History of the 2nd Mounted Division
The 2nd Mounted Division came into existence on 2 September 1914 and was placed under command of the Central Force. It was initially made up of four Mounted Brigades which were transferred from the 1st Mounted Division. The division moved to Norfolk in mid-November 1914. In early March 1915 it received a warning order to prepare to move to the Middle East. The headquarters and units sailed from Avonmouth in the period 3-10 April 1915. By 29 April the whole division had arrived at Alexandria in Egypt.
On 10 August 1915 the division received orders to reorganise for overseas work as a dismounted formation. Each of the Yeomanry regiments was to leave the headquarters and men of two of its Troops to care for the horses which would be left in Egypt. The artillery, veterinary sections, motor vehicles would also stay there.
The overseas component left Alexandria on 14 August and reached Mudros (island of Imbros) three days later. After moving to different craft the division sailed again and landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on the night of 17-18 August 1915.
The division participated in the Battles of Suvla Bay: the Battle of Scimitar Hill and the attack on “W Hills on 21 August 1915. It sustained heavy casualties, which were soon exacerbated by lossse to sickness and other wastage. The ever-reducing numbers of men forced a major reorganisation of the division.
The division was re-embarked in the withdrawal from the Suvla Bay sector on the night 19-20 December 1915. It was then reorganised again once in Egypt.
By 19 January 1916 all components of the division had been transferred to other commands. The 2nd Mounted Division ceased to exist on 21 January 1916.
Command
With the exception of four days in which his Brigadiers stood in as an acting CO, the 2nd Mounted Division was commanded throughout by Major-General William E. Peyton. He enlisted into the army as a Private in 1885 and rose steadily through the ranks. Peyton was wounded during Kitchener’s campaign in the Sudan in 1897 and became a a Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel during the Second Boer War. Between 1908 and 1912 he commanded the Meerut Cavalry Brigade of the Indian Army and was promoted to Major-General in 1914. When the 2nd Mounted Division was broken up he moved to successfully command the Western Frontier Force. Peyton was knighted in 1917 and later moved to command 40th Division in France.
Order of Battle (before reorganisation at Suvla Bay in September 1915)
1st South Midland Mounted Brigade
Transferred from 1st Mounted Brigade on 2 September 1914
1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry
1/1st Gloucestershire Yeomanry
1/1st Worcestershire Hussars
1/1st Warwickshire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery (left to move independently to France and landed on 1 November 1914)
“B” Battery, Honourable Artillery Company (moved from divisional artillery to replace the Warwickshire Battery. Left to go to Aden 14 July 1915)
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
Transferred from 1st Mounted Brigade on 2 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 (Left to go to Aden 14 July 1915 and rejoined the division 10 December 1915)
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
Transferred from 1st Mounted Brigade on 2 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
London Mounted Brigade
Joined on formation of the division (and had not previously been with the 1st Mounted Division)
1/1st (County of London) Yeomanry
1/1st (City of London) Yeomanry
1/3rd (County of London) Yeomanry
“A” Battery, Honourable Artillery Company
London Mounted Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Engineers
London Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
London Mounted Brigade Mobile Veterinary Section, Army Veterinary Corps
London Mounted Brigade Transport & Supply Column, Army Service Corps
5th Mounted Brigade
Formed in Egypt on 19 January 1915 and initially called the Yeomanry Mounted Brigade. It came under command of 2nd Mounted Division on 13 August 1915.
1/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry
1/2nd (County of London) Yeomanry
Divisional Artillery
“B” Battery, Honourable Artillery Company (replaced the Warwickshire Battery in 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade)
LV Brigade, Royal Field Artillery was attached from 13th (Western) Division 7 November to 20 December 1915.
Divisional Royal Engineers Signal Service
2nd Mounted Divisional Signal Squadron
Divisional Transport & Supply Column
2nd Mounted Divisional Signal Squadron, Army Service Corps
Other attached troops
The 2nd South Western Mounted Brigade was attached to the division 15-29 November 1915 and 9-20 December 1915.
66th Field Company, Royal Engineers was attached from 10th (Irish) Division 5 September to 1 October 1915.
158th Infantry Brigade was attached from 53rd (Welsh) Division 31 October to 28 November 1915.
159th Infantry Brigade was attached from 53rd (Welsh) Division 29 November to 9 December November 1915.
1/4th Ghurka Rifles was attached from 29th Indian Infantry Brigade 18-20 December 1915.
Order of Battle (after reorganisation at Suvla Bay in September 1915)
1st Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade
Joined at Suvla Bay on 2 September 1915.
1/1st Scottish Horse
2/1st Scottish Horse
3/1st Scottish Horse
Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
1st Composite Mounted Brigade
Established at Suvla Bay on 4 September 1915. Left for Mudros 31 October – 2 November 1915 and reached Cairo 28 November – 1 December.
1st South Midland Regiment (remnants of regiments of 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade)
2nd South Midland Regiment (remnants of regiments of 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade)
5th Yeomanry Regiment (remnants of regiments of 5th Mounted Brigade)
2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
2nd Composite Mounted Brigade
Established at Suvla Bay on 4 September 1915. Left for Mudros 31 October – 2 November 1915 and reached Cairo 28 November – 1 December.
3rd Notts & Derby Regiment (remnants of regiments of Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Mounted Brigade)
4th London Regiment (remnants of regiments of London Mounted Brigade)
5th Yeomanry Regiment (remnants of regiments of 5th Mounted Brigade)
London Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
1st Highland Mounted Brigade
Joined at Suvla Bay on 26 September 1915.
1/1st Fife & Forfar Yeomanry
1st Lovat’s Scouts
2nd Lovat’s Scouts
Highland Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
Divisional Royal Engineers
1st Kent Field Company (joined at Suvla Bay from England 7 October 1915. Renumbered 495 (1st Kent) Field Company on 1 February 1917)
2nd Kent Field Company (joined at Suvla Bay from England in October 1915. Renumbered 496 (2nd Kent) Field Company on 1 February 1917)
2nd Mounted Divisional Signal Squadron
Divisional Transport & Supply Column
2nd Mounted Divisional Signal Squadron, Army Service Corps
Order of Battle (after reorganisation in Egypt)
The original brigades were reconstituted but under slightly differing names:
1st (1st South Midland) Mounted Brigade (left the division on 3-4 January 1916. Was renamed 5th Mounted Brigade; later became 22nd Mounted Brigade).
2nd (2nd South Midland) Mounted Brigade (left the division for the Western Frontier on 17 January 1916. Was renamed 6th Mounted Brigade in April 1916)
3rd (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire) Mounted Brigade (left division 18-19 January 1916. Moved to Salonika and was renamed 7th Mounted Brigade)
4th (London) Mounted Brigade (left division 18 January 1916. Was renamed 8th Mounted Brigade and later moved to Salonika)
5th Mounted Brigade (left division to join the Western Frontier Force on 7 December 1915)
“A” Battery, Honourable Artillery Company (left division to join the Western Frontier Force in January 1916. Joined 8th Mounted Brigade in April 1916)
“B” Battery, Honourable Artillery Company (left division 21 January 1916. Joined 5th Mounted Brigade in October 1917)
1/1st Nottinghamshire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery (left division to join the Western Frontier Force on 28 November 1915)
1/1st Berkshire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
2nd Mounted Divisional Signal Squadron, Royal Engineers
2nd Mounted Divisional Signal Squadron, Army Service Corps
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