1st Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=1st Cavalry Division


caption=
dates=World War I
World War II
country=United Kingdom
allegiance=
branch=British Army
type=Cavalry
Yeomanry
role=
size= Division
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=World War I
Battle of Mons
Action of Elouges
Rearguard Action of Solesmes
Battle of Le Cateau
Rearguard Affair of Etreux
Affair of Nery
Rearguard Actions of Villers-Cotterets
Battle of the Marne
Battle of the Aisne
Actions on the Aisne Heights
First Battle of Ypres 1915
Second Battle of Ypres 1916
Battle of Flers Courcelette 1917
Battle of Arras
Battle of Cambrai 1918
First Battle of the Somme 1918
Battle of Amiens 1918
Second Battle of the Somme 1918
Hindenburg Line 1918
Final Advance in Artois
Final Advance in Picardy
World War II
Anglo-Iraqi War
Syria-Lebanon Campaign
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=

The 1st Cavalry Division was a regular Division of the British Army during the First World War where if 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 Theatre before being converted to the 10th Armoured Division.

World War I

The 1st Cavalry Division was one of the first Divisions to move to France in 1914 , they would remain on the Western Front 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.cite web|title=The 1st Cavalry Division, Order of Battle|work=The Long Long Trail. The British Army in the Great War of 1914-1918 (website)| first=Chris| last=Baker| url=http://www.1914-1918.net/CAVALRY/1cavdiv.htm| accessdate=2008-07-11] On November 11 , 1918 , orders were received that the Division would lead the advance of Second Army into Germany, by December 6 , having passed through Namur , the Division secured the Rhine bridgehead at Cologne.

Order of battle in World War One

Commanding Generals:
*Major-General E. Allenby (from August to October 1914)
*Major-General H. de Lisle (from 12 October 1914 to May 1915)
*Major-General Hon. C. Bingham (from 27 May 1915 to October 1915)
*Major-General R. Mullens (from 24 October 1915 onwards)

1st Cavalry Brigade

:2nd Dragoon Guards:5th Dragoon Guards:11th Hussars:1st Signal Troop:1st Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (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 (King's) Hussars:19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars:1/1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry (left 10 March 1918 to become part of Cavalry Corps 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 RE:9th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (formed 28 February 1916)

Cavalry Divisional troops

:VII Brigade Royal Horse Artillery.:1st Field Squadron Royal Engineers.:1st Signal Squadron.

History in World War Two

The only British cavalry division during the War, this formation was sent in January 1940 to the Middle 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 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 on Palmyra to secure the Haditha - Tripoli oil pipeline.

On 1 August 1941 the division was converted to the 10th Armoured Division.

Order of battle in World War II

Commanding General:
*Major-General J.G.W. Clark

4th Cavalry Brigade

:Household Cavalry Regiment:North Somerset Yeomanry:Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry

5th Cavalry Brigade

:Yorkshire Dragoons:Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (Sherwood Rangers):Yorkshire Hussars

6th Cavalry Brigade

:Cheshire Yeomanry:The Staffordshire Yeomanry:The Warwickshire Yeomanry

upport Units

:104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery:1st Cavalry Division Signal Regiment

References

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Notes

External links

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