Napoleonic Wars During the
Peninsular War,
Wellington organized his cavalry into one, later two, cavalry divisions. They performed a purely administrative, rather than tactical, role; the normal tactical headquarters were provided by brigades commanding two, later usually three, regiments. On 19 June 1811, the cavalry was reorganized as two divisions and the existing Cavalry Division was redesignated as
1st Cavalry Division with the formation of the
2nd Cavalry Division.
Major General Sir William Erskine took command on formation. He resumed command briefly, but committed suicide in Lisbon on 13 February 1813.
Assigned Brigades The division was formed on 19 June 1811 with De Grey's and Long's Brigades; Long's Brigade was to remain with the division throughout its existence. Between 8 November 1811 and 23 March 1812 it commanded just one brigade and it never exceed three brigades in strength.
First World War Gough's Command On 6 September, the formerly independent
5th Cavalry Brigade was joined with the
3rd Cavalry Brigade from the
Cavalry Division as '''Gough's Command
. Named for the commander of 3rd Cavalry Brigade, Brigadier-General Hubert Gough, it took part in the First Battle of the Aisne (12–15 September). On 13 September, the command was re-designated as the 2nd Cavalry Division''', with the addition of divisional troops from the
Royal Horse Artillery,
Royal Engineers etc. The
4th Cavalry Brigade joined the division on 14 October from
1st Cavalry Division to bring it up to the standard three brigade strength. The division remained on the
Western Front until the end of the war.
1914–1917 In 1914, the division took part in
First Battle of Ypres, notably the battle of Gheluvelt (29–31 October). In 1915, the division was in action at the
Battle of Neuve Chapelle (10–12 March 1915) and the
Second Battle of Ypres notable the Battle of St Julien (26 April–3 May) and the Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge (24–25 May).
War of movement 1918 saw the return of the war of movement and the division took part in the
First Battle of the Somme notably the
Battle of St Quentin (21–23 March), the
Battle of the Lys (Battle of Hazebrouck of 14–15 April), the
Battle of Amiens (8–11 August) and the
Second Battle of the Somme (
Battle of Albert of 21–23 August and the
Second Battle of Bapaume of 31 August–3 September). The division was then split up with the
3rd Cavalry Brigade serving with
First Army,
4th Cavalry Brigade with
Third Army and
5th Cavalry Brigade with
Fourth Army. ==Commanders==