1st Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)

World War-era British Army formation June 2014 October 2021 1st Cavalry Division 1st cav div WW1.svg First World War division insignia August 1914 – March 191931 October 1940 – 1 August 1941 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 23px British Crown United Kingdom 23px Cavalry Division Second World War 11,097 menJoslen 2003 133 6,081 horses 1,815 vehiclesThese figures comprise the war establishment, the on-paper strength, of the division. Cavalry Corps (First World War) First World War Battle of Mons (1914) 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 1914 Second Battle of Ypres 1915 Battle of Flers-Courcelette 1916 Battle of Arras 1917 Battle of Cambrai 1917 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 Second World War Anglo-Iraqi War Syria–Lebanon campaign Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby 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 first line formation, formed from Yeomanry Regiments. It fought in the Middle East before being converted to the 10th Armoured Division. Napoleonic Wars During the Peninsular War, Wellington organized his cavalry into The Cavalry Division from June 1809 under Major-General Sir William Payne.Reid 2004 79 This performed a purely administrative, rather than tactical, role;Haythornthwaite 1990 103 the normal tactical headquarters were provided by brigades commanding two, later usually three, regiments.Reid 2004 75 On 3 June 1810, Payne returned home and his second-in-command, Major-General Stapleton Cotton, took command.Reid 2004 80 Cotton was to remain in command thereafterReid 2004 86 and effectively acted as Wellington's chief of cavalry. On 19 June 1811, the cavalry was reorganized as two divisions and The Cavalry Division was redesignated as 1st Cavalry Division with the formation of the 2nd Cavalry Division.Reid 2004 81 The divisions were once again amalgamated as The Cavalry Division on 21 April 1813 with Cotton (Lieutenant-General from 1 January 1812) still in command.Reid 2004 85 Second Boer War The Cavalry Division was re-raised for service during the Second Boer War. First World War thumb|left|The 9th Lancers arriving at Mons, 21 August 1914. thumb|right|Officers of the 5th Dragoon Guards in their camp at Rollancourt, May 1917. The 1st Cavalry Division was one of the first divisions of the army to move to France in August 1914, they would remain on the Western Front as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) 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.The 1st Cavalry Division, Order of Battle http://www.1914-1918.net/1cavdiv.htm Baker Chris The Long Long Trail. The British Army in the Great War of 1914-1918 (website) live https://web.archive.org/web/20090823035341/http://www.1914-1918.net/1cavdiv.htm 23 August 2009 11 July 2008 On 11 November 1918, the day of the armistice with Germany, orders were received that the division would lead the advance of the Second Army of the BEF into Germany, by 6 December, having passed through Namur, the division secured the Rhine bridgehead at Cologne. Order of battle in the First World War 1st Cavalry Brigade 1st Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom) 2nd Dragoon Guards 5th Dragoon Guards 11th Hussars 1st Signal Troop, Royal Engineers 1st Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (from February 1916) 2nd Cavalry Brigade 2nd Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom) 4th Dragoon Guards 9th Lancers 18th Hussars 2nd Signal Troop, Royal Engineers 2nd Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (from 28 February 1916) 9th Cavalry Brigade 9th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom) 9th Cavalry Brigade was formed in France on 14 April 1915 with the 15th Hussars and the 19th Hussars.Becke 1935 5 These regular cavalry regiments had been serving on the Western Front since August 1914 as divisional cavalry squadrons assigned to infantry divisions.James 1978 12 The brigade remained with 1st Cavalry Division for the rest of the war. Unit From To 15th (The King's) Hussars 14 April 1915 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars 14 April 1915 1/1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry 12 June 1915 10 March 1918 April 19181/1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry left to become a cyclist unit, then to form a machine gun battalion with the 1/1st Essex Yeomanry. The German spring offensive forestalled this plan, and the regiment was remounted and returned to 1st Cavalry Division. From April 1918 it was split up with a squadron joining each regiment in 9th Cavalry Brigade (8th, 15th and 19th Hussars).James 1978 16 8th (The King's Royal Irish) Hussars 10 March 19188th Hussars joined from 3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade of the 5th Cavalry Division after it was broken up. On 11 March it came on the British War Establishment i.e. the 4th squadron was absorbed into the others. 1/1st Warwickshire Battery, RHA (TF) 14 April 1915 21 November 1916RHA 1/1st Warwickshire Battery, RHA transferred to XV Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery in 29th Division in exchange for Y Battery, RHA. Y Battery, RHA 1 December 1916RHA 9th Signal Troop, Royal Engineers 14 April 1915 9th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron, MGC 28 February 19169th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron was formed from the machine gun sections of the brigade's constituent regiments.Cavalry units of the Machine Gun Corps http://www.1914-1918.net/mgccav.html Baker Chris The Long Long Trail 2 August 2013 Cavalry Divisional troops III Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery transferred to 2nd Cavalry Division on formation on 17 September 1914 D Battery, RHA E Battery, RHA III RHA Brigade Ammunition Column VII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery I Battery, RHA attached to 1st Cavalry Brigade from 17 September 1914 L Battery, RHA withdrawn after Action at Néry on 1 September 1914 (Tempy) Z Battery, RHA from 1 to 27 September 1914 H Battery, RHA from 28 September 1914, attached to 2nd Cavalry Brigade 1/1st Warwickshire Battery, RHA (TF) from 14 April 1915 to 21 November 1916, attached to 9th Cavalry Brigade Y Battery, RHA from 1 December 1916, attached to 9th Cavalry Brigade VII RHA Brigade Ammunition Column 1st Field Squadron Royal Engineers 1st Signal Squadron, Royal Engineers Second World War Anglo-Iraqi War Syria–Lebanon campaign Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran On 31 October 1939, during the Second World War, the 1st Cavalry Division was reformed. It was assigned to Northern Command, and took command of two pre-war First Line Territorial Army cavalry brigades (the 5th and 6th) and the newly formed 4th Cavalry Brigade.Joslen 2003 33 It was the only cavalry division in the British Army during the war. It departed the United Kingdom in January 1940, transited across France, and arrived in Palestine on 31 January 1940. It served as a garrison force under British Forces, Palestine and Trans-Jordan. In May 1941, the Divisional Headquarters and elements of the division (notably the 4th Cavalry Brigade), together with a battalion of infantry from the Essex Regiment (the 1st Battalion), 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, Habforce was placed under the command of Australian I Corps and 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.Orders of Battle: Arab Legion https://homepages.force9.net/rothwell/trans-jo.htm Rothwell Steve 25 November 2008 On 1 August 1941, the 1st Cavalry Division was converted into the 10th Armoured Division.4th Cavalry Brigade was converted into the 9th Armoured BrigadeJoslen 2003 189 and 6th Cavalry Brigade into 8th Armoured BrigadeJoslen 2003 191 10th Armoured Division later fought at the Battles of Alam Halfa and El Alamein. The 10th Armoured Division was disbanded in Egypt on 15 June 1944.Joslen 2003 25 Order of battle in Second World War 4th Cavalry Brigade 4th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom) Unit From To Household Cavalry Composite Regiment 13 November 1939 12 January 1941 1st Household Cavalry RegimentHousehold Cavalry Composite Regiment was redesignated 1st Household Cavalry Regiment. 13 January 1941 31 July 1941 North Somerset Yeomanry 15 November 1939 21 March 1941Somerset North Somerset Yeomanry transferred from 4th to 5th Cavalry Brigade.Joslen 2003 190 Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry 3 December 1939 2 October 1940Wilts Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry transferred from 4th to 6th Cavalry Brigade, and back again. 8 January 1941 31 July 1941 Warwickshire Yeomanry 22 March 1941Warks 31 July 1941 5th Cavalry Brigade 5th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom) Unit From To Yorkshire Hussars 3 September 1939 22 March 1941YorksH Yorkshire Hussars transferred from 5th to 6th Cavalry Brigade. Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry 3 September 1939 2 February 1941Sherwood Rangers transferred to HQ, Middle East Forces and was later converted into an Armoured Regiment with the 8th Armoured Brigade (former 4th Cavalry Brigade). Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons 3 September 1939 18 March 1942 North Somerset Yeomanry 20 March 1941Somerset 20 March 1942 Cheshire Yeomanry 21 March 1941Cheshire 7 June 1941 15 July 1941 21 March 1942 Staffordshire Yeomanry 30 April 1941 4 June 1941Staffs Staffordshire Yeomanry transferred from 6th to 5th Cavalry Brigade, and back again. 6th Cavalry Brigade 6th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom) Unit From To Warwickshire Yeomanry 3 September 1939 21 March 1941Warks Warwickshire Yeomanry transferred from 6th to 4th Cavalry Brigade. Staffordshire Yeomanry 3 September 1939 28 April 1941Staffs 5 June 1941 31 July 1941 Cheshire Yeomanry 3 September 1939 20 March 1941Cheshire Cheshire Yeomanry transferred from 6th to 5th Cavalry Brigade. Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry 3 October 1940Wilts 7 January 1941 Royal Scots Greys 1 March 1941Royal Scots Greys joined from Force Troops, British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan.Joslen 2003 480 31 July 1941 Yorkshire Hussars 23 March 1941YorksH 31 July 1941 Support Units The division also commanded the following support units: 104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery 106th (Lancashire Hussars) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery 107th (South Nottinghamshire Hussars) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery 2nd Field Squadron, Royal Engineers 141st Field Park Squadron, Royal Engineers 1st Cavalry Divisional Signals (Middlesex Yeomanry), Royal Corps of Signals 550th Company, Royal Army Service Corps, TA"History of 550 Coy RASC TA 1936-45" by Capt M B Phillips, TD Commanders The 1st Cavalry Division had the following commanders during the First World War:Becke 1935 1 From Rank Name Mobilization Major-General E.H.H. Allenby 12 October 1914 Major-General H. de B. de Lisle 27 May 1916 Major-General Hon. C.E. Bingham 24 October 1915 Major-General R.L. Mullens The 1st Cavalry Division had the following commanders during the Second World War: From Rank Name 31 October 1939 Major-General J.G.W. Clark 27 June 1940 Brigadier J.J. Kingstone (acting) 1 July 1940 Major-General J.G.W. Clark 26 February 1941 Brigadier J.J. Kingstone (acting) 8 May 1941 Major-General J.G.W. Clark See also United Kingdom British Cavalry Corps order of battle 1914 British cavalry during the First World War List of British divisions in World War I List of British divisions in World War II British armoured formations of the Second World War Notes References Bibliography Becke Major A.F. Order of Battle of Divisions Part 1. The Regular British Divisions His Majesty's Stationery Office 1935 493146210 London Haythornthwaite Philip J. The Napoleonic Source Book Guild Publishing 1990 London James Brigadier E.A. British Regiments 1914–18 Samson Books Limited 1978 0-906304-03-2 London Reid Stuart Wellington's Army in the Peninsula 1809–14 Osprey Publishing 2004 1-84176-517-1 Volume 2 of Battle Orders Series Oxford History of 550 Coy RASC TA 1936-45 by Capt M B Phillips TD External links The 1st Cavalry Division in 1914-1918 http://www.1914-1918.net/1cavdiv.htm Baker Chris The Long, Long Trail 24 June 2015 1st Cavalry Division on The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918 by PB Chappell http://www.warpath.orbat.com/cav/1_cav_div.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080108093653/http://www.warpath.orbat.com/cav/1_cav_div.htm 8 January 2008 2 August 2013 3704 1st Cavalry Division BritishMilitaryHistory Palestine & Trans-Jordan 1930 - 1948 1 1 Category:British World War II divisions Category:Military units and formations established in 1914 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1919 Category:Military units and formations established in 1939 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1941 Category:1914 establishments in the United Kingdom