1st Mounted Division The
Mounted Division was formed on 5 August 1914, immediately after the outbreak of
World War I, from four existing mounted brigades of the
Territorial ForceEastern,
1st South Midland,
2nd South Midland, and
Notts. and Derby. It was assembled in
East Anglia with
Headquarters at
Bury St Edmunds and the brigades at
Ipswich,
Diss and two at Bury. The division was to spend its entire existence in East Anglia. Later in the month, a decision was made to concentrate mounted troops in the
Churn area of
Berkshire and at the end of August 1914 these were formed into a new
2nd Mounted Division. The original division was designated as
1st Mounted Division and gained three more 1st Line mounted brigades
South Wales,
Welsh Border, and
North Midlandto replace the 1st South Midland, 2nd South Midland, and Notts. and Derby brigades. In exchange, the
12th Mounted Brigade (2/1st London) joined as the 4th Cyclist Brigade. A further reorganization in November 1916 saw the 1st Cyclist Division broken up. The cyclist brigades were dispersed and the yeomanry regiments were amalgamated in pairs to form
Yeomanry Cyclist Regiments in new cyclist brigades. When the original division was converted to a cyclist division in July 1916, the
3rd Mounted Division was renumbered as the 1st Mounted Division as it was the only remaining mounted division. It, too, was converted to cyclists as
The Cyclist Division on 4 September 1917. In March 1918, the
1st Indian Cavalry Division was broken up in France. The British units remained on the
Western Front and the Indian elements were sent to Egypt. By an
Egyptian Expeditionary Force GHQ Order of 12 April 1918, the mounted troops of the EEF were reorganized when the Indian Army units arrived in
theatre. On 24 April 1918, the
Yeomanry Mounted Division was
indianized and its title was changed to
1st Mounted Division. On 22 July 1918, it was renumbered as the
4th Cavalry Division. ==Orders of battle==