2nd Mounted Division in the Great War - The Wartime Memories Project -

2nd Mounted Division

Divisional History The 2nd Mounted Division was a Yeomanry (Territorial Army 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 second-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
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) along with 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.
Order of Battle, September 1914
1st South Midland Mounted Brigade

Warwickshire Yeomanry
Royal Gloucestershire Hussars
Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars

London Mounted Brigade

1st County of London Yeomanry
City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders)
3rd County of London Yeomanry

2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade

Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars
Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry[n 1]
Berkshire Yeomanry

Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade

Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry
South Nottinghamshire Hussars
Derbyshire Yeomanry

Divisional Troops
Medical - RAMC

1st South Midland Field Ambulance, RAMC
2nd South Midland Field Ambulance, RAMC
Notts. and Derby. Field Ambulance, RAMC
London Field Ambulance, RAMC

Divisional Artillery

Royal Horse Artillery (Territorial Force)
I Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F.)
Warwickshire RHA and 1st South Midland Ammunition Column
B Battery, HAC
II Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F.)
Berkshire RHA and 2nd South Midland Ammunition Column
Nottinghamshire RHA and Notts. and Derby. Ammunition Column
A Battery, HAC and London Ammunition Column
B Battery, HAC

Veterinary - AVC

1st South Midland Mobile Veterinary Section
2nd South Midland Mobile Veterinary Section
Notts. and Derby. Mobile Veterinary Section
London Mobile Veterinary Section

Signal Service RE

1st South Midland Signal Troop
2nd South Midland Signal Troop
Notts. and Derby. Signal Troop
London Signal Troop
2nd Mounted Division Signal Squadron

2nd Mounted Division Train ASC

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

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).
Egypt
In March 1915, the division was put on warning for overseas service. In early April, the division starting leaving Avonmouth and the last elements landed at Alexandria before the end of the month. By the middle of May, the Divisional Headquarters, the 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade and Notts. and Derby. Mounted Brigade were at Cairo, the 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade was at Alexandria, and the London Mounted Brigade and the horse artillery batteries were near Ismaïlia on Suez Canal defences.
The mounted brigades were numbered at this time.
On 10 August 1915, the division was reorganized as a dismounted formation in preparation for service at Gallipoli. 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.
The division landed at "A" Beach, Suvla Bay on the night of 17 August and morning of 18 August and moved into reserve positions at Lala Baba on the night of 20 August. On 21 August it advanced to Chocolate Hill under heavy fire and took part in the attack on Hill 112.
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 (Warkwickshire, 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.
Order of Battle, September 1915
1st Composite Mounted Brigade

1st South Midland Regiment
2nd South Midland Regiment
5th Yeomanry Regiment

2nd Composite Mounted Brigade

3rd Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment
4th London Regiment

Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade

1st Scottish Horse
2nd Scottish Horse
3rd Scottish Horse

Highland Mounted Brigade

Fife and Forfar Yeomanry
1st Lovat Scouts
2nd Lovat Scouts

Divisional Troops

2nd Mounted Division Company, ASC
2nd Mounted Division Train, ASC
2nd Mounted Division Signal Squadron, RE

Medical - RAMC

2nd South Midland Field Ambulance, RAMC
London Field Ambulance, RAMC
Scottish Horse Field Ambulance, RAMC
Highland Field Ambulance, RAMC

Engineers RE

1st Kent Field Company, RE
2nd Kent Field Company, RE

Return to Egypt
The division returned to Egypt from Gallipoli in December 1915 and was reformed and remounted. 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. It joined the Imperial Mounted Division in January 1917.
2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade left the division on 17 January 1916 and was sent to the Western Frontier of Egypt as an independent formation. It was redesignated as 6th Mounted Brigade in April 1916. It served with the Western Frontier Force from January to October 1916 and also joined the Imperial Mounted Division in January 1917.
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade left the division on 18 and 19 January 1916. In February 1916 the brigade was sent to take part in the Salonika Campaign. It was redesignated as 7th Mounted Brigade and returned to Egypt in June 1917.
London Mounted Brigade left the division on 18 January 1916 and was sent to Abbassia. It served as part of the Suez Canal Defences. It was redesignated as 8th Mounted Brigade. From November 1916 to June 1917 it also served at Salonika before returning to Egypt in June 1917. The brigade joined the newly formed Yeomanry Mounted Division on 21 July 1917 at el Fuqari.
Yeomanry Mounted Brigade left the 2nd Mounted Division on 7 December 1915, was reformed and remounted, and joined the Western Frontier Force.
By March 1916, the brigade had been broken up.
On 21 January 1916, 2nd Mounted Division was disbanded.

2nd Sep 1914 On the Move

Nov 1914 On the Move

6th May 1915 On the Move

15th May 1915 Reliefs

14th Aug 1915 On the Move

20th Aug 1915 On the Move

21st Aug 1915 Under Fire

22nd Aug 1915 Orders

23rd Aug 1915 In Reserve

24th Aug 1915 In Reserve

25th Aug 1915 In Reserve

26th Aug 1915 In Reserve

27th Aug 1915 In Reserve

28th Aug 1915 In Reserve

29th Aug 1915 In Reserve

30th Aug 1915 In Reserve

31st Aug 1915 In Reserve

1st Sep 1915 In Reserve

3rd Sep 1915 Shrapnel

4th Sep 1915 Reorganisation

5th Sep 1915 In Support

6th Sep 1915 In Support

7th Sep 1915 Reliefs

8th Sep 1915 Holding the Line

9th Sep 1915 Holding the Line

10th Sep 1915 Holding the Line

11th Sep 1915 Holding the Line

12th Sep 1915 Holding the Line

13th Sep 1915 Holding the Line

14th Sep 1915 Reliefs Complete

15th Sep 1915 In Support

16th Sep 1915 In Support

17th Sep 1915 In the Trenches

18th Sep 1915 Under Fire

19th Sep 1915 In the Trenches

20th Sep 1915 In the Trenches

21st Sep 1915 In the Trenches

22nd Sep 1915 In the Trenches

23rd Sep 1915 In the Trenches

24th Sep 1915 In the Trenches

25th Sep 1915 Relief

26th Sep 1915 At Rest

27th Sep 1915 Working Parties

28th Sep 1915 Working Parties

29th Sep 1915 At Rest

30th Sep 1915 Working Parties

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2nd Mounted Division

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2nd Mounted Division

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Those known to have served with
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