2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade

Sialkot Cavalry Brigade
2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade
2nd Indian Cavalry Brigade
Sialkot Brigade Area
Active12 April 1904 – March 1918
June 1920 – January 1940
Country British India
AllegianceBritish Crown
Branch British Indian Army
TypeCavalry
SizeBrigade
Part of2nd (Rawalpindi) Division
1st Indian Cavalry Division
Peacetime HQSialkot
EngagementsFirst World War
Western Front
Battle of Cambrai (1917)
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Br.-Gen. B.T. Mahon

The Sialkot Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Indian Army formed in 1904 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. It was mobilized as 2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade at the outbreak of the First World War as part of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division 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 Kitchener Reforms, carried out during Lord Kitchener's tenure as Commander-in-Chief, India (1902–09), completed the unification of the three former Presidency armies, the Punjab Frontier Force, the Hyderabad Contingent and other local forces into one Indian Army. 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 relegated to a secondary role. The Army was organized into divisions and brigades that would act as field formations but also included internal security troops.[1]

The Sialkot Brigade (also referred to as Sialkote Brigade) was formed in April 1904[a] as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. The brigade formed part of the 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division.[2] By the outbreak of the First World War it was designated as Sialkot Cavalry Brigade.[3]

2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade
The 17th Lancers advancing, wearing their early-war uniform, postcard after Harry Payne

In September 1914, the brigade was mobilized as the 2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade and assigned to the 1st Indian Cavalry Division.[4] With the division, it departed Bombay 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.[5]

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.[5]

Dissolved

In March 1918, the brigade was broken up in France. The British units (17th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers and Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery) remained in France and the Indian elements were sent to Egypt.[5] On 24 April 1918, these were merged with the 22nd Mounted Brigade of the Yeomanry Mounted Division.[6] On 22 July 1918 the 22nd Mounted Brigade was redesignated as 12th Cavalry Brigade and the division as 4th Cavalry Division.[7]

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.[8] By the outbreak of the Second World War it was resdesignated as Sialkot Brigade Area[9][b] and it was broken up again in January 1940.[8]

Orders of battle

Commanders

The Sialkot Cavalry Brigade / 2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade had the following commanders:[8][19]

From Rank Name Notes
12 April 1904[2] Brigadier-General B.T. Mahon
April 1908 Major-General A. Phayre
1 June 1911 Brigadier-General H.P. Leader
6 January 1916 Brigadier-General L.L. Maxwell Broken up in March 1918
June 1920 Brigadier-General C.H. Rankin Brigade re-formed
June 1924 Brigadier-General C.R. Harbord
June 1928 Brigadier C.R. Terrot
June 1932 Brigadier T.A.A. Wilson
August 1934 Brigadier F. Gwatkin
August 1938 Brigadier T.W. Corbett Broken up in January 1940

See also

Notes

  1. ^ 12 April 1904 was the appointment date of the brigade's first commanding officer.[2]
  2. ^ The brigade was still designated as 2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade on 9 June 1938.[10]
  3. ^ Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery was assigned to II Indian Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery but in practice was permanently attached to the brigade.[12]
  4. ^ 10th Machine Gun Squadron was formed after February 1916 by combining the machine gun sections of the 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own), 6th King Edward's Own Cavalry and 19th Lancers (Fane's Horse).[14]
  5. ^ 10th Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment was the Training Battalion[15] / Regimental Centre[16] of the 12th Frontier Force Regiment.
  6. ^ 10th Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment was the Training Battalion[17] / Regimental Centre[18] of the 16th Punjab Regiment.

References

  1. ^ Haythornthwaite 1996, p. 244
  2. ^ a b c The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart. "Hart's Annual Army List for 1906". London: John Murray. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  3. ^ a b "The Indian Army 1914 by Dr. Graham Watson on orbat.com". Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  4. ^ Perry 1993, p. 40
  5. ^ a b c Perry 1993, p. 16
  6. ^ Becke 1936, p. 33
  7. ^ Perry 1993, p. 22
  8. ^ a b c Mackie 2015, p. 345
  9. ^ a b Nafziger n.d., p. 3
  10. ^ "No. 34518". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 June 1938. p. 3688.
  11. ^ Perry 1993, p. 42
  12. ^ a b Perry 1993, p. 14
  13. ^ "Battle of Ypres". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  14. ^ Baker, Chris. "Cavalry units of the Machine Gun Corps". The Long Long Trail. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  15. ^ Gaylor 1996, p. 172
  16. ^ Gaylor 1996, p. 358
  17. ^ Gaylor 1996, p. 186
  18. ^ Gaylor 1996, p. 360
  19. ^ Perry 1993, p. 12

Bibliography