ANZAC Mounted Division
| Anzac Mounted Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1916–1919 |
| Country | Australia New Zealand |
| Allegiance | Australian Crown Dominion of New Zealand |
| Branch | Australian Army New Zealand Army |
| Type | Light Horse and Mounted Rifles |
| Size | Cavalry Brigade |
| Part of | (1) Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) Canal Defences March to October 1916 (2) EEF Desert Column October 1916 (3) EEF Desert Mounted Corps 1917-19 (4) Chaytor's Force September 1918 |
| Equipment | Horse rifle and bayonet |
| Engagements | First World War |
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The Anzac Mounted Division (officially known as the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division) was a mounted infantry division formed in March 1916 in Egypt during World War I following the Battle of Gallipoli when the Australian and New Zealand regiments returned from fighting in a dismounted role. For the remainder of the war it served in the Middle East, in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. Commanded by Major General Sir Harry Chauvel from March 1916 to 1917 when Major General Edward Chaytor took command for the remainder of the war.
The title Anzac indicated its composite Australian and New Zealand units and as such was possibly the first official use of this term for this purpose, rather than as a designation for an army corps.[citation needed]
Contents |
History [edit]
Before the Anzac Mounted Division was formed all the brigades served during the Gallipoli Campaign. 1st, 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Brigades served dismounted in the New Zealand and Australian Division from 12 May to 18–21 December 1915. The 1st Light Horse saw action at the Chessboard on 7 August while the 3rd Light Horse Brigade fought at the Nek during the August Offensive. The 2nd Light Horse fought near Quinn's Post.[1][2]
The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade also served at Gallipoli before returning to Egypt where the Anzac Mounted Division was formed on 27 March 1916.[3]
Composition [edit]
The division contained three or four mounted brigades. At its core were the following four brigades:
1st Light Horse Brigade [edit]
2nd Light Horse Brigade [edit]
3rd Light Horse Brigade [edit]
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade [edit]
Light Horse Field Ambulance [edit]
- Australian Light Horse Field Ambulance
- 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance
- 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance
- 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance
- New Zealand Mounted Rifles Field Ambulance
22nd Mounted Brigade (1st North Midland) 1917 [edit]
- 1/1st Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Royal Regiment)
- 1/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry
- 1/1st East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry[Note 2]
Battles [edit]
Sinai [edit]
Palestine [edit]
- First Battle of Gaza – 2nd Brigade and NZ Brigade
- Second Battle of Gaza
- Third Battle of Gaza
- Battle of Beersheba
- Battle of Mughar Ridge
- Battle of Jerusalem (1917)
- Capture of Jericho
- First Transjordan attack on Amman
- Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt
- Battle of Megiddo
Commanders [edit]
- Major General Henry G. Chauvel (1916–17)
- Major General Edward Chaytor (1917–19)
Order of battle September 1918 [edit]
-
- 1st Light Horse Brigage (Brigadier General C. F. Cox)
- 1st, 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Regiments
- 2nd Light Horse Brigade (Brigadier General G. de L. Ryrie)
- 5th, 6th and 7th Light Horse Regiments
- New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade (Brigadier General W. Meldrum)
- Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington Mounted Rifle Regiments
- 18th Brigade RHA (Inverness, Ayrshire and Somerset Batteries) and Divisional Ammunition Column[4]
- A/263 Battery RFA
- 195th Heavy Battery RGA
- 29th and 32nd Indian Mountain Batteries
- No. 6 (Medium) Trench Mortar Battery
- 3 anti–aircraft sections RA
- Detachment No. 35 AT Company RE.[5]
- 1st Light Horse Brigage (Brigadier General C. F. Cox)
With the following assigned to form Chaytor's Force
- 20th Imperial Service Infantry Brigade
- Four Indian Battalions
- 1st Battalion British West Indies Regiment
- 2nd Battalion British West Indies Regiment
- 38th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (Jewish Legion)
- 39th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (Jewish Legion)[6][7][8][9]
See also [edit]
Notes [edit]
- ^ "The 3rd Light Horse Brigade was transferred to the Imperial Mounted Division (which became the Australian Mounted Division). The British 22nd Mounted (Yeomanry) Brigade replaced the 3rd Light Horse Brigade until it left for the Yeomanry Mounted Division in July 1917. [Becke, A.F. (1945). History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions: Territorial Force & Mounted Divisions Pt. 2A. London HMSO]
- ^ This brigade was briefly attached to the Anzac Mounted Division after the 3rd Light Horse Brigade was transferred to the Imperial Mounted Division and before the brigade was transferred to the Yeomanry Mounted Division.
