The Sialkot Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry

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 ...

of the British Indian Army formed in 1904 as a result of the

Kitchener Reforms The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...

. It was mobilized as 2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade at the outbreak of the

First World War 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 ...

as part of the

1st Indian Cavalry Division The 1st Indian Cavalry Division was a division of the British Indian Army which was formed at the outbreak of the First World War. It served on the Western Front, and was renamed the 4th Cavalry Division on 26 November 1916. In March 1918, the ...

and departed for France. It served on the Western Front with the division until it was broken up in March 1918. The brigade was reformed in June 1920 and broken up in January 1940.

History

The

, carried out during Lord Kitchener's tenure as Commander-in-Chief, India (1902–09), completed the unification of the three former

Presidency armies The presidency armies were the armies of the three presidencies of the East India Company's rule in India, later the forces of the British Crown in India, composed primarily of Indian sepoys. The presidency armies were named after the presiden ...

, the Punjab Frontier Force, the

Hyderabad Contingent The Nizam's Contingent, later Hyderabad Contingent, was the army funded by the Nizam of Hyderabad, the ruler of a Princely state of India.http://www.indianarmy.gov.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTemp12PLM8C.aspx?MnId=l7m6i4kBQ6GVWWXGRMx4Yg&ParentID=R ...

and other local forces into one

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- ...

. Kitchener identified the Indian Army's main task as the defence of the North-West Frontier against foreign aggression (particularly Russian expansion into Afghanistan) with

internal security Internal security is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other self-governing territories, generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats. Responsibility for internal secu ...

relegated to a secondary role. The Army was organized into divisions and

s that would act as field formations but also included internal security troops. The Sialkot Brigade (also referred to as ''

Sialkote Sialkot ( ur, ) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the capital of Sialkot District and the 13th most populous city in Pakistan. The boundaries of Sialkot are joined with Jammu (the winter capital of Indian administered Jammu and Ka ...

Brigade'') was formed in April 1904 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. The brigade formed part of the 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division. By the outbreak of the

it was designated as Sialkot Cavalry Brigade. ;2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade 17th Lancers advancing

In September 1914, the brigade was mobilized as the 2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade and assigned to the

. With the division, it departed

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 ...

on 16 October 1914 and landed at Marseilles on 7 November. However, the brigade did not reach the Front until 8–10 December due to horse sickness. While in France, the brigade was known by its geographical rather than numerical designation so as to avoid confusion with the British 2nd Cavalry Brigade also serving on the Western Front at the same time. Other than the Battle of Cambrai when it helped to hold the German counter-attack, it was not involved in battle. Instead, it was held in reserve in case of a breakthrough, although it did send parties to the trenches on a number of occasions. They would hold the line, or act as Pioneers; such parties were designated as the Sialkot Battalion. ;Dissolved In March 1918, the brigade was broken up in France. The British units (

17th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers The 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1759 and notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. The regiment was amalgamated with the 21st Lancer ...

and

Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery Q, or q, is the seventeenth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is pronounced , most commonly spelled ''cue'', but a ...

) remained in France and the Indian elements were sent to Egypt. On 24 April 1918, these were merged with the 22nd Mounted Brigade of the Yeomanry Mounted Division. On 22 July 1918 the 22nd Mounted Brigade was redesignated as 12th Cavalry Brigade and the division as 4th Cavalry Division. ;Reformed The Sialkot Cavalry Brigade was reformed in June 1920. In September 1920 it was designated as the 2nd Indian Cavalry Brigade and renamed as 2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade in 1927. By the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

it was resdesignated as Sialkot Brigade Area and it was broken up again in January 1940.

Orders of battle

Commanders

The Sialkot Cavalry Brigade / 2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade had the following commanders:

Notes

References

Bibliography

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External links

* * * * {{oob unit , id = 14965 , name = 2 (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade C02 Cavalry brigades of the British Indian Army Military units and formations established in 1904 Military units and formations disestablished in 1918 Military units and formations established in 1920 Military units and formations disestablished in 1940