The 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade was a
brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
B ...
-sized formation that served alongside
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
forces in the
Sinai and Palestine Campaign, during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Originally called the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade it was formed from
Imperial Service Troops
The Imperial Service Troops were forces raised by the princely states of the British Indian Empire. These troops were available for service alongside the Indian Army when such service was requested by the British government. At the beginning of ...
provided by the
Indian Princely States
A princely state (also called native state or Indian state) was a nominally sovereign entity of the British Indian Empire that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule, subject to a ...
of
Jodhpur
Jodhpur (; ) is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat of the princely state of Jodhpur State. Jodhpur was historically the capital of the ...
,
Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India ...
,
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...
,
Patiala
Patiala () is a city in southeastern Punjab, northwestern India. It is the fourth largest city in the state and is the administrative capital of Patiala district. Patiala is located around the '' Qila Mubarak'' (the 'Fortunate Castle') construct ...
and
Alwar
Alwar (Pronunciation: lʋəɾ is a city located in India's National Capital Region and the administrative headquarters of Alwar District in the state of Rajasthan. It is located 150 km south of Delhi and 150 km north of Jaipur. ...
which each provided a
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...
of
lancers. A maximum of three regiments served in the brigade at any one time. The states of
Kashmir,
Idar
Idar may refer to:
People
* Idar Andersen (born 1999), Norwegian road racing cyclist
* Idar Kreutzer (born 1962), Norwegian businessperson
* Idar Kristiansen (1932–1985), Norwegian poet, novelist, short story writer and non-fiction writer
* ...
and
Kathiawar
Kathiawar () is a peninsula, near the far north of India's west coast, of about bordering the Arabian Sea. It is bounded by the Gulf of Kutch in the northwest and by the Gulf of Khambhat (Gulf of Cambay) in the east. In the northeast, it is ...
provided smaller detachments for the brigade, which was at times reinforced by other British Empire regiments and artillery batteries when on operations.
In October 1914, the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade was moved by sea to Egypt to become part of the
Force in Egypt
The Force in Egypt was a British Army formation established in August 1914 to administer garrisoning armed forces in Egypt at the beginning of the First World War. The force had the objective of protecting the Suez Canal and was originally comma ...
defending the
Suez Canal. In the first three years of the war, the soldiers were involved in several small-scale battles connected to the
First Suez Offensive
The Raid on the Suez Canal, also known as Actions on the Suez Canal, took place between 26 January and 4 February 1915 when a German-led Ottoman Army force advanced from Southern Palestine to attack the British Empire-protected Suez Canal, mar ...
, but spent most of their time patrolling in the
Sinai Desert
Sinai commonly refers to:
* Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
* Mount Sinai, a mountain in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
* Biblical Mount Sinai, the site in the Bible where Moses received the Law of God
Sinai may also refer to:
* Sinai, South Dakota, a place ...
and along the west bank of the canal. It was not until November 1917 as part of the
Egyptian Expeditionary Force
The Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) was a British Empire military formation, formed on 10 March 1916 under the command of General Archibald Murray from the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and the Force in Egypt (1914–15), at the beginning ...
that the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade was involved in the
Third Battle of Gaza
The Third Battle of Gaza was fought on the night of 1–2 November 1917 between British and Ottoman forces during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I and came after the British Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) victory at the ...
. The following year the brigade joined the
5th Cavalry Division when it became the 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade and played an active role in the British victory over Turkish forces in Palestine.
In total, eighty-four men from the brigade were killed in action or died of their wounds and another 123 were wounded. Several memorials were erected to commemorate the brigade in the Middle East and in India. The anniversary of the brigade's most famous victory, the
Battle of Haifa, is still celebrated today by its successors in the
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
.
Background
![Group of Imperial Service Troops](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Group_of_Imperial_Service_Troops.jpg)
In 1888, the Indian Government proposed that the independent armies of the
Indian Princely states
A princely state (also called native state or Indian state) was a nominally sovereign entity of the British Indian Empire that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule, subject to a ...
provide the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
with troops for service on the
North West Frontier and outside the Indian subcontinent. The states' forces were recognised by the Indian Government and the
British Indian Army as allies, and their troops were subject to the ''
Indian Army Act'' when serving alongside the Indian Army. When in the field, the commander of the British Forces alongside which any
Imperial Service Troops
The Imperial Service Troops were forces raised by the princely states of the British Indian Empire. These troops were available for service alongside the Indian Army when such service was requested by the British government. At the beginning of ...
were serving was recognised as the higher legal authority in accordance with the act. To eliminate supply problems, states' armies' field uniform and weapons were the same as the regular Indian Army, and the Indian Government appointed a staff of officers designated Military Advisers and Assistant Military Advisers to assist the independent states' rulers in the training and organisation of their forces. Imperial Service Troops were commanded by Indian officers. In contrast, British Indian Army units had British officers in all senior command posts; their own Indian
Viceroy's commissioned officers were trained to only a
troop
A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Tr ...
or
platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...
level of command.
[
The Imperial Service Troops included cavalry, infantry, artillery, ]sapper
A sapper, also called a pioneer or combat engineer, is a combatant or soldier who performs a variety of military engineering duties, such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing ...
s and transport regiments or battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions a ...
s, with several states contributing both men and equipment.[ The first states to provide troops for active service were ]Gwalior
Gwalior() is a major city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh; it lies in northern part of Madhya Pradesh and is one of the Counter-magnet cities. Located south of Delhi, the capital city of India, from Agra and from Bhopal, the s ...
and Jaipur
Jaipur (; Hindi: ''Jayapura''), formerly Jeypore, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had a population of 3.1 million, making it the tenth most populous city in the country. Jaipur is also known ...
for the Chitral Expedition
The Chitral Expedition (Urdu:چترال فوجی مہم) was a military expedition in 1895 sent by the British authorities to relieve the fort at Chitral, which was under siege after a local coup following the death of the old ruler. An interv ...
in 1895. Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India ...
sent troops to Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
in 1898 and to the Second Anglo-Boer War in 1902. During the 1900 Boxer Rebellion in China, part of the British relief force contingent was an Imperial Service Brigade, raised from the troops of Alwar
Alwar (Pronunciation: lʋəɾ is a city located in India's National Capital Region and the administrative headquarters of Alwar District in the state of Rajasthan. It is located 150 km south of Delhi and 150 km north of Jaipur. ...
, Bikaner
Bikaner () is a city in the northwest of the state of Rajasthan, India. It is located northwest of the state capital, Jaipur. Bikaner city is the administrative headquarters of Bikaner District and Bikaner division.
Formerly the capital of ...
and Jodhpur
Jodhpur (; ) is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat of the princely state of Jodhpur State. Jodhpur was historically the capital of the ...
. Bikaner also sent troops to serve in the 1901 Somaliland Campaign.[Raugh 2004, p. 171] By the start of the First World War, the princely states together provided fifteen cavalry regiments, thirteen infantry battalions, seven transport units, four companies
A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...
of sappers, three camel corps regiments and two batteries of mountain artillery, totalling around 22,500 men.[Duckers 2008, p. 33]
Brigade organisation
In October 1914, under the command of Brigadier-General William A. Watson of the British Indian Army, the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade, of around 1,700 men, was gathered at Deolali
Deolali, or Devlali (), is a small hill station and a census town in Nashik district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Now it is part of Nashik Metropolitan Region.
Deolali has an important army base. Deolali Camp, one of the oldest Indian m ...
for service in the First World War.[ The brigade headquarters had an establishment of seven officers and forty-seven men. Including the brigade commander there were five British officers on the brigade staff; also attached were Sir Pratap Singh the Maharaja of ]Idar
Idar may refer to:
People
* Idar Andersen (born 1999), Norwegian road racing cyclist
* Idar Kreutzer (born 1962), Norwegian businessperson
* Idar Kristiansen (1932–1985), Norwegian poet, novelist, short story writer and non-fiction writer
* ...
and Captain Zorawar Singh the Commandant
Commandant ( or ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ran ...
of the Bhavnagar Imperial Service Lancers.[ The ]Kathiawar
Kathiawar () is a peninsula, near the far north of India's west coast, of about bordering the Arabian Sea. It is bounded by the Gulf of Kutch in the northwest and by the Gulf of Khambhat (Gulf of Cambay) in the east. In the northeast, it is ...
Imperial Service Signal Troop, commanded by Captain Henry St. George Scott of the 4th Gurkha Rifles
The 4th Gorkha Rifles or the Fourth Gorkha Rifles, abbreviated as 4 GR, is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese nationality, especially Magars and Gurungs hill tribes of Nepal. The Fourth Gorkha Rifles h ...
, were with brigade headquarters, with an establishment of one Indian officer and twenty-seven men of other ranks, including twelve despatch riders from Idar State
Idar State, also known as Edar, was a princely state located in present-day Gujarat state of India. During the British era, it was a part of the Mahi Kantha Agency, within the Gujarat Division of Bombay Presidency.
History
Idar State was a pr ...
. The brigade also included the 124th Indian Cavalry Field Ambulance, commanded by Captain T. O'Leary of the Indian Army Medical Corps
The Indian Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the Indian Army which primarily provides medical services to all Army personnel, serving and veterans, along with their families.
Early history
Very little is known of the medical organisatio ...
, with an establishment of five Indian officers, one British and ten Indians of other ranks.[
The fighting component of the brigade was formed from three cavalry regiments, each of five squadrons:][ the 1st Hyderabad Lancers commanded by Major Mahomed Azmatullah '' Bahadur'' with twenty-seven officers (one British) and 533 other ranks, the ]Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...
Lancers (including two troops of Bhavnagar Lancers and one troop of Kashmir Lancers) commanded by Regimentdar B. Chamraj Urs ''Bahadur'' with thirty-two officers (one British) and 487 other ranks,a company unit of Alwar Lancers were commanded by Captain Fateh Naseeb Khan with 7 officers and 135 other ranks and the Patiala
Patiala () is a city in southeastern Punjab, northwestern India. It is the fourth largest city in the state and is the administrative capital of Patiala district. Patiala is located around the '' Qila Mubarak'' (the 'Fortunate Castle') construct ...
Lancers commanded by Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
Nand Singh ''Sardar Bahadur'' with twenty-six officers and 528 other ranks. This formation remained the same until May 1916, when the Patiala Lancers
The 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade was a brigade-sized formation that served alongside British Empire forces in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, during World War I. Originally called the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade it was formed ...
were transferred to serve in the campaign in Mesopotamia. The brigade regained its own third regiment in May 1918 when the Jodhpur
Jodhpur (; ) is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat of the princely state of Jodhpur State. Jodhpur was historically the capital of the ...
Lancers, commanded by Colonel Thakur Pratap Singh ''Sardar Bahadur'', which had been serving on the Western Front in France, arrived in the theatre.[ The final unit assigned to the brigade was the Imperial Service Machine-Gun Squadron formed on 10 June 1918 by amalgamating the three cavalry regiment's machine-gun sections into one unit. Some sources refer to the squadron as the 15th Imperial Service Brigade Machine-Gun Squadron.
Even though the brigade was an Imperial Service unit, the cavalry regiments and brigade headquarters included attached British Indian Army Special Service Officers (SSO), but only as advisors.][HMSO 1920, pp. 2–3] In 1914, the three cavalry regiments had two SSOs attached, and Colonel J. Desaraj Urs Commander-in-Chief of the Mysore State Forces accompanied the Mysore Lancers as an observer. The Jodhpur Lancers joined the brigade with seven SSOs attached. Throughout the war the establishment of British officers assigned to the cavalry regiments was gradually increased; in February 1915 there were four in each regiment, in 1917 another two were assigned and in mid-1918 a full complement of twelve British officers in each of the regiments was reached.[
]
Service history
1914
While waiting at Deolali to embark for Egypt, the brigade conducted regimental and brigade training programmes during which all ranks and animals were inspected, and those found unfit for service were returned to their regimental depots. Between 27 and 29 October the brigade moved to Bombay
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second-m ...
for embarkation; six transport ships carrying most of the brigade sailed on 1 November, while a seventh ship carrying two squadrons of Mysore Lancers remained behind with mechanical problems and finally set sail a fortnight later. The main body of the brigade arrived at Suez
Suez ( ar, السويس '; ) is a seaport city (population of about 750,000 ) in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez (a branch of the Red Sea), near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same bou ...
on 16 November, travelled by train to Ismailia
Ismailia ( ar, الإسماعيلية ', ) is a city in north-eastern Egypt. Situated on the west bank of the Suez Canal, it is the capital of the Ismailia Governorate. The city has a population of 1,406,699 (or approximately 750,000, includi ...
two days later and started their first war-time patrols along the banks of the Sweet Water Canal
Sweetness is a basic taste most commonly perceived when eating foods rich in sugars. Sweet tastes are generally regarded as pleasurable. In addition to sugars like sucrose, many other chemical compounds are sweet, including aldehydes, ketone ...
.[HMSO 1920, p. 4] The brigade was not assigned to a higher formation at this time but were Army Troops under command of General Headquarters.[Preston 1921, p. 8] The Bikaner Camel Corps
The Bikaner Camel Corps was a unit of Imperial Service Troops from India that fought for the Allies in World War I and World War II.
The Corps was founded by Maharaja Ganga Singh of the Indian state of Bikaner, as the Ganga Risala after the Bri ...
, another Imperial Service unit, was attached to the brigade at Ismailia for administrative purposes, but was not operationally attached. To expand the area the brigade could patrol, squadrons were detached to El Kubri, Kantarah and the Ferry Post crossing at Ismailia. At the same time, the brigade became responsible for patrolling the length of the Suez Canal.[HMSO 1920, p. 6] The other British forces defending the canal were more static infantry formations, comprising the 42nd (East Lancashire), and the 10th
10 (ten) is the even natural number following 9 and preceding 11. Ten is the base of the decimal numeral system, by far the most common system of denoting numbers in both spoken and written language. It is the first double-digit number. The re ...
and 11th Indian Divisions, the latter included the Imperial Service Infantry Brigade as one of its three brigades.[ Their Turkish opponents had around 25,000 men in the region, including the 25th Division.][Carver 2004, p. 8]
1915
By the end of 1914, no contact had been made with any Turkish forces. In January 1915 the brigade was informed that a large Turkish force had moved into the Sinai
Sinai commonly refers to:
* Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
* Mount Sinai, a mountain in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
* Biblical Mount Sinai, the site in the Bible where Moses received the Law of God
Sinai may also refer to:
* Sinai, South Dakota, a place ...
. The out-stations were reinforced and the squadron at Kantarah was involved in a small action at Bir El Dueidar, between Kantarah and Katia
Katia is a feminine given name. It is a variant of Katya.
Notable people with this name
Actresses and models
* Katia Dandoulaki, Greek actress
*Katia Margaritoglou, Greek fashion model and beauty contestant
*Katia Winter (born 1983), Swedis ...
which was the brigade's first involvement in combat. Towards the end of the month, several small battles occurred until the night of 2/3 February, when Turkish opponents tried to cross the canal in force. The attempt failed and on 4 February the brigade moved into the Sinai with infantry in support. About east of Toussoum they located the Turkish forces, estimated to be between three or four brigades in strength, and captured twenty-five men and ninety camels.[ By 10 February the Turkish had withdrawn to the east and the canal was no longer in immediate danger, so the brigade returned to the canal and resumed their normal patrolling routine. At the end of February 1915 the Mysore and Hyderabad Lancers were ordered to return to the Sinai and destroy the water sources used by the Turkish during their advance.][
]
The brigade's next action was on 22 March when two squadrons of Hyderabad Lancers were included in a force sent to assault a Turkish formation of 800 infantry and 200 cavalry supported by artillery, entrenched east of El Kubri. After a short fight the Turkish withdrew; it had been intended that the Lancers would move to cut off their retreat but the soft terrain prevented them getting into position in time.[HMSO 1920, p. 7] On 7 April, patrols from Kantara reported a force of about 1,200 men had opened fire on them. To counter this new threat to the canal, the whole brigade was moved to Kantarah and the next day advanced into the Sinai, but failed to locate any Turkish troops and returned to Ismailia.[
On 28 April a patrol from the Bikaner Camel Corps was attacked by an estimated 400 men with artillery support. In response the brigade crossed the canal that night supported by infantry and Egyptian artillery and advanced on ]El Hawawish
El Hawawish ( ar, الحواويش) is the name given to the site of the ancient necropolis (cemetery) for the city of Akhmim in the Sohag Governorate, Egypt.
The cemetery was excavated extensively by an Australian archaeological and epigraphi ...
, where the Turkish were believed to be located.[ By daybreak however their guide reported he was lost, so the brigade continued alone. Bypassing El Hawaish, they made for Bir Mahadat, arriving at midday they discovered the Turkish were withdrawing to the north. Setting off in pursuit they caught up with the Turkish rearguard, which was forced to stop and fight. For the loss of two killed and eight wounded the brigade killed twenty Turkish soldiers and captured thirteen. At 20:00 on 29 April, the pursuit was called off and the brigade returned to Ferry Post on the canal.][HMSO 1920, p. 8] Several times in the following months the brigade responded to reports of Turkish incursions, but nothing came of them until 23 November when a Mysore Lancers squadron located a Turkish camel force of about sixty men east of Kantarah. Pursued by the Lancers, the Turkish withdrew, during which the Lancers killed seven men, captured twelve and wounded several more. Among the dead was the Bedouin leader Rizkalla Salim who had led most of the Turkish raids on the canal, and with his death the attacks ceased.[
]
1916–1917
From January 1916, all patrolling east of the Suez Canal was left to the British yeomanry and the Australian Light Horse
Australian Light Horse were mounted troops with characteristics of both cavalry and mounted infantry, who served in the Second Boer War and World War I. During the inter-war years, a number of regiments were raised as part of Australia's part-t ...
formations. The Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade concentrated on patrolling the Sweet Water Canal, the railway line between Suez and Port Said, and the Suez Canal Zone to the west of the canal, which was a restricted area for non-military personnel. On 31 March, Major-General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
W.A. Watson assumed command of the Nile Delta region and was replaced as brigade commander by Brigadier-General M.H. Henderson. In May 1916, the brigade was reduced to two cavalry regiments when the Patiala Lancers left for Mesopotamia. The brigade also carried out weapons and signal training, but the year ended without them being involved in any contact with the Turkish.[HMSO 1920, p. 9]
In February 1917, the brigade was ordered to relieve the British 6th Mounted Brigade
The 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade (later numbered as the 6th Mounted Brigade) was a yeomanry brigade of the British Army, formed as part of the Territorial Force in 1908.
It served dismounted in the Gallipoli Campaign before being remounte ...
on the east bank of the Suez canal. The Mysore Lancers moved to Gebel-Geneffe, the Hyderabad Lancers to Ayun Musa, with the brigade headquarters at El Shatt
The El Shatt was a complex of World War II refugee camps in the desert of the Sinai peninsula in Egypt, established in early 1944. The region of Dalmatia (in today's modern Croatia, then Yugoslavia) was evacuated by the Allies, following the Sep ...
. For the next few weeks the brigade sent patrols out into the Sinai until 14 April,[ when they were ordered to relocate to Kantarah, where two days later Brigadier-General Cyril Rodney Harbord took over command.][ To help counter an expected Turkish attack in early May, the brigade was ordered to ]Khan Yunis
Khan Yunis ( ar, خان يونس, also spelled Khan Younis or Khan Yunus; translation: ''Caravansary fJonah'') is a city in the southern Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Khan Yunis had a population of 142,6 ...
in Gaza. The brigade marched the in nine days, arrived on 25 April and came under command of the Imperial Mounted Division
The Australian Mounted Division originally formed as the Imperial Mounted Division in January 1917, was a mounted infantry, Australian Light Horse, light horse and yeomanry division (military), division. The division was formed in Egypt, and alon ...
. The division was the army reserve under orders to counter-attack the Turkish left flank. The expected attack never came, but instead of moving back to the canal, the brigade became lines of communication
A line of communication (or communications) is the route that connects an operating military unit with its supply base. Supplies and reinforcements are transported along the line of communication. Therefore, a secure and open line of communicati ...
troops, based at Khan Yunis and Rafah
Rafah ( ar, رفح, Rafaḥ) is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. It is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate, located south of Gaza City. Rafah's population of 152,950 (2014) is overwhelmingly made up of former Palestini ...
.[HMSO 1920, pp. 10–11] For the next three months, the brigade was deployed on rear area security and patrolling duties. In May 1917, the cavalry regiments received the Vickers machine-gun
The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. The gun was operated by a three-man crew but typically required more men to move and o ...
to replace their older Maxim Gun
The Maxim gun is a recoil-operated machine gun invented in 1884 by Hiram Stevens Maxim. It was the first fully automatic machine gun in the world.
The Maxim gun has been called "the weapon most associated with imperial conquest" by historian ...
s and all ranks were put through training courses on the Vickers and a newer version of the Lee–Enfield Rifle
The Lee–Enfield or Enfield is a bolt-action, magazine-fed repeating rifle that served as the main firearm of the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century, and was the British Army's sta ...
, which had also just been issued. In September, the cavalry regiments' pack horses started to be replaced by horse-drawn wagons and each of the regiments was issued with twelve Hotchkiss machine-guns; one per troop.[HMSO 1920, p. 13]
Third battle of Gaza
On 27 September, the brigade was once again moved to the front line and given responsibility for patrolling the area between the Desert Mounted Corps
The Desert Mounted Corps was an army corps of the British Army during the First World War, of three mounted divisions renamed in August 1917 by General Edmund Allenby, from Desert Column. These divisions which served in the Sinai and Pales ...
and the XXI Corps,[ taking under command the XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment on 20 October.][ At the time the brigade was the only mounted formation not under the direct command of the Desert Mounted Corps, remaining Army Troops.] The next British attack was the capture of Gaza in November 1917; the plan was for the infantry to capture their initial objectives, then the brigade would be released to advance along the Mediterranean coastline, turn right and attack the Turkish rear and their headquarters at Nuzzle. When the battle started, the British infantry captured all but one of their objectives, but as the brigade started to move out, a Turkish counter-attack regained their previous positions, so the brigade's advance was called off.[HMSO 1920, p. 14] However, by the night of 6/7 November, continued British attacks forced the Turkish to withdraw from Gaza and the brigade was ordered forward to pursue them. By 13:00 the brigade was north of Gaza when the Mysore Lancers' leading squadron located the Turkish rearguard, which included a heavy machine-gun position. At 15:00 the Hyderabad Lancers and the XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment attacked Beit Hanun
Beit Hanoun or Beit Hanun ( ar, بيت حانون) is a city on the northeast edge of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of 32,187 in mid-2006. It is administered by the Hamas admi ...
, while the rest of the brigade attacked Beit Lahi. As the Hyderabad Lancers approached their objective, they came under a heavy artillery bombardment. Leaving one squadron and their machine-guns behind to provide fire support, the rest of the Lancers attacked, capturing the Wadi Safieh line. The Lancers, still under artillery fire, held out until 16:30, when they were ordered to withdraw and rejoin the rest of the brigade now concentrated at Beit Lahi.
The brigade now came under command of XXI Corps and at 01:45 on 8 November was ordered to move west of Beit Hanun and link up with the Australian Mounted Division, which was advancing from the east. As they moved to the east of Beit Hanun, the XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment, which was still attached to the brigade, came under heavy machine-gun and artillery fire, preventing the brigade from advancing further. The Turkish bombardment continued until 12:20, when they were observed withdrawing. The XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment and Mysore Lancers were ordered to encircle and cut off their retreat, however dug in Turkish positions at the Wadi Hesi once again halted the brigade advance. At 15:00 that day the brigade eventually made contact with the 4th Light Horse Brigade, completing the link up with the Australian Mounted Division.
The morning of 9 November was spent trying to water the horses, some of which had had no water for over twenty-four hours, so the brigade did not move after the now retreating Turkish until after 11:20. Moving at their best speed, the brigade reached the high ground east of El Medjel by 14:30, capturing two artillery guns, rifles and ammunition en route. Two troops were sent forward to locate the Turkish rearguard, which they found at 16:30 crossing the plain at El Tine. Early the next morning, patrols were again sent to locate the Turkish forces but at 07:00, the brigade was unexpectedly ordered back to Gaza. Despite the heavy fire the brigade had been subjected to, their casualties during the battle were light; only four officers and ten other ranks had been wounded, sixteen horses killed and another fifty wounded. The Turkish casualties were estimated at 100 dead; forty-nine were taken prisoner and five artillery guns were captured.
1918
In early January, the brigade trained and re-equipped, which included the first issue of bayonets to the Lancers. On 2 April, the Hyderabad Lancers were detached from the brigade, coming under the command of the ANZAC Mounted Division, then the Desert Mounted Corps and finally the 60th Division. The rest of the brigade moved to the Jordan Valley
The Jordan Valley ( ar, غور الأردن, ''Ghor al-Urdun''; he, עֵמֶק הַיַרְדֵּן, ''Emek HaYarden'') forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. Unlike most other river valleys, the term "Jordan Valley" often applies just to ...
, arriving at Jericho on 29 April.[HMSO 1920, p. 18] The next day the brigade was designated the Desert Mounted Corps reserve and concentrated to the west of the Ghoraniyeh
Ghoraniyeh or El Ghorahiyeh is a crossing (ford (crossing), ford) by the Jordan River south of Wadi Nimrin on the left bank where it joins Wadi an Nuway'imah (Nuei'ameh, Nu'eima, etc.) on the right bank.Trelawney Saunders, ''An Introduction to the ...
bridgehead over the River Jordan
The Jordan River or River Jordan ( ar, نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn'', he, נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, ''Nəhar hayYardēn''; syc, ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ ''Nahrāʾ Yurdnan''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Shariea ...
. On the final day of the raid on Es Salt, on 4 May, the brigade, with the New Zealand Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment
The Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment from New Zealand, raised for service during the First World War. It was assigned to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
Th ...
attached, was ordered to cross the Jordan and form a defensive screen on the east bank to cover the withdrawal of the ANZAC Division. They remained in place until 5 May, when the ANZAC Division reached and crossed the Jordan safely at 16:00. The brigade, less some patrols, was back within the bridgehead by 18:00. In the following twelve days, the brigade patrolled to the east of the River Jordan, resulting in numerous contacts with the Turkish defenders, during which several prisoners and deserters were captured. On 11 May, the Jodhpur Lancers were assigned to the brigade and the Wellington Mounted Rifles returned to the command of their parent New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade
The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade was a brigade of the New Zealand Army during the First World War. Raised in 1914 as part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, it was one of the first New Zealand units to sail for service overseas.
The ...
. On 23 May, the brigade came under command of the Australian Mounted Division and moved to a position north of Jericho, remaining with the Australians until 4 June, when they left for Ras Dieran, becoming part of the newly raised 2nd Mounted Division
The 2nd Mounted Division was a yeomanry ( Territorial Army cavalry) division that served in the First World War. At the outbreak of war it was assigned to defence of the Norfolk coast. In March 1915 it formed a 2nd Line duplicate of itself, ...
.[ For almost a month the brigade was involved in training and staff exercises, during which time the brigade machine-gun squadron was formed. On 5 July, the brigade left for the Jordan Valley to resume their place in the front line.][HMSO 1920, pp. 20–21]
On 14 July, the brigade's squadrons were involved in several small battles in the Hajlah, Henu and Abu Tellul bridgehead area, which included a charge by the Jodhpur Lancers on the Turkish positions followed by a separate charge by a squadron of Mysore Lancers on those retreating from the Jodhpur's action. Accumulatively, the day's fighting resulted in over 100 Turkish dead and seventy prisoners taken, twenty of them wounded, from the 9th and 11th Cavalry Regiments. The brigade's casualties were twenty-five dead, seven wounded and six missing. For their part in the battles the Jodhpur Lancers were mentioned in army despatches. On 24 July, the 2nd Mounted Division was renamed 5th Cavalry Division and the brigade became the 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade.[ In early August, the brigade carried out several patrols, crossing the bridgehead and into the Jordan Valley until 4 August, the Turkish were found to have withdrawn overnight. A small Turkish force returned on 15 August but withdrew before the brigade could move up and engage them. The brigade remained in the area until the night of the 17/18 August, when they were relieved by the 10th Cavalry Brigade from the 4th Cavalry Division.][HMSO 1920, p. 24]
Haifa
The next three weeks were taken up with regimental and brigade training, until 17 September when the brigade started returning to the front line. The Hyderabad Lancers were detached from the brigade on 22 September to escort 12,000 prisoners to Kerkur, and on 23 September, B Battery, Honourable Artillery Company was attached to the brigade for the forthcoming operations.[HMSO 1920, p. 25] At 03:00 on 23 September, the brigade leading the 5th Cavalry Division left Afule for Haifa
Haifa ( he, חֵיפָה ' ; ar, حَيْفَا ') is the third-largest city in Israel—after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—with a population of in . The city of Haifa forms part of the Haifa metropolitan area, the third-most populous metropol ...
and Acre. The advance was unopposed until 10:00 that day when the Mysore Lancers reached the village of Beled Esh Sheikh where the leading squadron was shelled from Mount Carmel and came under small-arms fire from the region of the village. The Turkish had four artillery guns on the heights overlooking the brigade's line of approach and another six to the east of Haifa, supported by machine-gun posts and infantry to the west of the main Haifa road.[
The brigade deployed its forces, with one squadron from the Mysore Lancers supported by two machine-guns to capture Mount Carmel. A second Mysore squadron would cover the main road while the remainder of the regiment with two machine-guns would advance along the Acre railway line. The Jodhpur Lancers would deploy in the open and wait further orders, while brigade headquarters and the remainder of the machine-gun squadron and the artillery battery would be to the north of Beled Esh Sheikh. When in position, the Jodhpur Lancers—supported by covering fire from the artillery—and the Mysore Lancers would charge the guns. At 11:45 the ]Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry
The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry (SRY) was a British Yeomanry regiment. In 1967 it was amalgamated with other units to form the Royal Yeomanry (RY), a light cavalry regiment of the Army Reserve. Originally raised as the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Cav ...
caught up with the brigade and one squadron was detached to support the Mysore Lancers on Mount Carmel. The attack was scheduled to start at 14:00 but before that, the artillery battery and reconnaissance patrols sent out to look for the Turkish positions kept up suppressing fire on them, to which the Turkish responded with counter-battery fire. The attack commenced on time; the Jodhpur Lancers advanced in squadron columns in the face of heavy Turkish rifle and machine-gun fire.[HMSO 1920, p. 26]
The Lancers charged towards the railway line, but the terrain forced them to move to their left into a wadi
Wadi ( ar, وَادِي, wādī), alternatively ''wād'' ( ar, وَاد), North African Arabic Oued, is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some instances, it may refer to a wet (ephemeral) riverbed that contains water ...
, which was impassable and forced the Lancers even further left. The leading squadron crossed the railway line, captured the machine-gun positions and cleared the way for the remainder of the regiment to charge into the town. At the same time the regiment's second squadron had moved right, capturing three artillery guns and two machine-guns, while the two remaining squadrons charged through the town virtually unopposed, facing only sporadic rifle fire. As they reached the other side of the town they were soon joined by the two other squadrons which had made their way around the outskirts, capturing another two artillery guns en route. Elsewhere, one of the Mysore Lancers squadrons that had been giving covering fire came under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire from the mouth of the River Nahr el Mukutta. The squadron mounted and charged the Turkish positions, capturing two artillery guns, two machine-guns and 110 prisoners. With the town secure the Mysore squadron on Mount Carmel charged a Turkish position at Karmelheim, capturing a 6-inch naval gun, two mountain artillery guns, two machine-guns and seventy-eight prisoners. During the charge they were joined by a squadron from the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, who captured another fifty prisoners. Prisoners taken inside the town were two German officers, twenty-three Turkish officers and 664 other ranks. Two 6-inch naval guns, four 4.2-inch guns, six 77 mm guns, four 10-pound camel guns, ten machine-guns and a large quantity of ammunition were captured in Haifa. The brigade's own casualties were relatively light; one Indian officer and two other ranks were killed, and six Indian officers and twenty-eight other ranks were wounded. Sixty horses were killed and eighty-three were wounded.
Advance to Homs
The brigade rested for the next two days and was rejoined by the Hyderabad Lancers on 25 September. At 05:00 the next day they resumed the advance, arriving at Lake Tiberias
The Sea of Galilee ( he, יָם כִּנֶּרֶת, Judeo-Aramaic: יַמּא דטבריא, גִּנֵּיסַר, ar, بحيرة طبريا), also called Lake Tiberias, Kinneret or Kinnereth, is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is the lowest f ...
(Sea of Galilee) at 11:00 on 27 September. After watering the horses the brigade advanced again, reaching Kasr Atra at 22:30, where they halted for the night. They were to start again early the next day, but had to wait as the Australian Mounted Division to their right had been stopped by the Turkish forces and at 11:00 the brigade resumed their advance. Because of the delay, they did not reach El Kuneitra until midnight on 28/29 September. The next day the brigade was designated as the Desert Mounted Corps reserve, responsible for guarding their own and the Australian Mounted Division's transport columns. During the day, the two divisions were held up for fourteen hours by a small, well-placed Turkish detachment. On 30 September the brigade was ordered to head for Kiswe to round up Turkish stragglers from the Ottoman Fourth Army. By 09:30 on 1 October, the brigade was to the north of Kiswe but were then ordered to move to a new position east of Damascus, where they were to be the division reserve, while the 14th Cavalry Brigade was made responsible for the capture of Kiswe.
The next day, 2 October, was the day that British Empire forces officially entered Damascus. This was marked by a short period of rest for the British forces and the brigade advance did not resume until 05:30 on 5 October. Their first objective was Khan Meizelun then Moallaka which they reached unopposed on 6 October. The next day Lieutenant-Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colo ...
Hyla Holden, a SSO with the Jodhpur Lancers, became the first Allied officer to enter Beirut
Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
, the Arab Revolt
The Arab Revolt ( ar, الثورة العربية, ) or the Great Arab Revolt ( ar, الثورة العربية الكبرى, ) was a military uprising of Arab forces against the Ottoman Empire in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. On ...
forces commanded by Sherif Hussein bin Ali
Hussein bin Ali al-Hashimi ( ar, الحسين بن علي الهاشمي, al-Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī; 1 May 18544 June 1931) was an Arab leader from the Banu Hashim clan who was the Sharif and Emir of Mecca from 1908 and, after proc ...
arrived that same afternoon and assumed control of the local government. The brigade continued their advance capturing several villages in the following days. Tell Esh Sherif on 11 October, Baalbek on 13 October, Lebwe on 14 October, El Kaa on 15 October, Kusseir on 16 October and Homs was reached at midday 17 October.[HMSO 1920, pp. 28–29]
Haritan
At Homs, the brigade rested for two days and on 19 October headed for Er Rastan, with orders to repair a bridge over the River Orontes
The Orontes (; from Ancient Greek , ) or Asi ( ar, العاصي, , ; tr, Asi) is a river with a length of in Western Asia that begins in Lebanon, flowing northwards through Syria before entering the Mediterranean Sea near Samandağ in Turkey.
A ...
, which had been destroyed by retreating Turkish forces. The next day, assisted by No. 5 Field Squadron Royal Engineers, was spent repairing the bridge, after which the brigade advanced, reaching Hama on 21 October. The brigade had expected to rest there for several days but were ordered to continue the advance to Aleppo. The brigade was preceded by seven light armoured cars
Armored (or armoured) car or vehicle may refer to:
Wheeled armored vehicles
* Armoured fighting vehicle, any armed combat vehicle protected by armor
** Armored car (military), a military wheeled armored vehicle
* Armored car (valuables), an arm ...
, but the remainder of the division was following a day behind. On 24 October the armoured cars' advance was stopped by Turkish defences near Khan Tuman. The Turkish held a strong defensive line on a ridge line to the south and west of Aleppo. The brigade was ordered to occupy a position on the Aleppo- Alexandretta road and to clear Turkish trenches on the ridge to the west of Aleppo, but when they reached the ridge line on 26 October, the position had been evacuated.[ Intelligence from locals suggested that a force of 1,000 men with two small artillery guns were heading north out of Aleppo, so the brigade set off in pursuit. At 11:00, the leading two Jodhpur Lancers squadrons and a machine-gun section reached a position overlooking Haritan to the north of Aleppo when they came under Turkish small arms fire. Harbord ordered an immediate brigade attack; the Mysore Lancers would move around to the east of the ridge and charge the village, followed by the other two Jodhpur Lancer squadrons while the remainder of the brigade machine-gun squadron would move onto the ridge to provide covering fire, with the two other Jodhpur squadrons. The armoured cars of No. 12 Light Armoured Motor Battery arrived at 11:30 and were ordered along the main road to support the attack.][
]
As the attack started, the leading armoured car developed a fault and returned to their start position, due to a misunderstanding, the rest of the battery followed them, taking them out of the attack.[Preston 1921, p. 292] The Mysore Lancers had also started their advance but moved further east to get into a position to charge after discovering the Turkish line was longer than expected, taking them out of range of their supporting machine-guns. At 12:00 the Lancers charged the Turkish position, killing fifty men and capturing twenty, but without any fire support from their machine-gun squadron they were unable to penetrate the Turkish defences and were forced to withdraw to the rear, dismount and keep the Turkish position under observation.[HMSO 1920, p. 30] The extent of the Turkish position had not been fully appreciated, and was now estimated to be held by a force of 3,000 infantry, 400 cavalry, up to twelve artillery guns and between thirty and forty machine-guns. One group of Turkish soldiers started towards the Mysore Lancers position, but halted about short and started to dig new defensive trenches. Unable to progress against the larger force, the brigade kept the position under observation and at 21:00, the Turkish were seen to be withdrawing and had completely evacuated their positions by midnight. At 23:15 the 14th Cavalry Brigade arrived, setting up their own observation lines, until daylight when they took over the 15th Brigade's positions.[ In the day's battle, Turkish casualties were estimated to be around 100 men, while the brigade lost four British officers, including Holden attached to the Jodhpur Lancers, one Indian officer and sixteen other ranks. Twelve officers, six of them British, and forty-four other ranks were wounded, and three other ranks were reported missing.][
That night, the Turkish forces withdrew to Deir el Jemel to the north-west of Aleppo. The 5th Cavalry Division was not strong enough by itself to continue the advance and halted, waiting for the Australian Mounted Division to catch up with them.] On 27 October, the day after their unsuccessful charge, the brigade became the division reserve and was ordered back to Aleppo. Events now overtook them; at noon on 31 October, after the Armistice of Mudros
Concluded on 30 October 1918 and taking effect at noon the next day, the Armistice of Mudros ( tr, Mondros Mütarekesi) ended hostilities in the Middle Eastern theatre between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies of World War I. It was signed by th ...
had been agreed the previous day, the war with the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
ended.[HMSO 1920, p. 31]
Disbandment
After the Armistice of Mudros, the brigade remained with 5th Cavalry Division in Palestine as part of the occupation forces. However, demobilization began immediately and the brigade was broken up by January 1920. Although they did not suffer the same casualties associated with the Western Front in France, its units did not escape without loss. The Mysore Lancers had twenty-three men killed in action, one man died as a result of his wounds, another two were reported missing believed killed, three wounded men were taken prisoner and released at the end of the war, and forty-nine men were wounded. The Hyderabad Lancers had twelve men killed in action, four died as a result of their wounds, seven were reported missing believed killed and forty-three were wounded. The casualties for the Jodhpur Lancers, while serving with the brigade, were seventeen men killed in action, five died as a result of their wounds, five missing believed killed, two were taken prisoner and thirty-one were wounded. The casualties for the Patiala Lancers were not recorded in the brigade history, but the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations m ...
records that while attached to the brigade from 1914 to May 1916 they had seven dead. For their service, several men of the brigade were given orders or were decorated; the brigade received six Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, ty ...
s, three Order of the Nile
The Order of the Nile (''Kiladat El Nil'') was established in 1915 and was one of the Kingdom of Egypt's principal orders until the monarchy was abolished in 1953. It was then reconstituted as the Republic of Egypt's highest state honor.
Sultana ...
, one Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
, six Order of British India
The Order of British India was an order of merit established in 1837 by the East India Company for "long, faithful and honourable service". The company's powers were removed after the Indian Mutiny, and the Order was incorporated into the Brit ...
, fourteen Military Cross
The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries.
The MC ...
es, two Military Medal
The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award ...
s, forty-nine Indian Distinguished Service Medal
The Indian Distinguished Service Medal (IDSM) was a military decoration awarded by the British Empire to Indian citizens serving in the Indian armed forces and military police. When it was instituted in 1907 it was the second highest award avail ...
s, twelve Indian Order of Merit
The Indian Order of Merit (IOM) was a military and civilian decoration of British India. It was established in 1837, (General Order of the Governor-General of India, No. 94 of 1 May 1837) although following the Partition of India in 1947 it was ...
s and sixty-six were mentioned in despatches.
Memorials
The main memorial to the brigade is the Teen Murti (three soldiers) memorial in New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament Ho ...
, a stone and bronze sculpture inscribed with the names of those members of the brigade killed in action. The three statues represent soldiers from the Indian States of Hyderabad, Mysore and Jodhpur. A memorial on the site of the fighting at Haritan is inscribed with the date of the battle, the units involved and details of the casualties. The Port Tewfik Memorial was erected at the Suez Canal to commemorate the 4,000 Indian officers and soldiers killed during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign who have no known grave. The brigade's capture of Haifa on 23 September is remembered by the present Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
as ''Haifa Day'', and the Mysore and Jodhpur Lancers part in its capture was recognised by the British government, which awarded them the battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible.
In European military t ...
Megiddo Megiddo may refer to:
Places and sites in Israel
* Tel Megiddo, site of an ancient city in Israel's Jezreel valley
* Megiddo Airport, a domestic airport in Israel
* Megiddo church (Israel)
* Megiddo, Israel, a kibbutz in Israel
* Megiddo Junctio ...
.
The British army commander Edmund Allenby
Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby, (23 April 1861 – 14 May 1936) was a senior British Army officer and Imperial Governor. He fought in the Second Boer War and also in the First World War, in which he led th ...
in his despatches also commented on the contribution of the men in the brigade: "I take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the valuable services and high soldierly qualities of the following contingents of Indian Imperial Service Troops which, through the generosity of their respective Ruling Chiefs, were placed at my disposal: — Hyderabad Lancers, Jodhpur Lancers, Kathiawar Signal Troop, Mysore Lancers."
Formation
Commanders
*Brigadier-General William Arthur Watson (October 1914 – 31 March 1916)[
*Brigadier-General M. H. Henderson (31 March 1916 – 16 April 1917)][
*Brigadier-General Cyril Rodney Harbord (16 April 1917 – 1920)][
]
Units assigned
*1st Hyderabad Lancers (October 1914 – 1918)
*Mysore Lancers (October 1914 – 1918)
*Patiala Lancers (October 1914 – May 1916)
*Jodhpur Lancers (From 11 May 1918)
*124th Indian Cavalry Field Ambulance (October 1914 – 1918)
*15th Kathiawar Signal Troop (October 1914 – 1918)
*15th Imperial Service Machine Gun Squadron (From 10 June 1918)
Units attached
*Bikaner Camel Corps
The Bikaner Camel Corps was a unit of Imperial Service Troops from India that fought for the Allies in World War I and World War II.
The Corps was founded by Maharaja Ganga Singh of the Indian state of Bikaner, as the Ganga Risala after the Bri ...
(for administration only)[
*XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment (20 October – 9 November 1917)][
*]Wellington Mounted Rifle Regiment
The Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment from New Zealand, raised for service during the First World War. It was assigned to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
Th ...
(4–11 May 1918)[
*]Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry
The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry (SRY) was a British Yeomanry regiment. In 1967 it was amalgamated with other units to form the Royal Yeomanry (RY), a light cavalry regiment of the Army Reserve. Originally raised as the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Cav ...
(23–25 September 1918)[
*B Battery ]Honourable Artillery Company
The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. Incorporated by royal charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII, it is the oldest regiment in the British Army and is considered the second-oldest military unit in the w ...
(23–25 September 1918)[
]
See also
* Force in Egypt
The Force in Egypt was a British Army formation established in August 1914 to administer garrisoning armed forces in Egypt at the beginning of the First World War. The force had the objective of protecting the Suez Canal and was originally comma ...
* Imperial Service Infantry Brigade
The Imperial Service Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Indian Army that saw active service in the East African Campaign in the First World War.
History
The Imperial Service Infantry Brigade was formed in August 1914, m ...
* Hyderabad State Forces
The Hyderabad State Forces were the armed forces of the princely state of Hyderabad. People from both India and abroad were recruited into the Forces. Among these groups were Arab nationals like Chaush and African nationals like Siddi's who no ...
References
;Footnotes
;Citations
;Bibliography
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External links
British House of Commons discussion
{{Good article
Military units and formations of the princely states of India
CB15
Cavalry brigades of the British Indian Army
Military units and formations established in 1914
Military units and formations disestablished in 1920
Hyderabad State Forces