British 1st Cavalry Division
Encyclopedia
The 1st Cavalry Division was a regular Division
of the British Army
during the First World War where it fought on the Western Front
. During the Second World War it was a second line formation, formed from Yeomanry
Regiments. It fought in the Middle East
before being converted to the 10th Armoured Division.
throughout the war. It participated in most of the major actions where cavalry were used as a mounted mobile force, they would also be used as dismounted troops and effectively serve as infantry.
On 11 November 1918, orders were received that the Division would lead the advance of Second Army into Germany
, by 6 December, having passed through Namur
, the Division secured the Rhine bridgehead at Cologne
.
as a garrison and occupation force. In May 1941 the 4th Cavalry Brigade, together with a battalion of infantry from The Essex Regiment, a mechanised regiment from the Arab Legion
and supporting artillery was reorganised as Habforce
for operations in Iraq
including the relief of the base at RAF Habbaniya
and the occupation of Baghdad
. Following this, in July 1941 it was involved in operations against the Vichy
French in Syria
, advancing from eastern Iraq near the Trans-Jordan border to capture Palmyra
and secure the Haditha
- Tripoli
oil pipeline.
On 1 August 1941 the division was converted to the 10th Armoured 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...
of the British Army
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...
during the First World War where it fought on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. During the Second World War it was a second line formation, formed from 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:...
Regiments. It fought in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
before being converted to the 10th Armoured Division.
First World War
The 1st Cavalry Division was one of the first Divisions to move to France in 1914 , they would remain on the Western FrontWestern Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
throughout the war. It participated in most of the major actions where cavalry were used as a mounted mobile force, they would also be used as dismounted troops and effectively serve as infantry.
On 11 November 1918, orders were received that the Division would lead the advance of Second 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...
, by 6 December, having passed through Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
, the Division secured the Rhine bridgehead at Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
.
Order of battle in the First World War
Commanding Generals:- Major-General E. AllenbyEdmund Allenby, 1st Viscount AllenbyField Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby GCB, GCMG, GCVO was a British soldier and administrator most famous for his role during the First World War, in which he led the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the conquest of Palestine and Syria in 1917 and 1918.Allenby, nicknamed...
(from August to October 1914) - Major-General H. de LisleBeauvoir De LisleGeneral Sir Henry de Beauvoir De Lisle KCB KCMG DSO was a British Army General who served in World War I.-Military career:...
(from 12 October 1914 to May 1915) - Major-General Hon. C. BinghamCecil Edward BinghamMajor General The Hon Sir Cecil Edward Bingham GCVO KCMG CB was a British Army officer who held high command during World War I.-Military career:...
(from 27 May 1915 to October 1915) - Major-General R. Mullens (from 24 October 1915 onwards)
1st Cavalry Brigade
- 2nd Dragoon Guards
- 5th Dragoon Guards5th Dragoon GuardsThe 5th Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards in 1922....
- 11th Hussars11th HussarsThe 11th Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army.-History:The regiment was founded in 1715 as Colonel Philip Honeywood's Regiment of Dragoons and was known by the name of its Colonel until 1751 when it became the 11th Regiment of Dragoons...
- 1st Signal Troop
- 1st Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun SquadronMachine Gun CorpsThe Machine Gun Corps was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tanks in combat, and the branch was subsequently turned into the Tank...
(from February 1916)
2nd Cavalry Brigade
- 4th Dragoon Guards
- 9th Lancers
- 18th Hussars
- 2nd Signal Troop
- 2nd Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (from 28 February 1916)
9th Cavalry Brigade
Brigade was formed on 14 April 1915- 15th The King's Hussars15th The King's HussarsThe 15th The King's Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army. First raised in 1759, it saw service over two centuries, before being amalgamated into the 15th/19th Hussars in 1922.-Formation:...
- 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars
- 1/1st Bedfordshire YeomanryBedfordshire YeomanryBedfordshire Yeomanry, a unit of the British Army originally raised in 1797 as a body of independent troops, the Bedfordshire Yeomanry Cavalry was disbanded after the Napoleonic Wars and briefly reformed from 1817 to 1827....
(left 10 March 1918 to become part of Cavalry CorpsCavalry Corps (United Kingdom)The Cavalry Corps was a formation of the British Army during World War I. and part of the British Expeditionary Force. The corps was formed in France in October 1914, under General Sir Edmund Allenby...
Cyclist Regiment) - 8th (King's Royal Irish) Hussars (joined 10 March 1918 from 5th Cavalry Division. Briefly returned and came under Divisional orders during the enemy offensive from 21 March 1918)
- 9th Signal Troop RERoyal 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....
- 9th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (formed 28 February 1916)
Cavalry Divisional troops
- VII Brigade 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...
. - 1st Field Squadron 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....
. - 1st Signal Squadron.
Second World War
The only British cavalry division during the War, this formation was sent in January 1940 to the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
as a garrison and occupation force. In May 1941 the 4th Cavalry Brigade, together with a battalion of infantry from The Essex Regiment, a mechanised regiment from the Arab Legion
Arab Legion
The Arab Legion was the regular army of Transjordan and then Jordan in the early part of the 20th century.-Creation:...
and supporting artillery was reorganised as Habforce
Iraqforce
Iraqforce was a British and Commonwealth formation that came together in the Kingdom of Iraq. The formation fought in the Middle East during World War II.-Background:...
for operations in Iraq
Anglo-Iraqi War
The Anglo-Iraqi War was the name of the British campaign against the rebel government of Rashid Ali in the Kingdom of Iraq during the Second World War. The war lasted from 2 May to 31 May 1941. The campaign resulted in the re-occupation of Iraq by British armed forces and the return to power of the...
including the relief of the base at RAF Habbaniya
RAF Habbaniya
Royal Air Force Station Habbaniya, more commonly known as RAF Habbaniya, was a Royal Air Force station at Habbaniyah, about west of Baghdad in modern day Iraq, on the banks of the Euphrates near Lake Habbaniyah...
and the occupation of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. Following this, in July 1941 it was involved in operations against the Vichy
Vichy
Vichy is a commune in the department of Allier in Auvergne in central France. It belongs to the historic province of Bourbonnais.It is known as a spa and resort town and was the de facto capital of Vichy France during the World War II Nazi German occupation from 1940 to 1944.The town's inhabitants...
French in Syria
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
, advancing from eastern Iraq near the Trans-Jordan border to capture Palmyra
Battle of Palmyra
The Battle of Palmyra was part of the Allied invasion of Syria during the Syria-Lebanon campaign in World War II. The British mechanized cavalry and an Arab Legion desert patrol broke up a Vichy French mobile column northeast of the city of Palmyra...
and secure the Haditha
Haditha
Haditha is a city in the western Iraqi Al Anbar Governorate, about 240 km northwest of Baghdad. It is a farming town situated on the Euphrates River at . Its population of around 100,000 people is predominantly Sunni Muslim Arabs...
- Tripoli
Tripoli, Lebanon
Tripoli is the largest city in northern Lebanon and the second-largest city in Lebanon. Situated 85 km north of the capital Beirut, Tripoli is the capital of the North Governorate and the Tripoli District. Geographically located on the east of the Mediterranean, the city's history dates back...
oil pipeline.
On 1 August 1941 the division was converted to the 10th Armoured Division
British 10th Armoured Division
The 10th Armoured Division was a British Army armoured division active from 1941-44 and 1956-57. It was formed from the 1st Cavalry Division, a 1st Line Yeomanry unit. The 1st Cavalry Division had been serving in Palestine...
.
Order of battle in Second World War
Commanding General:- Major-General J.G.W. ClarkJohn George Walters ClarkJohn George Walters Clark CB, MC was a British army officer in both World War I and World War II.-Early life:Clark was commissioned into the 16th The Queen's Lancers in 1911 and fought with them during World War I. In 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross...
4th Cavalry Brigade
- Household Cavalry RegimentHousehold Cavalry RegimentThe Household Cavalry Regiment is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and is one of two regiments that are formed from the Household Cavalry. It was formed in 1992, under the Options for Change reforms, by the amalgamation of The Life Guards and the Blues and Royals. Both regiments were...
- North Somerset YeomanryNorth Somerset YeomanryThe North Somerset Yeomanry was first raised in Frome in 1798. A condition of service was that it should not be required to march more than 10 miles from the town and it was soon disbanded in 1802...
- Royal Wiltshire YeomanryRoyal Wiltshire YeomanryThe Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom established in 1794. It was disbanded as an independent Territorial Army unit in 1967, a time when the strength of the TA was greatly reduced...
5th Cavalry Brigade
- Yorkshire Dragoons
- Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (Sherwood Rangers)Sherwood 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...
- Yorkshire Hussars
6th Cavalry Brigade
- 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....
- The Staffordshire Yeomanry
- The Warwickshire Yeomanry
Support Units
- 104th (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:...
) Regiment, 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... - 1st Cavalry Division Signal Regiment
- 550 Company Royal Army Service Corps TA
See also
- List of British divisions in WWI
- British Armoured formations of the Second World WarBritish Armoured formations of the Second World WarThe British Armoured formations of the Second World War refers to the Armoured Divisions and Independent Armoured and Tank Brigades deployed by the British Army during the Second World War. They had two types of armoured vehicle. The Infantry tank which was heavily armoured and slow, designed to...