One of the first Divisions to move to France, the Cavalry Division remained on the Western Front throughout the war. It took part in most of the major actions where cavalry were used as a mounted mobile force, and also many others where the troops were dismounted and effectively served as infantry.

1914

The Battle of Mons

The Action of Elouges

The Rearguard Action of Solesmes

The Battle of Le Cateau

The Rearguard Affair of Etreux

The Affair of Nery

The Rearguard Actions of Villers-Cotterets

The Battle of the Marne

Redesignated 1st Cavalry Division on 16 September 1914.

The Battle of the Aisne

Actions on the Aisne Heights

The First Battle of Ypres

1915

The Second Battle of Ypres

1916

The Battle of Flers-Courcelette

1917

The Battle of Arras

The Battle of Cambrai

1918

The First Battles of the Somme 1918

The Battle of Amiens 1918

The Second Battles of the Somme 1918

The Battles of the Hindenburg Line 1918

The Final Advance in Artois

The Final Advance in Picardy

On 11 November 1918, units of the Division were north of Mons and 9 miles east of Ath, in Belgium. Orders were received that the Division would lead the advance of Second Army into Germany, a move that was begin on 17 November. By 6 December, having passed through Namur, the Division secured the Rhine bridgehead at Cologne.

1st Cavalry Brigade

2nd Dragoon Guards (the Queen's Bays) (joined August 1914)

5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Dragoon Guards (joined August 1914)

11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars (joined August 1914)

1/1st Essex Yeomanry (joined March 1918, broken up soon after, with one Squadron reinforcing each of the above Regiments)

1st Signal Troop RE (joined August 1914)

1st Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (formed 28 February 1916)

2nd Cavalry Brigade

4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards (joined August 1914)

9th (Queen's Royal) Lancers (joined August 1914)

18th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars (joined August 1914)

1/1st Oxfordshire Yeomanry (joined September 1914, left October 1914)

2nd Signal Troop RE (joined August 1914)

2nd Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (formed 28 February 1916)

3rd Cavalry Brigade

Brigade transferred to Gough's Command (2nd Cavalry Division), on 13 September 1914

4th (Queen's Own) Hussars (joined August 1914)

5th (Royal Irish) Lancers (joined August 1914)

16th (The Queen's) Lancers (joined August 1914)

3rd Signal Troop RE (joined August 1914)

4th Cavalry Brigade

Brigade transferred to 2nd Cavalry Division, on 14 October 1914

Household Cavalry Composite Regiment (joined August 1914)

6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) (joined August 1914)

3rd (King's Own) Hussars (joined August 1914)

4th Signal Troop RE (joined August 1914)

9th Cavalry Brigade

Brigade was formed on 14 April 1915

15th (King's) Hussars (joined April 1915)

19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars (joined April 1915)

1/1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry (joined 12 June 1915, left 10 March 1918 to become part of Cavalry Corps Cyclist Regiment )

8th (King's Royal Irish) Hussars (joined 10 March from 5th Cavalry Division 1918. Briefly returned and came under Divisional orders during the enemy offensive from 21 March 1918)

9th Signal Troop RE (joined August 1914)

9th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (formed 28 February 1916)

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Divisional Artillery

All units of the Royal Horse Artillery unless shown

III Brigade RHA (comprising D and E Batteries, joined August 1914, left for 2nd Cavalry Division on 17 September 1914)

VII Brigade RHA (comprising I and L Batteries, joined August 1914. L Battery was sent to England for rebuilding after the Affair of Nery, leaving on 6 September 1914. It was replaced by H Battery on 28 September 1914. I was attached 1st Cavalry Brigade and H attached 2nd Cavalry Brigade. I went o First Army Artillery School between 7 December 1915 and 19 April 1916)

1st Warwickshire Battery RHA (joined April 1915, attached 9th Cavalry Brigade. Left for 29th Division on 21 November 1916)

Y Battery RHA (joined from 29th Division 1 December 1916, attached 9th Cavalry Brigade)

1st Cavalry Divisional Ammunition Park (comprised 45 MT Company, ASC joined August 1914, left 14 February 1918)

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Divisional Engineers

All units of the Royal Engineers

1st Field Squadron (joined August 1914)

1st Signal Squadron (joined August 1914)

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Divisional Transport

All units of the Army Service Corps

1st Cavalry Divisional Train (No. 27 HT Company)

1st Cavalry Divisional Auxiliary (Horse) Company (No. 574 HT Company, formed 26 September 1915)

1st Cavalry Divisional Supply Column (Nos. 57 and 58 MT Companies; 58 was absorbed into 57 on 10 October 1916. became 1st Cavalry Divisional Motor Transport Company on 13 March 1918)

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Field Ambulances

All units of the Royal Army Medical Corps

1st Cavalry FA (joined August 1914)

2nd Cavalry FA (joined August 1914, left for 2nd Cavalry Division on 13 September 1914)

3rd Cavalry FA (joined August 1914)

4th Cavalry FA (joined August 1914, left for 2nd Cavalry Division on 16 October 1914)

9th Cavalry FA (joined 23 May 1915)

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Mobile Veterinary Sections

All units of the Army Veterinary Corps

1st MVS (joined August 1914)

8th MVS (joined August 1914, left for 2nd Cavalry Division on 16 September 1914)

9th MVS (joined August 1914, left for 2nd Cavalry Division on 15 October 1914)

10th MVS (joined August 1914)

39th MVS (joined 23 August 1915)

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Other Divisional Troops

1/1st Oxfordshire Yeomanry (briefly, between 31 October and 11 November 1914)

F Squadron, the North Irish Horse (briefly, between April and June 1916)

1/1st Essex Yeomanry (briefly came under orders during the enemy offensive from 21 March 1918)

771st Divisional Employment Company (formed 16 September 1917)

No. 8 Motor Machine Gun Battery, Machine Gun Corps (joined 18 March 1916, left 23 October 1917)

No. 9 Sanitary Section (joined 9 January 1915)

1st Cavalry Division Field Ambulance Workshop (joined 14 May 1915, absorbed into Divisional Supply Column 6 April 1916)