Editing 2nd Mounted Division

{{Short description|WW1 British Army formation}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= 2nd Mounted Division
|image= 
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|dates= 2 September 1914&nbsp;– 21 January 1916
|country={{flagcountry|UKGBI}}
|allegiance=
|branch={{army|United Kingdom|23px}}
|type=[[Yeomanry]]
|role=
|size=[[Division (military)|Division]]
|command_structure =[[IX Corps (United Kingdom)|IX Corps]]
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|battles=[[World War I]]
:[[Gallipoli Campaign]]
::[[Battle of Scimitar Hill]]
|anniversaries=
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|disbanded=
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|website=
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|notable_commanders=General Sir [[William Peyton|William Eliot Peyton]] [[Order of the Bath|KCB]] [[Royal Victorian Order|KCVO]] [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]] 
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The '''2nd Mounted Division''' was a [[yeomanry]] ([[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]] [[cavalry]]) [[division (military)|division]] that served in the [[World War I|First World War]].  At the outbreak of war it was assigned to defence of the [[Norfolk]] coast. In March 1915 it formed a 2nd Line{{efn|name=Lines|In accordance with the [[Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907]] (''[[7 Edw. 7]], c.9'') which brought the [[Territorial Force]] into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for [[Territorial Force Imperial Service Badge|Imperial Service]].  Therefore, TF units were split into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units.<ref name=Rinaldi35>{{harvnb|Rinaldi|2008|p=35}}</ref>  2nd Line units performed the home defence role, although in fact most of these were also posted abroad in due course.<ref name=LLT_TF>{{cite web | url=http://www.1914-1918.net/tf.htm | title=Was my soldier in the Territorial Force (TF)? | publisher=The Long, Long Trail | first=Chris | last=Baker | access-date=19 February 2015 }}</ref>  Likewise, existing pre-war formations ([[brigade]]s and [[Division (Military)|divisions]]) formed duplicate 2nd Lines with the same structure as their 1st Line parents.<ref name=James36>{{harvnb|James|1978|p=36}}</ref>}} duplicate of itself, the [[2/2nd Mounted Division]]. Leaving the 2/2nd on coastal defence, it then fought at [[Gallipoli (battle)|Gallipoli]] from April to December 1915, under the command of [[William Peyton|Major General William Peyton]], before being disbanded in January 1916.

A different 2nd Mounted Division, was formed in Egypt in 1918 from the Indian elements of the 5th Cavalry Division in France, but then renumbered as the [[5th Cavalry Division (British Indian Army)|5th Cavalry Division]], served in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] and was a part of the [[Palestine Occupation Force]].

==History==

===Formation===
A decision was made to form a new mounted division from the mounted brigades in and around the [[Churn railway station|Churn]] area of [[Berkshire]].  On 2 September 1914, '''2nd Mounted Division''', with [[Headquarters#Military|Headquarters]] at [[Goring-on-Thames|Goring]], came into being with three mounted brigades transferred from [[1st Mounted Division]]<ref name=Rinaldi36>{{harvnb|Rinaldi|2008|p=36}}</ref> ([[1st South Midland Mounted Brigade]] at [[Newbury, Berkshire|Newbury]], [[2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade]] at Churn and the [[Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade]] at [[South Stoke, Oxfordshire|South Stoke]]) and the [[London Mounted Brigade]] at [[Streatley, Berkshire|Streatley]].  The brigades were relatively widely dispersed to allow an adequate water supply for the horses and to provide sufficient training areas.<ref name=Becke16>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=16}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|+Order of Battle, September 1914<ref name=Becke12>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=12}}</ref>
|-
|valign=top|'''[[1st South Midland Mounted Brigade]]'''<br />
[[1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry]]<br />
[[1/1st Royal Gloucestershire Hussars]]<br />
[[1/1st Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars]]
|valign=top|'''[[London Mounted Brigade]]'''<br />
[[1/1st County of London Yeomanry]]<br />
[[1/1st City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders)]]<br />
[[1/3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)]]
|valign=top|'''Medical'''<br />
1st South Midland [[Field Ambulance]], [[Royal Army Medical Corps|RAMC]]<br />
2nd South Midland Field Ambulance, RAMC<br />
Notts. and Derby. Field Ambulance, RAMC<br />
London Field Ambulance, RAMC
|-
|valign=top|'''[[2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade]]'''<br />
[[1/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars]]<br />
[[1/1st Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars]]<br />
[[1/1st Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry]]{{refn|1/1st Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry replaced 1/1st Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars who landed in France on 22 September 1914.<ref name=Becke14/>
* |group=n |name=QODY}}
<br />[[1/1st Berkshire Yeomanry]]
|valign=top|'''[[Royal Horse Artillery]] ([[Territorial Force]])'''<br />
[[I Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F.)]]<br />
:[[1/1st Warwickshire Royal Horse Artillery|1/1st Warwickshire RHA]] and 1st South Midland [[ammunition column|Ammunition Column]]
:[[1/B Battery, Honourable Artillery Company|1/B Battery, HAC]]{{refn|group=n|name=BHAC|[[B Battery, Honourable Artillery Company]] replaced Warwickshire RHA who landed in France on 1 November 1914.<ref name=Becke14/> It was the first [[Territorial Force]] artillery battery to go on active service.<ref name=LLT_RHA>{{cite web | url=http://www.1914-1918.net/rha.htm | title=The Royal Horse Artillery | publisher=The Long, Long Trail | last=Baker | first=Chris | access-date=14 December 2013}}</ref>}}
[[II Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F.)]]<br />
:[[1/1st Berkshire Royal Horse Artillery|1/1st Berkshire RHA]] and 2nd South Midland Ammunition Column
:[[1/1st Nottinghamshire Royal Horse Artillery|1/1st Nottinghamshire RHA]] and Notts. and Derby. Ammunition Column
:[[1/A Battery, Honourable Artillery Company|1/A Battery, HAC]] and London Ammunition Column
:1/B Battery, HAC{{refn|group=n|name=BHAC}}
|valign=top|'''Veterinary'''<br />
1st South Midland Mobile Veterinary Section<br />
2nd South Midland Mobile Veterinary Section<br />
Notts. and Derby. Mobile Veterinary Section<br />
London Mobile Veterinary Section<br />
|-
|valign=top|'''[[Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade]]'''<br />
[[1/1st Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry]]<br />
[[1/1st South Nottinghamshire Hussars]]<br />
[[1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry]]
|valign=top|'''Signal Service'''<br />
1st South Midland Signal Troop<br />
2nd South Midland Signal Troop<br />
Notts. and Derby. Signal Troop<br />
London Signal Troop<br />
2nd Mounted Division Signal Squadron
|valign=top|'''2nd Mounted Division Train'''<br />
1st South Midland Transport and Supply Column, [[Royal Army Service Corps|ASC]]<br />
2nd South Midland Transport and Supply Column, ASC<br />
Notts. and Derby. Transport and Supply Column, ASC<br />
London Transport and Supply Column, ASC<br />
2nd Mounted Division Company, ASC
|-
|colspan="3" style="border:0px"| {{reflist|group=n}}
|}

In November 1914, the division moved to [[Norfolk]] on coastal defence duties.  Headquarters was established at [[Hanworth, Norfolk|Hanworth]] and the mounted brigades were at [[King's Lynn]] (1st South Midland), [[Fakenham]] (2nd South Midland), [[Holt, Norfolk|Holt]] (Notts. and Derby.) and Hanworth (London).<ref name=Becke16/>

===Egypt===
In March 1915, the division was put on warning for overseas service.  In early April, the division starting leaving [[Avonmouth]] and the last elements landed at [[Alexandria]] before the end of the month.  By the middle of May, the Divisional Headquarters, the 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade and Notts. and Derby. Mounted Brigade were at [[Cairo]], the 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade was at Alexandria, and the London Mounted Brigade and the [[horse artillery]] [[Artillery battery|batteries]] were near [[Ismaïlia]] on [[Suez Canal]] defences.<ref name=Becke16/>  The mounted brigades were numbered at this time.<ref name=Becke14/>

On 10 August 1915, the division was reorganized as a dismounted formation in preparation for service at [[Gallipoli Campaign|Gallipoli]].<ref name=James35>{{harvnb|James|1978|p=35}}</ref>  Each [[Yeomanry]] [[Regiment]] left a [[Squadron (army)|squadron]] headquarters and two [[troop]]s (about 100 officers and men) in Egypt to look after the horses.<ref name=James34>{{harvnb|James|1978|p=34}}</ref>  The artillery batteries and ammunition columns, signal troops, mobile veterinary sections, Mounted Brigade Transport and Supply Columns and two of the Field Ambulances were also left behind in Egypt.  The [[Yeomanry Mounted Brigade]], which was formed in Egypt in January 1915, was likewise dismounted and joined the division on 13 August as a fifth brigade.<ref name=Becke15>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=15}}</ref>  The division entrained for Alexandria on 13 August, sailed the next day and reached [[Mudros]] on 17 August.  It landed at [[Suvla Bay]] that night.<ref name=Becke16/>

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|+Order of Battle, August 1915<ref name=Becke12/>
|-
|valign=top|'''[[1st (1st South Midland) Mounted Brigade]]'''<br />
1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry<br />
1/1st Royal Gloucestershire Hussars<br />
1/1st Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars
|valign=top|'''[[5th (Yeomanry) Mounted Brigade]]'''
[[1/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry]]<br />
[[1/2nd County of London Yeomanry]]
|-
|valign=top|'''[[2nd (2nd South Midland) Mounted Brigade]]'''<br />
1/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars<br />
1/1st Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry<br />
1/1st Berkshire Yeomanry
|valign=top|'''Signal Service'''<br />
2nd Mounted Division Signal Squadron
|-
|valign=top|'''[[3rd (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire) Mounted Brigade]]'''<br />
1/1st Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry<br />
1/1st South Nottinghamshire Hussars<br />
1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry
|valign=top|'''Medical'''<br />
2nd South Midland Field Ambulance, RAMC<br />
London Field Ambulance, RAMC
|-
|valign=top|'''[[4th (London) Mounted Brigade]]'''<br />
1/1st County of London Yeomanry<br />
1/1st City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders)<br />
1/3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)
|valign=top|'''2nd Mounted Division Train'''<br />
2nd Mounted Division Company, ASC
|}

===Gallipoli===
The division landed at "A" Beach, [[Landing at Suvla Bay|Suvla Bay]] on the night of 17 August / morning of 18 August and moved into reserve positions at Lala Baba on the night of 20 August. On 21 August it advanced to Chocolate Hill under heavy fire and took part in the attack on Hill 112.<ref name=WestlakeGal>{{harvnb|Westlake|1996|pp=250–283 passim}}</ref>

Due to losses during the [[Battle of Scimitar Hill]] and wastage during August 1915, the division had to be reorganised.{{efn|At this time, a cavalry or yeomanry regiment had a strength of 550 officers and men.  Having left a party of 100 officers and men in Egypt, they would have landed in Gallipoli no more than 450 strong, or about 6,300 for the 14 regiments.  This would be about half the strength of an infantry division (12 battalions of 1,000 officers and men).}} On 4 September 1915, the [[1st Composite Mounted Brigade]] was formed from the 1st, 2nd and 5th Mounted Brigades, and the [[2nd Composite Mounted Brigade]] from the 3rd and 4th Mounted Brigades.<ref name=Becke17>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=17}}</ref>  Each dismounted brigade formed a battalion sized unit, for example, 1st South Midland Regiment ([[Warwickshire Yeomanry|Warwickshire]], [[Royal Gloucestershire Hussars|Gloucestershire]] and [[Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars|Worcestershire Yeomanry]]).<ref name=Becke13>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=13}}</ref>

The [[Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade]] landed as Suvla on 2 September and joined the division.  Likewise, the [[Highland Mounted Brigade]] joined the division after landing on 26 September.  Both brigades were dismounted in the UK before sailing directly for Gallipoli.<ref name=Becke14/>

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|+Order of Battle, September 1915<ref name=Becke12/>
|-
|valign=top|'''[[1st Composite Mounted Brigade]]'''<br />
1st South Midland Regiment<br />
2nd South Midland Regiment<br />
5th Yeomanry Regiment 
|valign=top|'''Engineers'''<br />
[[Kent Fortress Royal Engineers|1st Kent Field Company]], [[Royal Engineers|RE]]<br />
[[Kent Fortress Royal Engineers|2nd Kent Field Company]], RE
|-
|valign=top|'''[[2nd Composite Mounted Brigade]]'''<br />
3rd Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment<br />
4th London Regiment 
|valign=top|'''Signal Service'''<br />
2nd Mounted Division Signal Squadron
|-
|valign=top|'''[[Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade]]'''<br />
[[1/1st Scottish Horse]]<br />
[[1/2nd Scottish Horse]]<br />
[[1/3rd Scottish Horse]]
|valign=top|'''Medical'''<br />
2nd South Midland Field Ambulance, RAMC<br />
London Field Ambulance, RAMC<br />
Scottish Horse Field Ambulance, RAMC<br />
Highland Field Ambulance, RAMC
|-
|valign=top|'''[[Highland Mounted Brigade]]'''<br />
[[1/1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry]]<br />
[[1/1st Lovat Scouts]]<br />
[[1/2nd Lovat Scouts]]
|valign=top|'''2nd Mounted Division Train'''<br />
2nd Mounted Division Company, ASC
|}

===Return to Egypt===
The division returned to Egypt from Gallipoli in December 1915 and was reformed and remounted.<ref name=Becke17>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=17}}</ref>  The artillery batteries and other units left in Egypt rejoined the division between 10 and 20 December 1915.<ref name=Frederick449>{{harvnb|Frederick|1984|p=449}}</ref>  However, the dismemberment of the division began almost immediately as units were posted to the [[Western Frontier Force]] or to various other commands.

*[[1st South Midland Mounted Brigade]] left the division on 3 and 4 January 1916 for Es Salhia.<ref name=Becke14>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=14}}</ref>  The brigade served as Corps Troops in Egypt from 21 January 1916.<ref name=Perry55>{{harvnb|Perry|1992|p=55}}</ref>  On 31 March 1916, the remaining Mounted Brigades were numbered in a single sequence.<ref name=James36>{{harvnb|James|1978|p=36}}</ref>  As a consequence, the 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade was redesignated as [[5th Mounted Brigade]] on 20 April.<ref name=Becke14/>  It joined the [[Imperial Mounted Division]] in January 1917.<ref name=Perry55/>
*[[2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade]] left the division on 17 January 1916 and was sent to the Western Frontier of Egypt as an independent formation.<ref name=Becke14/>  It was redesignated as [[6th Mounted Brigade]] in April 1916.<ref name=James36/>  It served with the [[Western Frontier Force]] from January to October 1916<ref name=Perry55/> and also joined the Imperial Mounted Division in January 1917.<ref name=Perry55/>
*[[Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade]] left the division on 18 and 19 January 1916.  In February 1916 the brigade was sent to take part in the [[Macedonian front|Salonika Campaign]].<ref name=Becke14/> It was redesignated as [[7th Mounted Brigade]]<ref name=James36/> and returned to Egypt in June 1917.<ref name=Becke33>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=33}}</ref>
*[[London Mounted Brigade]] left the division on 18 January 1916 and was sent to [[Abbassia]].<ref name=Becke14/>  It served as part of the [[Suez Canal]] Defences.<ref name=James23>{{harvnb|James|1978|p=23}}</ref>  It was redesignated as [[8th Mounted Brigade]].<ref name=James36/>  From November 1916 to June 1917 it also served at Salonika<ref name=Becke14/> before returning to Egypt in June 1917.  The brigade joined the newly formed [[Yeomanry Mounted Division]] on 21 July 1917 at el Fuqari.<ref name=Becke33/>
*[[Yeomanry Mounted Brigade]] left the 2nd Mounted Division on 7 December 1915, was reformed and remounted, and joined the [[Western Frontier Force]].<ref name=Becke14/>  By March 1916, the brigade had been broken up.<ref name=James20>{{harvnb|James|1978|p=20}}</ref><ref name=James23/>
On 21 January 1916, 2nd Mounted Division was disbanded.<ref name=Becke17/>

==Commanders==
The 2nd Mounted Division had the following commanders:<ref name=Becke9>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=9}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!  From !! Rank !! Name
|-
| 31 August 1914 || [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] || [[William Peyton|W.E. Peyton]] 
|-
| 21 August 1915 || [[Brigadier general#United Kingdom|Brigadier-General]] || [[Paul Aloysius Kenna|P.A. Kenna]], {{Post-nominals|VC|country=GBR}} (acting)
|-
| 23 August 1915 || Major-General || W.E. Peyton
|-
| 13 November 1915 || Brigadier-General || [[John Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl|Marquis of Tullibardine]] (acting)
|-
| 14 November 1915 || Major-General || W.E. Peyton
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|United Kingdom}}
* [[List of British divisions in World War I]]
* [[British yeomanry during the First World War]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book
  | last = Becke | first = Major A.F.
  | year = 1936
  | title = Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56)
  | publisher = His Majesty's Stationery Office
  | location = London
  | isbn = 1-871167-12-4
}}
* {{cite book
  | last = Frederick | first = J.B.M.
  | year = 1984
  | title = Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978
  | publisher = Microform Academic Publishers
  | location = Wakefield, Yorkshire
  | isbn = 1-85117-009-X
}}
* {{cite book
  | last = James | first = Brigadier E.A.
  | year = 1978
  | title = British Regiments 1914–18
  | publisher = Samson Books Limited
  | location = London
  | isbn = 0-906304-03-2
}}
* {{cite book
  | last = Perry | first = F.W.
  | year = 1992
  | title = Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5A. The Divisions of Australia, Canada and New Zealand and those in East Africa
  | publisher = Ray Westlake Military Books
  | location = Newport
  | isbn = 1-871167-25-6
}}
* {{cite book
  | last = Rinaldi | first = Richard A
  | year = 2008
  | title = Order of Battle of the British Army 1914
  | publisher = Ravi Rikhye
  | isbn = 978-0-9776072-8-0
}}
* {{cite book
  | last = Westlake | first = Ray
  | year = 1996
  | title = British Regiments at Gallipoli
  | publisher = Leo Cooper
  | location = Barnsley
  | isbn = 0-85052-511-X
}}

==External links==
*[http://www.1914-1918.net/CAVALRY/2mtddiv.htm 2nd Mounted Division on The Long, Long Trail]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111007093736/http://www.warpath.orbat.com/yeo_divs/2_mtd_div.htm 2nd Mounted Division on the Regimental Warpath]

{{British Army Divisions}}

[[Category:Cavalry divisions of the British Army in World War I|2]]
[[Category:British cavalry divisions|2]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1914]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1916]]
[[Category:1914 establishments in the United Kingdom]]