The
Kitchener Reforms, carried out during
Lord Kitchener's tenure as
Commander-in-Chief, India (1902–1909), 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. The
Lucknow Cavalry Brigade was formed in October 1911 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. The brigade was one of the last to be formed before the outbreak of the
First World War. It formed part of the
8th (Lucknow) Division in peacetime. ;8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade In September 1914, the brigade was mobilized as the
8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade and assigned to the
1st Indian Cavalry Division. With the division, it departed
Bombay on 16 October 1914 and landed at
Marseille 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
8th 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
Lucknow Battalion. and the Indian elements were sent to Egypt. On 22 July 1918 the 8th Mounted Brigade was redesignated as
11th Cavalry Brigade and the division as
4th Cavalry Division. ;Post war The Lucknow Cavalry Brigade was reformed in April 1920. In September 1920 it was designated as the
4th Indian Cavalry Brigade until 1923 when it was broken up. ==Orders of battle==