Brief history of the Yeomanry Mounted Division
In June and July 1917, the Desert Column of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force was reorganised, creating three divisions of which this was one. It came into existence at Khan Younis in Palestine. Its existence was relatively short, for it was substantially reorganised and renamed in April 1918.
1917
Under command of Major-General G. de S. Barrow (from formation, Barrow commanded the division until its restructuring in 1918, although there were several brief periods when he was temporarily away and command devolved into one of his Brigadiers).
The division participated in:
- The Third Battle of Gaza, in phases:
- The capture of Beersheba, 31 October (the division was part of GHQ Reserve)
- The capture of the Sheria Position, 6 November (under the Desert Mounted Corps)
- The Action of El Mughar, 13-14 November (under the Desert Mounted Corps)
- The Battle of Nabi Samweil, 17 – 24 November (under the Desert Mounted Corps; attached to XX Corps on 23 November)
- The Turkish counterattacks in Turkish defence of Jerusalem, 27-29 November (under XXI Corps; attached to XX Corps on 28 November)
1918
The division did not participate in any named battles of engagements in this year.
An Egyptian Expeditionary Force order of 12 April 1918 reorganised the mounted formations in a process known as “Indianisation”. The Yeomanry Mounted Division reorganised at Deir-el-Belah, and on 24 April 1918 it was renamed as 1st Mounted Division. The formation was then renamed as 4th Cavalry Division in August 1918.
Order of Battle
Divisional headquarters
6th (2nd South Midland) Mounted Brigade (joined from Imperial Mounted Division)
- 1/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars
- 1/1st Queen’s Own Dorsetshire Yeomanry
- 1/1st Berkshire Yeomantry
- 17th Machine Gun Squadron, Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry)
- 6th Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
8th (1st London) Mounted Brigade (joined having been in Salonika)
- 1/1st County of London (Middlesex) Yeomanry
- 1/1st City of London Yeomanry
- 1/3rd County of London Yeomanry
- 21st Machine Gun Squadron, Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry)
- 1st London Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
22nd (1st North Midland) Mounted Brigade (joined from ANZAC Mounted Division)
- 1/1st Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queen’s Own Royal Regiment)
- 1/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry
- 1/1st East Riding Yeomanry
- 18th Machine Gun Squadron, Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry)
- 22nd Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
Divisional artillery
XX Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (a reorganised 263rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery)
Divisional Royal Engineers
- 6th Field Squadron
- Yeomanry Mounted Divisional Signal Squadron
Divisional Royal Army Medical Corps
- 1/2nd South Midland Cavalry Field Ambulance
- 1/1st London Cavalry Field Ambulance
- 1/1st North Midland Cavalry Field Ambulance
- 31st Sanitary Section
Divisional Army Veterinary Corps
- 3/1st North Midland Mobile Veterinary Section
- 4/1st North Midland Mobile Veterinary Section
- 3/1st Highland Mobile Veterinary Section
Divisional transport (Army Service Corps)
- Yeomanry Mounted Divisional Train