Help
Book creator (disable)

ANZAC Mounted Division

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  (Redirected from Anzac Mounted Division)
Jump to: navigation, search
Anzac Mounted Division
ANZAC Mounted Div watering their horses 22 Jan 1918 (AWM B01518).jpg
Men of the Anzac Mounted Division watering their horses at the foot of Mount Zion, January 1918.
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 EEF canal defences (March to October 1916)
EEF Desert Column (October 1916)
EEF Desert Mounted Corps (1917–19)
Chaytor's Force (September 1918)
Equipment Horse rifle and bayonet
Engagements First World War

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 light horse and mounted rifle regiments returned to Egypt after fighting dismounted. For the remainder of the war the division served in the Middle East, fighting their way across the northern edge of the Sinai Peninsula in 1916, and continuing to fight during the remainder of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. Commanded by Major General Sir Harry Chauvel from March 1916 to 1917 until he was promoted to command Desert Column, the division was commanded by Major General Edward Chaytor until the end of the war. The title Anzac indicated its composite Australian and New Zealand units which had served in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during the Gallipoli Campaign. As such was possibly the first official use of this term for this purpose, rather than as a designation for the army corps.citation needed

Contents

History

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.12

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

The division contained three or four mounted brigades. At its core were the following four brigades:

1st Light Horse Brigade

2nd Light Horse Brigade

3rd Light Horse Brigade (1916)

New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade

Light Horse Field Ambulance

22nd Mounted Brigade (1st North Midland) 1917

Battles

Sinai

Palestine

Commanders

Order of battle September 1918

Main articles: Battle of Megiddo (1918) and Chaytor's Force
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 Column4
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

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)6789

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "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]
  2. ^ 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.

References

  1. ^ http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_10549.asp
  2. ^ http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_10551.asp>
  3. ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 156
  4. ^ Preston 1921, p. 331
  5. ^ Powles 1922, p. 236
  6. ^ Keogh 1955, p. 240
  7. ^ Powles 1922, p. 236
  8. ^ Wavell 1968, p. 219
  9. ^ Massey 1920, p. 339

External links