| Home > Army Organisation > The 3rd Cavalry Division, Order of Battle | ||||||||||
| A Regular Army Division | ||||||||||
| History | Order of Battle | Commanders | ||||||||||
| Summary history of the Division | ||||||||||
Formed in England in September 1914 at Ludgershall, the Division took part in most of the major actions where cavalry were used as a mounted mobile force, and also many where the troops were dismounted and effectively served as infantry. It moved to Belgium in the first week of October 1914, landing at Zeebrugge, although its third Brigade was only formed once there. 1914 1915 1917 In this action, the Division played a part in the Capture of Monchy-le-Preux. 1918 The First Battles of the Somme 1918 The Second Battles of the Somme 1918 The Battles of the Hindenburg Line 1918 On 11 November 1918, units of the Division had reached the River dender at Leuze and Lessines, in Belgium. Orders were received that the Division would cover the advance of Second Army into Germany, a move that was begun on 17 November. Divisional HQ was established at Waterloo on 21 November. Winter was spent in Belgium. By 31 March 1919, the Division had demobilised and ceased to exist. |
||||||||||
| Order of Battle | ||||||||||
6th Cavalry Brigade Brigade began formation on 19 September 1914 1st (Royal ) Dragoons (joined 19 September 1914) 10th (Prince of Wales's Own Royal) Hussars (joined 19 September 1914, moved to 8th Cavalry Brigade 20 November 1914, rejoined 12 March 1918) 3rd (Prince of Wales's) Dragoon Guards (joined 4 November 1914) 1/1st North Somerset Yeomanry (joined 13 November 1914, rejoined March 1918) 6th Signal Troop RE (joined September 1914) 6th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (formed 29 February 1916) 7th Cavalry Brigade Brigade formed on 1 September 1914. Reconstituted 10 March 1918. 1st Life Guards (joined September 1914, left 10 March 1918) 2nd Life Guards (joined September 1914, left 10 March 1918) Royal Horse Guards (joined September 1914, moved to 8th Cavalry Brigade 20 November 1914, rejoined 7 November 1917, left Division 10 March 1918) 1/1st Leicestershire Yeomanry (joined 12 November 1914, left for 8th Cavalry Brigade 7 November 1917) 7th (Princess Royal's) Dragoon Guards (joined 10 March 1918) 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons (joined 10 March 1918) 17th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers (joined 10 March 1918) 7th Signal Troop RE (joined September 1914) 7th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (formed 29 February 1916, broken up 14 April 1918, replaced by 8th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron) 8th Cavalry Brigade Formed in Belgium on 20 November 1914, left the Division on 14 March 1918 Royal Horse Guards (joined from 7th Cavalry Brigade 20 November 1914, left for 7th Cavalry Brigade 7 November 1917) 10th (Prince of Wales's Own Royal) Hussars (joined November 1914, left for 6th Cavalry Brigade March 1918) 1/1st Essex Yeomanry (joined 11 December 1914, left 14 March 1918) 1/1st Leicestershire Yeomanry (joined November 1917, left March 1918) 8th Signal Troop RE (joined November 1914) 8th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (formed 29 February 1916, left for 7th Cavalry Brigade 11 March 1918) Canadian Cavalry Brigade Joined the Division from 5th Cavalry Division on 13 March 1918. Had already been attached 10 April to 17 June 1916, and then transferred to 2nd Indian Cavalry Division, which was later renamed 5th Cavalry Division. Royal Canadian Dragoons Lord Strathcona's Horse Fort Garry Horse Canadian Cavalry Brigade Machine-Gun Squadron Canadian Cavalry Signal Troop Divisional Artillery All units of the Royal Horse Artillery unless shown XV Brigade RHA (newly formed from C and K Batteries RHA on formation of the Division 1 October 1914. C Batt attached to 6th Cavalry Brigade, K to 7th Cavalry Brigade. Redesignated IV Brigade RHA in May 1915) G Battery RHA (joined from 8th Division 25 November 1914, attached 8th Cavalry Brigade, left for XVII Brigade RHA in 5th Cavalry Division 13 March 1918) Royal Canadian HA Brigade (joined with Canadian Cavalry Brigade, 13 March 1918) 3rd Cavalry Divisional Ammunition Park (comprised 76 MT Company, ASC joined September 1914, left 23 December 1917) Divisional Engineers All units of the Royal Engineers 3rd Field Squadron (joined 19 October 1914) 3rd Signal Squadron (joined 12 September 1914) Divisional Transport All units of the Army Service Corps 3rd Cavalry Divisional Train (No. 81 HT Company) 3rd Cavalry Divisional Auxiliary (Horse) Company (No. 576 HT Company, formed 23 September 1915) 3rd Cavalry Divisional Supply Column (Nos. 73 and 414 MT Companies; 414 was absorbed into 73 on 10 October 1916. Became 3rd Cavalry Divisional Motor Transport Company on 18 March 1918) Field Ambulances All units of the Royal Army Medical Corps 6th Cavalry FA (joined 14 September 1914) 7th Cavalry FA (joined 3 October 1914) 8th Cavalry FA (joined 23 December 1914, left 14 March 1918) 20th Cavalry FA (joined September 1914, left by 23 December 1914) 7th Canadian FA (joined 13 March 1918) Mobile Veterinary Sections All units of the Army Veterinary Corps 13th MVS (joined September 1914) 14th MVS (joined September 1914) 20th MVS (joined 9 March 1915, left 14 March 1918) "A" Canadian MVS (joined 13 March 1918) Other Divisional Troops 773rd Divisional Employment Company (formed 16 September 1917) No. 7 Motor Machine Gun Battery, Machine Gun Corps (joined 30 March 1916, left 18 July 1917) No. 12 Sanitary Section (joined 9 January 1915) 3rd Cavalry Division Field Ambulance Workshop (joined 14 May 1915, absorbed into Divisional Supply Column 1 April 1916) |
||||||||||
| |
||||||||||
| Divisional commanders | ||||||||||
|
