History of the 1st Mounted Division
The Mounted Division was assembled for home defence in August 1914, bringing together four existing Mounted Brigades. It formed a headquarters in Bury St Edmunds, but the units were as far away as Ipswich and North Walsham. Later in August the Division was ordered to move to Churn. On creation there of a 2nd Mounted Division this one was named as the 1st Mounted Division. The original mounted brigades were now transferred to the 2nd Mounted Division and their places taken by their “second line”.The last two “first line” brigades left in March 1916.
During July 1916 the units of Yeomanry were formally dismounted and reorganised as Cyclist Regiments. Late in the month the name of the Division was changed to the 1st Cyclist Division.
The Division was broken up in November 1916.
The former 2/2nd Mounted Division was then renamed as a new 1st Mounted Division.
Order of Battle (before reorganisation as 1st Cyclist Division)
Eastern Mounted Brigade
Moved from Ipswich to Woodridge in late August 1914. The brigade left the division and sailed from Liverpool for Gallipoli on 23 September 1915. The units landed at Anzac Beach 8 and 10 October 1915.
1/1st Suffolk Yeomanry
1/1st Norfolk Yeomanry
1/1st Essex Yeomanry (left and moved independently to France 1 December 1914, joining 8th Cavalry Brigade)
2nd King Edward’s Horse (replaced the 1/1st Essex Yeomanry in the brigade but was replaced by the 1/1st Welsh Horse before the brigade moved to Gallipoli)
1/1st Essex Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
Eastern Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
Eastern Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
Eastern Mounted Brigade Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps
Eastern Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
1st South Midland Mounted Brigade
Moved to Newbury in late August 1914. Brigade transferred to 2nd Mounted Division in September 1914
1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry
1/1st Gloucestershire Yeomanry
1/1st Worcestershire Hussars
1/1st Warwickshire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
1st South Midland Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
1st South Midland Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
1st South Midland Mounted Brigade Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps
1st South Midland Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade
Moved to Churn in late August 1914. Brigade transferred to 2nd Mounted Division in September 1914
1/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars
1/1st Berkshire Yeomanry
1/1st Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Hussars
1/1st Berkshire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps
2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Mounted Brigade
Moved to South Stoke in late August 1914. Brigade transferred to 2nd Mounted Division in September 1914
1/1st Sherwood Rangers
1/1st South Nottinghamshire Hussars
1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry
1/1st Nottinghamshire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
Notts & Derby Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
Notts & Derby Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
Notts & Derby Mounted Brigade Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps
Notts & Derby Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
2/1st Eastern Mounted Brigade
The brigade left the division and sailed from Liverpool for Gallipoli on 23 September 1915. The units landed at Anzac Beach 8 and 10 October 1915.
2/1st Suffolk Yeomanry
2/1st Norfolk Yeomanry
2/1st Essex Yeomanry
South Wales Mounted Brigade
Arrived at Aylsham to replace the 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade. Left for the Middle East, arriving at Alexandria 14-15 March 1916. Became the 4th Dismounted Brigade when merged with Welsh Border Mounted Brigade 20 March 1916.
1/1st Pembrokeshire Yeomanry
1/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry
1/1st Glamorgan Yeomanry
1/1st Glamorgan Battery, Royal Horse Artillery (left to join 293 Brigade (Royal Field Artillery) of 58th (2/1st London) Division in August 1916)
South Wales Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
South Wales Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
South Wales Mounted Brigade Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps
South Wales Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
Welsh Border Mounted Brigade
Arrived at Bungay to replace the 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade. Moved to Beccles in February 1915. Left for the Middle East, arriving at Alexandria 15 March 1916. Became the 4th Dismounted Brigade when merged with South Wales Mounted Brigade 20 March 1916.
1/1st Shropshire Yeomanry
1/1st Cheshire Yeomanry
1/1st Denbighshire Hussars
1/1st Shropshire Battery (left to join 293 Brigade (Royal Field Artillery) of 58th (2/1st London) Division in August 1916)
Welsh Border Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
Welsh Border Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
Welsh Border Mounted Brigade Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps
Welsh Border Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
North Midland Mounted Brigade
Arrived at Diss to replace the Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Mounted Brigade. Left the division for Salonika but then diverted to Egypt, arriving at Alexandria 10-20 November.
1/1st Staffordshire Yeomanry
1/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry
1/1st Welsh Horse
1/1st Leicestershire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery (did not accompany the brigade when it went overseas; transferred instead to 2/1st North Midland Mounted Brigade)
North Midland Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
North Midland Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
North Midland Mounted Brigade Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps
North Midland Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
2/1st South Wales Mounted Brigade
Arrived to replace the Eastern Mounted Brigade. Renamed as 4th (2/1st South Wales) Mounted Brigade April 1916.
2/1st Pembrokeshire Yeomanry
2/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry
2/1st Glamorgan Yeomanry
2/1st Welsh Horse
2/1st Glamorgan Battery, Royal Horse Artillery (later renamed as 815 Battery)
2/1st South Wales Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
2/1st South Wales Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
2/1st South Wales Mounted Brigade Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps
2/1st South Wales Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
2/1st Welsh Border Mounted Brigade
Arrived to replace the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade.
2/1st Shropshire Yeomanry
2/1st Cheshire Yeomanry
2/1st Denbighshire Hussars
2/1st Shropshire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery (left to join 158 Brigade (Royal Field Artillery) on 13 April 1917)
2/1st Welsh Border Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
2/1st Welsh Border Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
2/1st Welsh Border Mounted Brigade Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps
2/1st Welsh Border Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
2/1st North Midland Mounted Brigade
Arrived to replace the North Midland Mounted Brigade. Renamed 3rd (2/1st North Midland) Mounted Brigade April 1916.
2/1st Staffordshire Yeomanry
2/1st Leicestershire Yeomanry
2/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry
2/1st Leicestershire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
2/1st North Midland Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
2/1st North Midland Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
2/1st North Midland Mounted Brigade Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps
2/1st North Midland Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
1/1st Leicestershire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery (joined from 1/1st North Midland Mounted Brigade October 1915. Left January 1916 to go to Egypt where it joined Anzac Mounted Division)
1st (2/1st Highland) Mounted Brigade
Joined April 1916.
2/1st Fife & Forfar Yeomanry
2/1st Lovat’s Scouts
2/2nd Lovat’s Scouts
1st Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
1st Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
1st Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
2nd (2/2nd South Western) Mounted Brigade
Joined April 1916.
2/1st Royal North Devon Hussars
2/1st Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry
2/1st West Somerset Yeomanry
2nd Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
2nd Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
2nd Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
Unbrigaded infantry units
1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, the Norfolk Regiment. At North Walsham.
1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment. At Saxmundham.
1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, the Royal Sussex Regiment. At Holt.
1/25th (County of London) Cyclist) Battalion, the London Regiment (at Lowestoft. Left for India January 1916)
2/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, the Royal Sussex Regiment
2/25th (County of London) Cyclist) Battalion, the London Regiment
Divisional artillery
117 Heavy Battery (Royal Garrison Artillery) (moved independently to France April 1916 and came under command of XLIII Brigade RGA)
41 Siege Battery RGA (moved to France December 1915 with XXXIV Brigade RGA)
2 Devon Heavy Battery RGA
Divisional Royal Engineers Signal Service
London and Southern Wireless Signal Companies (had left by November 1915)
Scottish Cable Signal Company (had left by November 1915)
1st Mounted Divisional Signal Squadron (had been formed by November 1915)
Order of Battle (after reorganisation as 1st Cyclist Division)
1st Cyclist Brigade
2/1st West Somerset Yeomanry
2/1st Lovat’s Scouts
2/2nd Lovat’s Scouts
2/25th (County of London) (Cyclist) Battalion, the London Regiment
6th Infantry Works Company
1st Cyclist Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
1st Cyclist Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
1st Cyclist Brigade Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
2nd Cyclist Brigade
2/1st Pembrokeshire Yeomanry
2/1st Royal North Devon Hussars
2/1st Glamorgan Yeomanry
1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment
2nd Cyclist Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
2nd Cyclist Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
2nd Cyclist Brigade Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
3rd Cyclist Brigade
2/1st Staffordshire Yeomanry
2/1st Leicestershire Yeomanry
2/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry
2/7th (Cyclist) Battalion, the Welsh Regiment
3rd Cyclist Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
3rd Cyclist Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
3rd Cyclist Brigade Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
4th Cyclist Brigade
2/1st (County of London) Yeomanry
2/1st (City of London) Yeomanry
2/3rd (County of London) Yeomanry
1/6th (Cyclist) Battalion, the Norfolk Regiment
4th Cyclist Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
4th Cyclist Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
4th Cyclist Brigade Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
Divisional artillery
No artillery was provided for the reorganised Division
Divisional Royal Engineers Signal Service
1st Cyclist Divisional Signal Company
Northern Signal Company
Dispersal when Division broken up in November 1916
2/1st and 2/2nd Lovat’s Scouts merged to form 1st Yeomanry Cyclist Battalion, 1st Cyclist Brigade.
2/1st Royal North Devon Hussars and 2/1st Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry merged to form 4th Yeomanry Cyclist Battalion, 2nd Cyclist Brigade.
2/1st West Somerset Yeomanry and 2/1st (City of London) Yeomanry merged to form 5th Yeomanry Cyclist Battalion, 2nd Cyclist Brigade.
2/1st and 2/3rd (County of London) Yeomanry merged to form 6th Yeomanry Cyclist Battalion, 2nd Cyclist Brigade.
3rd Cyclist Brigade was transferred complete to the new 1st Mounted Brigade (the new title of what had been 2/2nd Mounted Division)
Links
Other Cavalry and Mounted Divisions
The Territorial Force Mounted Brigades
The Territorial Force Mounted Brigade Field Ambulances
The Territorial Force Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Columns