1st Cavalry Division (United Kingdom)

Updated on Dec 04, 2023

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Country United Kingdom Branch British Army		Allegiance British Crown Type Cavalry
Active August 1914 – March 1919 31 October 1940 – 1 August 1941 Size Division World War II 11,097 men 6,081 horses 1,815 vehicles

The 1st Cavalry Division was a regular Division of the British Army during the First World War where it fought on the Western Front. During the Second World War it was a second line formation, formed from Yeomanry Regiments. It fought in the Middle East before being converted to the 10th Armoured Division.

Napoleonic Wars

During the Peninsular War, Wellington organized his cavalry into The Cavalry Division from June 1809 under Major General Sir William Payne. This performed a purely administrative, rather than tactical, role; the normal tactical headquarters were provided by brigades commanding two, later usually three, regiments. On 3 June 1810, Payne returned home and his second-in-command, Major General Stapleton Cotton, took command. Cotton was to remain in command thereafter and effectively acted as Wellington's chief of cavalry.

On 19 June 1811, the cavalry was reorganized as two divisions and The Cavalry Division was redesignated as 1st Cavalry Division with the formation of the 2nd Cavalry Division. The divisions were once again amalgamated as The Cavalry Division on 21 April 1813 with Cotton (Lieutenant General from 1 January 1812) still in command.

First World War

The 1st Cavalry Division was one of the first Divisions to move to France in 1914, they would remain on the Western Front throughout the war. It participated in most of the major actions where cavalry were used as a mounted mobile force, they would also be used as dismounted troops and effectively serve as infantry. On 11 November 1918, orders were received that the Division would lead the advance of Second Army into Germany, by 6 December, having passed through Namur, the Division secured the Rhine bridgehead at Cologne.

1st Cavalry Brigade

2nd Dragoon Guards 5th Dragoon Guards 11th Hussars 1st Signal Troop 1st Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (from February 1916)

2nd Cavalry Brigade

4th Dragoon Guards 9th Lancers 18th Hussars 2nd Signal Troop 2nd Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron (from 28 February 1916)

9th Cavalry Brigade

9th Cavalry Brigade was formed in France on 14 April 1915 with the 15th Hussars and the 19th Hussars. These regular cavalry regiments had been serving on the Western Front since August 1914 as divisional cavalry squadrons assigned to infantry divisions. The brigade remained with 1st Cavalry Division for the rest of the war.

Cavalry Divisional troops

III Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery transferred to 2nd Cavalry Division on formation on 17 September 1914 D Battery, RHA E Battery, RHA III RHA Brigade Ammunition Column VII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery 1st Field Squadron Royal Engineers 1st Signal Squadron

Second World War

The 1st Cavalry Division was reformed during World War II on 31 October 1939 in Northern Command and took command of two pre-war First Line Territorial Army cavalry brigades (the 5th and 6th) and the newly formed 4th Cavalry Brigade. It was the only cavalry division in the British Army in the Second World War

It departed the United Kingdom in January 1940, transited across France, and arrived in Palestine on 31 January 1940. It served as a garrison force under British Forces, Palestine and Trans-Jordan.

In May 1941, the Divisional Headquarters and elements of the division (notably the 4th Cavalry Brigade), together with a battalion of infantry from the Essex Regiment (the 1st Battalion), a mechanised regiment from the Arab Legion and supporting artillery was reorganised as Habforce for operations in Iraq including the relief of the base at RAF Habbaniya and the occupation of Baghdad. Following this, in July 1941, Habforce was placed under the command of Australian I Corps and was involved in operations against the Vichy French in Syria, advancing from eastern Iraq near the Trans-Jordan border to capture Palmyra and secure the Haditha - Tripoli oil pipeline.

On 1 August 1941, the 1st Cavalry Division was converted into the 10th Armoured Division. 10th Armoured Division later fought at the Battles of Alam Halfa and El Alamein. The 10th Armoured Division was disbanded in Egypt on 15 June 1944.

Support Units

The division also commanded the following support units:

104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery 106th (Lancashire Hussars) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery 107th (South Nottinghamshire Hussars) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery 2nd Field Squadron, Royal Engineers 141st Field Park Squadron, Royal Engineers 1st Cavalry Division Signal Regiment 550th Company, Royal Army Service Corps, TA