2nd Indian Cavalry Division

The 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was a division of the British Indian Army formed at the outbreak of World War I. It served on the Western Front, being renamed as 5th Cavalry Division on 26 November 1916. In March 1918, the 5th Cavalry Division was broken up. The British and Canadian units remained in France and the Indian elements were sent to Egypt to help constitute 2nd Mounted Division.

History
The division sailed for France from Bombay on October 16, 1914, under the command of Major General G A Cookson. During the war the division would serve in the trenches as infantry. Due to the difference on troop levels each cavalry brigade, once dismounted, formed a dismounted regiment.

In March 1916 the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was attached to the British Fourth Army. On July 1, 1916 the Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade moved into a reserve position on the Somme, ready to exploit any breakthrough. The same brigade was sent up again on July 14, to Montauban to support the attack on the Bazentin – Longueval ridge. At 17.30 the leading two regiments were ordered to advance between High Wood and Delville Wood. The British 7th Dragoon Guards and the Indian 20th Deccan Horse galloped forward to a position between the woods, but little could be achieved. At 03.30 on July 15, they returned to Montauban, having suffered casualties of 74 men and 110 horses. Cavalry units were again brought forward on September 15 to support the attack on Flers-Courcelette, but were not drawn into the fighting and played no further part in the Battle of the Somme except as labour units in reserve. The high number of officer casualties suffered early on had an effect on its later performance. British officers that understood the language, customs, and psychology of their men could not be quickly replaced, and the alien environment of the Western Front had some effect on the soldiers. The 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was renamed the 5th Cavalry Division on 26 November 1916 and attached to the 5th Army. In March 1918 the division was transferred to Egypt, although its two British regular cavalry regiments (8th Hussars and 7th Dragoon Guards) remained in France.

Order of Battle December 1914


5th (Mhow) Cavalry Brigade to 15 September 1915, then to 1st Indian Cavalry Division
 * 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons
 * 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)
 * 38th King George's Own Central India Horse
 * X Battery, Royal Horse Artillery

7th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade to June 1916
 * 13th Hussars
 * 3rd Skinner's Horse
 * 18th King George's Own Lancers
 * V Battery, Royal Horse Artillery

9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade
 * 7th (Princess Royal's) Dragoon Guards
 * 20th Deccan Horse
 * 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse
 * N Battery, Royal Horse Artillery

II Indian Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery
 * N Battery, RHA attached to 9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade
 * V Battery, RHA attached to 7th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade
 * X Battery, RHA attached to 5th (Mhow) Cavalry Brigade then 3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade
 * II Indian RHA Brigade Ammunition Column

Order of Battle March 1917
3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade from 1st Indian Cavalry Division on 15 September 1915
 * 8th (King's Royal Irish) Hussars
 * 9th Hodson's Horse
 * 30th Lancers (Gordon's Horse)
 * X Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
 * 14th Machine Gun Squadron

9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade
 * 7th (Princess Royal's) Dragoon Guards
 * 20th Deccan Horse
 * 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse
 * N Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
 * 13th Machine Gun Squadron

Canadian Cavalry Brigade from June 1916
 * Royal Canadian Dragoons
 * Lord Strathcona's Horse
 * Fort Garry Horse
 * Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Brigade (A and B Batteries, RCHA)
 * Canadian Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron

XVII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (II Indian Brigade, RHA redesignated)
 * N Battery, RHA attached to 9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade
 * X Battery, RHA attached to 3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade
 * XVII RHA Brigade Ammunition Column

Order of Battle September 1918

 * 13th Cavalry Brigade (Brigadier General Philip James Vandeleur Kelly)
 * Royal Gloucestershire Hussars
 * 9th Hodson's Horse
 * 18th King George's Own Lancers


 * 14th Cavalry Brigade (Brigadier General Goland Vanhalt Clarke)
 * Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry
 * 20th Deccan Horse
 * 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse


 * 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade (Brigadier General Cyril Rodney Harbord)
 * Jodhpur Lancers
 * Mysore Lancers
 * 1st Hyderabad Lancers


 * 'B' Battery HAC
 * Essex Battery RHA with Divisional Ammunition Column.
 * 11th LAM Battery
 * No. 1 Light Car Patrol