1st Indian Cavalry Division (later 4th Cavalry Division)

The history of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division

A Division of the Indian Army which was renamed as the 4th Cavalry Division in November 1916. The Division arrived in France on 7 October 1914 and remained on the Western Front in France and Flanders, taking part in the many engagements before being broken up in February 1918, but principally:

1917
The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line (14 March – 5 April 1917)
The Battle of Cambrai (20 November – 30 December 1917)

The Division was broken up in March 1918.

The order of battle of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division

The order of battle shown below includes British units in normal font and Indian units in italic font. Please note that this ORBAT is at present accurate but incomplete:

2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade
17th Lancers transferred to 7th Cavalry Brigade in 3rd Cavalry Division 10 March 1918
6th King Edward’s Own Cavalry
19th Lancers (Fane’s Horse)
“Q” Battery, RHA joined from 1st (Peshawar) Division in October 1914
Sialkot Signal Troop, RE
10th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron MGC formed after February 1916
3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade left for 2nd Indian Cavalry Division 15 September 1915
8th Hussars
9th Hodson’s Horse
30th Lancers
Ambala Signal Troop RE
“A” Battery, RHA  left for 5th (Mhow) Brigade in October 1915
8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade
1st Dragoon Guards left Brigade and returned to India 7 October 1917
29th Lancers (Deccan Horse)
36th Jacob’s Horse
“U” Battery, RHA joined 1 October 1914
Lucknow Signal Troop, RE
12th Cavalry Bde Machine Gun Squadron MGC formed 29 February 1916, broken up 14 April 1918
5th (Mhow) Cavalry Brigade joined from 2nd Indian Cavalry Division 15 September 1915
6th Inniskilling Dragoons transferred to 7th Cavalry Brigade in 3rd Cavalry Division 10 March 1918
11th Cavalry Bde Machine Gun Squadron MGC formed 29 February 1916, broken up 14 April 1918
“A” Battery, RHA  joined from Ambala Cavalry Brigade in October 1915
Mhow Signal Troop RE
Mhow Pioneer Battalion
Divisional Troops under direct command of Divisional HQ
1st Indian Cavalry Divisional Train ASC 426 (Horse Transport) Company
1st Indian Cavalry Divisional Supply Column ASC 82 and 89 (Mechanical Transport) Companies, left October 1916
1st Indian Cavalry Divisional Ammunition Park ASC 79 Company
1st Cavalry Division Field Ambulance Workshop joined 14 May 1915, absorbed into Divisional Supply Column 6 April 1916
Divisional Artillery
Note above the RHA batteries serving under brigade command
I Indian Brigade, RHA “V” and “X” Batteries, RHA
Royal Engineers
1st Indian Field Squadron  Renamed 4th Indian Cavalry Squadron RE in December 1916. Disbanded 20 April 1918 and men posted to RE Base Depot for redeployment
? Signal Squadron
Royal Army Medical Corps
Sialkot Cavalry Field Ambulance
Lucknow Cavalry Field Ambulance
Ambala Cavalry Field Ambulance
Royal Army Veterinary Corps
? Veterinary Section

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Other Cavalry Divisions