Australian Mounted Division

Australian Mounted Division
Australian Light Horse trooper
Active	Imperial Mounted Division 1916–17 Australian Mounted Division 1917–1919
Country	Australia Great Britain France
Type	Division
Role	Mounted infantry Australian light horse
Part of	Egyptian Expeditionary Force
Engagements	First World War Sinai and Palestine Campaign

The Australian Mounted Division was a mounted infantry, light horse division formed in Egypt during World War I. When the British Empire forces in the Middle East expanded in late 1916, a second mounted division was created called the Imperial Mounted Division. It originally comprised the Australian 3rd Light Horse Brigade, from the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division (Anzac Mounted Division), and the reconstituted Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade as well as the 5th Mounted Yeomanry Brigade and the 6th Mounted Brigade. After protests from the Australian government, the division was renamed in June 1917 when one of the British brigades was detached.

History

During the First Battle of Gaza, the division (as the Imperial Mounted Division) provided protection from counter-attack on the eastern flank while the main infantry assault was underway. The brigades became the rearguard during the withdrawal from Gaza after the attack was called off.

Composition

The core brigades of the division were:

3rd Light Horse Brigade

• 8th Light Horse Regiment (Victoria, Australia)
• 9th Light Horse Regiment (Victoria and South Australia)
• 10th Light Horse Regiment (Western Australia)

4th Light Horse Brigade

• 4th Light Horse Regiment (Victoria)
• 11th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland and South Australia)
• 12th Light Horse Regiment (New South Wales)

5th Mounted Yeomanry Brigade

• 1/1 Warwickshire Yeomanry
• 1/1 Royal Gloucestershire Hussars
• 1/1 Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars

British 19th Horse Artillery Brigade

• 1st Nottinghamshire Battery Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) (known as Notts RHA)
• 1/1st Berkshire Battery RHA
• A Battery Honourable Artillery Company (HAC)
• B Battery HAC
• Brigade Ammunition Column

Each battery was equipped with four Ordnance QF 13 pounder field guns.

Light Horse Field Ambulance

• Australian Light Horse Field Ambulance
• 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance
• 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance

Originally the division also contained the British 5th Mounted Brigade. In mid-1918 the 5th Mounted Yeomanry Brigade was detached and the Australian 5th Light Horse Brigade, comprising the 14th, the 15th Light Horse Regiment and the French 16th Regiment Mixte de Marche de Palestine et Syrie, joined the division.

Battles

• First Battle of Gaza
• Second Battle of Gaza
• Third Battle of Gaza
• Battle of Beersheba
• Battle of Mughar Ridge
• Battle of Jerusalem
• Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt (1918)
• Battle of Megiddo

Commanders

• Major General H.W. Hodgson (1917–1919)

See also

• Military history of Australia during World War I

References

• Jones, Ian (1987). The Australian Light Horse. Australians at War. Australia: Time-Life Books. OCLC 18459444. 
• William T. Massey, Allenby’s Final Triumph (London: Constable & Co., London 1920)
• Preston, R. M. P. (1921). The Desert Mounted Corps: An Account of the Cavalry Operations in Palestine and Syria 1917–1918. London: Constable & Co.. OCLC 3900439. 

External links

• First AIF Order of Battle 1914–1918: Australian Mounted Division