together at the beginning of September 1914. The 2nd 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.6th Light Horse Regiment
This Regiment was recruited exclusively from New South Wales.The use of a wallaby fur puggaree gave the 6th Light Horse Regiment a singular and distinctive appearance.
7th Light Horse Regiment
Originally planned to be a composite regiment drawing squadrons from Queensland, South Australian and Western Australia, the volume of recruits changed this plan and the regiment recruits came exclusively from New South Wales.2nd Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron
Initially, each Regiment within the Brigade raised their own Machine Gun Section which consisted of two troops and two Maxim machine guns. This situation remained from 1914 until in July 1916, when all Regimental Machine Gun Sections were excised and brigaded to form a Machine Gun Squadron. The 5th, 6th and 7th Machine Gun Sections were combined to form the 2nd Machine Gun Squadron under the command of the Brigade. The 2nd Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron was armed with 12 machine guns.2nd Light Horse Signal Troop
The 2nd Signal Troop was created on 1 April 1916 by drafting in four signallers from each of the 12 Regiments at the Suez Canal. In addition 16 men from the Wireless troop were drafted into the 2nd Signal Troop.2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance
The core 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance was formed in Brisbane with a contingent from Gympie.2nd Light Horse Brigade Train
The 2nd Light Horse Brigade Train was primarily recruited around Brisbane and trained at Enoggera. After Gallipoli, this unit underwent some name changes from 2nd Supply Section in February 1916 to 34th Australian Army Service Corps Company in February 1917.7th Mobile Veterinary Section
Prior to 1916, each Regiment maintained their own Veterinary Section, usually consisting of half a troop. After the formation of the Anzac Mounted DivisionAnzac Mounted Division
The ANZAC Mounted Division was a mounted infantry and mounted rifles division formed in March 1916 in Egypt during World War I following the Battle of Gallipoli when the Australian and New Zealand regiments returned from fighting dismounted as infantry...
in 1916, the three individual Regimental Veterinary sections were brigaded to form the 7th Mobile Veterinary Section.
Artillery
Artillery support was provided for the 2nd Light Horse Brigade from British batteries. The first British battery attached to the Brigade was the 3rd (Territorial Force) Horse Artillery Brigade, Somerset Battery. This battery remained until the re-organisation of February 1918 when the Somerset Battery was replaced by the British 18th Royal Horse Artillery Brigade, Inverness Battery.2nd Light Horse Training Regiment
The 2nd Light Horse Training Regiment was formed in Egypt during March 1916, tasked with training 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 Anzac 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.2nd Light Horse Double Squadron
Formed Egypt 6 July 1916 from 2nd Light Horse Brigade reinforcements. It was officered and administered by the 2nd Light Horse Brigade. This Double Squadron was broken up in November 1916 with the men being transferred to the newly formed Imperial Camel CorpsImperial Camel Corps
The Imperial Camel Corps was a brigade-sized military formation which fought for the Allies in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign in World War I. Its personnel were infantry mounted on camels for movement across desert....
Battalions.
Embarkation
The Brigade embarked to Egypt during the months of October and November 1914. In Egypt additional training occurred at the Maadi Camp. Subsequent embarkations of reinforcements occurred as and when sufficient recruits were gathered and prepared for movement to a war theatre.See: Troop transport ships for information and photographs about the various ships employed in transporting the troops to Egypt.
Campaigns
Egypt:- Defence of Egypt.
Battle of Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
:
- Defence of Anzac; and,
- Withdrawal from Anzac.
Sinai:
- Sinai;
- Battle of RomaniBattle of RomaniThe Battle of Romani was fought east of the Suez Canal, near the Egyptian town of Romani and the site of ancient Pelusium on the Sinai Peninsula during the First World War...
; - Battle of MagdhabaBattle of MagdhabaThe Battle of Magdhaba took place on 23 December 1916 south and east of Bir Lahfan in the Sinai desert, some inland from the Mediterranean coast and the town of El Arish...
; and, - Battle of RafaBattle of RafaThe Battle of Rafa took place on 9 January 1917 at el Magruntein to the south of Rafa, close to the frontier between the Sultanate of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and the Ottoman Empire, and in the area to the north and east of Sheikh Zowaiid...
.
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;
- Jericho;
- 1st Amman;
- 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...
; and, - 2nd Amman
Disbandment
The Brigade was disbanded at Kantara, July 1919 when the various regiments within the Brigade embarked for Australia. As each Regiment arrived at its specific home port, it was disbanded.Other Australian Light Horse Brigades
- 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...
- 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....
- 4th Light Horse Brigade4th Light Horse BrigadeThe 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...
- 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...