| 1st Cavalry Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | First World War Second World War |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Cavalry Yeomanry |
| Size | Second World War 11,097 men[1] 6,081 horses[1] 1,815 vehicles[1][nb 1] |
| Engagements | First World War Battle of Mons Action of Elouges Rearguard Action of Solesmes Battle of Le Cateau Rearguard Affair of Etreux Affair of Nery Rearguard Actions of Villers-Cotterets Battle of the Marne Battle of the Aisne Actions on the Aisne Heights First Battle of Ypres 1915 Second Battle of Ypres 1916 Battle of Flers Courcelette 1917 Battle of Arras Battle of Cambrai 1918 First Battle of the Somme 1918 Battle of Amiens 1918 Second Battle of the Somme 1918 Hindenburg Line 1918 Final Advance in Artois Final Advance in Picardy Second World War Anglo-Iraqi War Syria-Lebanon Campaign |
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.
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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.[2] 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.[2]
Commanding Generals:
Brigade was formed on 14 April 1915
The only British cavalry division during the War, this formation was sent in January 1940 to the Middle East as a garrison and occupation force. In May 1941 the 4th Cavalry Brigade, together with a battalion of infantry from The Essex Regiment, 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 it 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 division was converted to the 10th Armoured Division.
Commanding General: