2nd Mounted Division

The 2nd Mounted Division was a yeomanry (Territorial Force cavalry) division that served in the First World War. At the outbreak of war it was assigned to defence of the Norfolk coast. In March 1915 it formed a 2nd Line duplicate of itself, the 2/2nd Mounted Division. Leaving the 2/2nd on coastal defence, it then fought at Gallipoli from April to December 1915, under the command of Major General William Peyton, before being disbanded in January 1916.

A different 2nd Mounted Division, was formed in Egypt in 1918 from the Indian elements of the 5th Cavalry Division in France, but then renumbered as the 5th Cavalry Division, served in Palestine and was a part of the Palestine Occupation Force.

History

Formation

A decision was made to form a new mounted division from the mounted brigades in and around the Churn area of Berkshire. On 2 September 1914, 2nd Mounted Division, with Headquarters at Goring, came into being with three mounted brigades transferred from 1st Mounted Division (1st South Midland Mounted Brigade at Newbury, 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade at Churn and the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade at South Stoke) and the London Mounted Brigade at Streatley. The brigades were relatively widely dispersed to allow an adequate water supply for the horses and to provide sufficient training areas.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"

|+Order of Battle, September 1914

|valign=top|1st South Midland Mounted Brigade

1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry

1/1st Royal Gloucestershire Hussars

1/1st Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars

|valign=top|London Mounted Brigade

1/1st County of London Yeomanry

1/1st City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders)

1/3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)

|valign=top|Medical

1st South Midland Field Ambulance, RAMC

2nd South Midland Field Ambulance, RAMC

Notts. and Derby. Field Ambulance, RAMC

London Field Ambulance, RAMC

|valign=top|2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade

1/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars

1/1st Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars

1/1st Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry

II Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F.)

:1/1st Berkshire RHA and 2nd South Midland Ammunition Column

:1/1st Nottinghamshire RHA and Notts. and Derby. Ammunition Column

:1/A Battery, HAC and London Ammunition Column

:1/B Battery, HAC

|valign=top|Veterinary

1st South Midland Mobile Veterinary Section

2nd South Midland Mobile Veterinary Section

Notts. and Derby. Mobile Veterinary Section

London Mobile Veterinary Section

|valign=top|Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade

1/1st Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry

1/1st South Nottinghamshire Hussars

1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry

|valign=top|Signal Service

1st South Midland Signal Troop

2nd South Midland Signal Troop

Notts. and Derby. Signal Troop

London Signal Troop

2nd Mounted Division Signal Squadron

|valign=top|2nd Mounted Division Train

1st South Midland Transport and Supply Column, ASC

2nd South Midland Transport and Supply Column, ASC

Notts. and Derby. Transport and Supply Column, ASC

London Transport and Supply Column, ASC

2nd Mounted Division Company, ASC

|colspan="3" style="border:0px"|

In November 1914, the division moved to Norfolk on coastal defence duties. Headquarters was established at Hanworth and the mounted brigades were at King's Lynn (1st South Midland), Fakenham (2nd South Midland), Holt (Notts. and Derby.) and Hanworth (London). Each Yeomanry regiment left a squadron headquarters and two troops (about 100 officers and men) in Egypt to look after the horses. The artillery batteries and ammunition columns, signal troops, mobile veterinary sections, Mounted Brigade Transport and Supply Columns and two of the Field Ambulances were also left behind in Egypt. The Yeomanry Mounted Brigade, which was formed in Egypt in January 1915, was likewise dismounted and joined the division on 13 August as a fifth brigade. The division entrained for Alexandria on 13 August, sailed the next day and reached Mudros on 17 August. It landed at Suvla Bay that night.

Due to losses during the Battle of Scimitar Hill and wastage during August 1915, the division had to be reorganised. On 4 September 1915, the 1st Composite Mounted Brigade was formed from the 1st, 2nd and 5th Mounted Brigades, and the 2nd Composite Mounted Brigade from the 3rd and 4th Mounted Brigades. Each dismounted brigade formed a battalion sized unit, for example, 1st South Midland Regiment (Warwickshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire Yeomanry).

The Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade landed as Suvla on 2 September and joined the division. Likewise, the Highland Mounted Brigade joined the division after landing on 26 September. Both brigades were dismounted in the UK before sailing directly for Gallipoli. The artillery batteries and other units left in Egypt rejoined the division between 10 and 20 December 1915. However, the dismemberment of the division began almost immediately as units were posted to the Western Frontier Force or to various other commands.

1st South Midland Mounted Brigade left the division on 3 and 4 January 1916 for Es Salhia. The brigade served as Corps Troops in Egypt from 21 January 1916. On 31 March 1916, the remaining Mounted Brigades were numbered in a single sequence. As a consequence, the 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade was redesignated as 5th Mounted Brigade on 20 April.
London Mounted Brigade left the division on 18 January 1916 and was sent to Abbassia. It was redesignated as 8th Mounted Brigade.

{| class="wikitable"

! From !! Rank !! Name

| 31 August 1914 || Major-General || W.E. Peyton

| 21 August 1915 || Brigadier-General || P.A. Kenna, (acting)

| 23 August 1915 || Major-General || W.E. Peyton

| 13 November 1915 || Brigadier-General || Marquis of Tullibardine (acting)

| 14 November 1915 || Major-General || W.E. Peyton

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

2nd Mounted Division on The Long, Long Trail
2nd Mounted Division on the Regimental Warpath