| A Yeomanry Division | ||||||
| Summary history of the division | ||||||
In early March 1915, orders were recived to prepare for overseas service. Divisional HQ sailed from Avonmouth on 3 April, and the units followed over the next few days. By 29 April, all units had disembarked and were in Egypt. On 10 August 1915, orders were recived to reorganise and dismount ready for moving to Gallipoli. A cadre of each Yeomanry regiment remained in Egypt with the horses, and the troops moved to Mudros, sailing on 14 August and arriving three days later. The Division landed in Suvla Bay on the night of 17/18 August 1915. Units of he Division took part in the Battle of Scimitar Hill and the attack on W Hills on 21 August 1915. Casualties were very high, and a thorough reorganisation was necessary. Losses from sickness were also very high during the following months. The Division was finally evacuated from Suvla on 19/20 December 1915, and returned to Egypt. The Division was dismantled during December, and ceased to exist on 21 January 1916. |
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| Order of Battle | ||||||
| The Mounted Brigades were composed of three regiments of Yeomanry, with an attached Field Ambulance of the RAMC, Mobile Veterinary Section of the AVC, Transport and Supply Column of the ASC, a Signal Troop of the RE, and an artillery Battery of the RHA, unless specifically remarked below. These units had the name of their Brigade, so for example, the Field Ambulance attached might be called the 2nd South Midland Field Ambulance. | ||||||
| South Midland Mounted Brigade | ||||||
| Brigade moved from 1st Mounted Division in September 1914. Was redesignated as 1st (1st South Midland) Brigade in May 1915. | ||||||
1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry |
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| 1/1st Gloucestershire Yeomanry | ||||||
| 1/1st Worcestershire Yeomanry | ||||||
After
suffering heavy casualties on Gallipoli in attacks on 21 August
1915, the three regiments above
were merged to form the 1st South Midland Regiment. This came under
command of the 1st Composite Mounted Brigade (see below). |
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| 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade | ||||||
| Brigade moved from 1st Mounted Division in September 1914. Was redesignated as 2nd (2nd South Midland) Brigade in May 1915. | ||||||
| 1/1st Buckinghamshire Yeomanry | ||||||
| 1/1st Dorset Yeomanry (joined September 1914, replacing 1/1st Oxfordshire Yeomanry) | ||||||
| 1/1st Berkshire Yeomanry | ||||||
| After suffering heavy casualties on Gallipoli in attacks on 21 August 1915, the three regiments above were merged to form the 2nd South Midland Regiment. This came under command of the 1st Composite Mounted Brigade (see below). | ||||||
| Notts & Derbys Brigade | ||||||
| Brigade moved from 1st Mounted Division in September 1914. Was redesignated as 3rd (Notts & Derbys) Brigade in May 1915, and was reconsitituted in December 1915 in Egypt, after the regiments had temporarily merged to become the 3rd Notts & Derbys Regiment while on Gallipoli. Left the Division in January 1916 | ||||||
| 1/1st Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (South Nottinghamshire Hussars) | ||||||
| 1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry | ||||||
| After suffering heavy casualties on Gallipoli in attacks on 21 August 1915, the three regiments above were merged to form the 3rd Notts & Derbys Regiment. This came under command of the 2nd Composite Mounted Brigade (see below). | ||||||
| London Brigade | ||||||
| Brigade joined in September 1914. Was redesignated as 4th (London) Brigade in May 1915, and was reconsitituted in December 1915 in Egypt, after the regiments had temporarily merged to become the 4th London Regiment while on Gallipoli. Left the Division in January 1916. | ||||||
| 1/1st City of London Yeomanry | ||||||
| 1/3rd County of London Yeomanry | ||||||
| After suffering heavy casualties on Gallipoli in attacks on 21 August 1915, the three regiments above were merged to form the 4th (London) Regiment. This came under command of the 2nd Composite Mounted Brigade (see below). | ||||||
| 5th Mounted Brigade | ||||||
| Formed in Egypt in January 1915, originally as the Yeomanry Mounted Brigade. Changed title when coming under orders of this Division on Gallipoli in August 1915. | ||||||
1/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry |
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| 1/2nd County of London Yeomanry | ||||||
| After suffering heavy casualties on Gallipoli in attacks on 21 August 1915, the three regiments above were merged to form the 5th Yeomanry Regiment. This came under command of the 1st Composite Mounted Brigade (see below). | ||||||
| 1st Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade | ||||||
| Brigade landed at Suvla Bay on 2 September 1915. | ||||||
1/1st Scottish Horse |
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| 2/1st Scottish Horse | ||||||
| 3/1st Scottish Horse | ||||||
| 1st Highland Mounted Brigade | ||||||
| Brigade landed at Suvla Bay on 26 September 1915. | ||||||
1/1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry |
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| 1/1st Lovat's Scouts | ||||||
| 1/2nd Lovat's Scouts | ||||||
| 1st Composite Mounted Brigade | ||||||
| Formed on Gallipoli after heavy losses in August 1915. Composed of dismounted regiments formed temporarily from the remnants of the former units, see above. Reorganised in December 1915, in Egypt, becoming 1st (1st South Midland) Brigade. | ||||||
1st South Midland Regiment |
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| 2nd South Midland Regiment | ||||||
| 5th Yeomanry Regiment | ||||||
| 2nd Composite Mounted Brigade | ||||||
| Formed on Gallipoli after heavy losses in August 1915. Composed of dismounted regiments formed temporarily from the remnants of the former units, see above. Reorganised in December 1915, in Egypt, becoming 2nd (2nd South Midland) Brigade. | ||||||
| 3rd Notts & Derbys Regiment | ||||||
| 4th London Regiment | ||||||
| 1st (1st South Midland) Brigade | ||||||
| Formed in Egypt in December 1915, by reorganising the temporary 1st Composite Brigade. Left the Division in January 1916, and in April redesignated 5th Mounted Brigade. | ||||||
1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry |
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| 1/1st Gloucestershire Yeomanry | ||||||
| 1/1st Worcestershire Yeomanry | ||||||
| 2nd (2nd South Midland) Brigade | ||||||
| Formed in Egypt in December 1915, by reorganising the temporary 2nd Composite Brigade. Left the Division in January 1916, went to the Western Frontier, and in April redesignated 6th Mounted Brigade. | ||||||
| 1/1st Buckinghamshire Yeomanry | ||||||
| 1/1st Dorset Yeomanry | ||||||
| 1/1st Berkshire Yeomanry | ||||||
| 2nd Mounted Brigade (formerly 2/2nd South Western Mounted Brigade) | ||||||
| Brigade joined the Division in May 1916 to replace the 2/1st Welsh Border Brigade. In July 1916 when this Division became the 1st Cyclist Division, was again redesignated as 1st Cyclist Brigade. Broken up in November 1916. | ||||||
| 2/1st Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry | ||||||
| 2/1st Royal North Devon Yeomanry | ||||||
| 2/1st West Somerset Yeomanry | ||||||
| Artillery: all listed are Batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery, with attached Ammunition Columns | ||||||
| The Divisional artillery was left in Egypt when the Division moved to Gallipoli.. | ||||||
| Warwick (joined September 1914 with South Midland Bde, left November 1914 and moved to France. Joined 2nd Cavalry Brigade in 1st Cavalry Division.) | ||||||
| Berkshire (joined September 1914 with 2nd South Midland Bde) | ||||||
| B Battery, Honorable Artillery Company (joined to replace Warwick Battery RHA in November 1914. In July 1915 it left the Division and moved to Aden. Landing back in Egypt in September 1915, it rejoined the Division in December 1915 but left again in January 1916, going to the Suez Canal Defences) | ||||||
| Nottinghamshire (joined September 1914 with Notts & Derbys. Bde. Left the Divsion after it had gone to Galliploi, and moved in November 1915 to join the Western Frontier Force) | ||||||
| A Battery, Honorable Artillery Company (joined September 1914, left January 1916 and joined the Western Frontier Force) | ||||||
| Heavy Artillery | ||||||
| The Division had no heavy artillery | ||||||
| Signal Service, RE (in addition to Brigade Signal Troops) | ||||||
| 2nd Mounted Divisional Signal Squadron | ||||||
| Transport and Supply units, ASC (in addition to Brigade T&S Companies) | ||||||
| 2nd Mounted Divisional Company | ||||||
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| Divisional command | ||||||
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