The Dismounted Brigades were formed in Egypt in early 1916 from the many regiments of Yeomanry that had recently arrived there after being evacuated from Gallipoli. As the name suggests, although the men had been trained as Yeomanry (the mounted arm of the Territorial Force), they had fought dismounted at Gallipoli and would continue to do so in Egypt. In early 1917 many of the regiments were formally converted into infantry for the new 74th (Yeomanry) Division and the Dismounted Brigades were then disbanded.
1st Dismounted Brigade
February 1916: formed from men of the Lowland Mounted Brigade (Ayrshire Yeomanry, Lanarkshire Yeomanry) and Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade (1st Scottish Horse, 2nd Scottish Horse)
Placed onto Suez Canal defences under command of 52nd (Lowland) Division
The brigade was broken up on 16 October 1916.
2nd Dismounted Brigade
February 1916: formed from men of the 2nd South Western Mounted Brigade (Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry, Royal North Devon Yeomanry, West Somerset Yeomanry) and Highland Mounted Brigade (Fife & Forfar Yeomanry, 1st Lovat’s Scouts Yeomanry)
Joined Western Frontier Force
27 September 1916: 1st Lovat’s Scouts Yeomanry left the brigade
16 October 1916: joined by men of the Ayrshire Yeomanry coming from 1st Dismounted Brigade
The brigade was broken up in January 1917.
3rd Dismounted Brigade
February 1916: formed from men of the South Eastern Mounted Brigade (Royal East Kent Yeomanry, West Kent Yeomanry, Sussex Yeomanry) and Eastern Mounted Brigade (Norfolk Yeomanry, Suffolk Yeomanry, Welsh Horse Yeomanry)
Initially placed onto Suez Canal defences
July 1916: brigade joined the Western Frontier Force
The brigade was broken up in February 1917.
4th Dismounted Brigade
March 1916: formed from men of the Welsh Border Brigade (Shropshire Yeomanry, Cheshire Yeomanry, Denbighshire Yeomanry) and South Wales Mounted Brigades (Glamorgan Yeomanry, Montgomeryshire Yeomanry, Pembroke Yeomanry)
March 1916: brigade joined the Western Frontier Force.
The brigade was broken up in February 1917.
Links
The Western Frontier force and the campaign in the Western Desert