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 |