Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade

The Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade was a formation of the Territorial Force of the British Army, raised in August 1914,[a] during the First World War. After service in the Gallipoli Campaign and in the defence of Egypt, it was absorbed into the 1st Dismounted Brigade in February 1916.

Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade
ActiveAugust 1914 – February 1916
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeYeomanry
SizeBrigade
EngagementsWorld War I
Gallipoli 1915
Egypt 1916
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Br-Gen Marquis of Tullibardine

Pre-War

edit

At the outbreak of World War I, the 1st and 2nd Scottish Horse Regiments were Unattached in Scottish Command. In peacetime they were organised as:[4]

1st Scottish Horse, Dunkeld
A Squadron at Blair Atholl
B Squadron at Dunkeld
C Squadron at Coupar Angus
D Squadron at Dunblane
2nd Scottish Horse, Aberdeen
E Squadron at Elgin
F Squadron at Kintore
G Squadron at Aberdeen
H Squadron at Connel, Argyll

The 3rd Scottish Horse was formed in August 1914 at the outbreak of World War I. The 1st and 2nd Regiments appear to have been attached to the Highland Division at Bedford and West Riding Division at Doncaster for a short time.[5]

World War I

edit

Br-Gen Marquis of Tullibardine was assigned to command the brigade on 15 August 1914[6] with 1st, 2nd and 3rd Scottish Horse under command, along with the Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, RAMC.[7] By November 1914, the brigade was in Northumberland on coast defence duties and was attached to the 63rd (2nd Northumberland) Division[8] from January to August 1915.[5]

Brigade Field Ambulance

edit

The Scottish Horse Field Ambulance developed an operating car, designed by Colonel H. Wade in 1914, which enclosed an operating table, sterilisers, full kit of instruments and surgical equipment, wire netting, rope, axes and electric lighting in a Wolseley chassis. The car was used during the Gallipoli Campaign at Suvla, in the Libyan Desert (during the Senussi Campaign), and at El-Qantarah in Egypt before being attached to the Desert Mounted Corps Operating Unit in 1917. Subsequently taking part in the Southern Palestine Offensive, which culminated in the Capture of Jerusalem.[9]

Gallipoli

edit

On 17 August 1915, the brigade boarded SS Transylvania at Devonport and sailed to Gallipoli where it landed at Suvla on 2 September. It joined 2nd Mounted Division and remained with it until evacuated on the night of 19/20 December 1915.[10] It left 2nd Mounted Division on 22 December. It was transported to Alexandria via Imbros (20-24 December), arriving on 28 December and went to Sidi Bishr Camp.[6]

Egypt

edit

In late December 1915, the brigade arrived in Egypt. In February 1916, the Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade was absorbed into the 1st Dismounted Brigade[11] (along with the Lowland Mounted Brigade[12]) under the command of the 52nd (Lowland) Division to defend the Suez Canal.[13] Br-Gen Marquis of Tullibardine was assigned to command the new dismounted brigade.[14]

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Rinaldi says the brigade was formed in November 1914.[1] Becke[2] and James[3] say August 1914.

References

edit
  1. ^ Rinaldi 2008, p. 59
  2. ^ Becke 1936, p. 10
  3. ^ James 1978, p. 36
  4. ^ Conrad, Mark (1996). "The British Army, 1914". Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  5. ^ a b James 1978, p. 27
  6. ^ a b Becke 1936, p. 14
  7. ^ Becke 1936, p. 13
  8. ^ Becke 1937, p. 51
  9. ^ R. M. Downes, The Campaign in Sinai and Palestine 1938, in A. G. Butler's Gallipoli, Palestine and New Guinea of Official History of the Australian Army Medical Services, 1914-1918 Part II in Volume 1 (Australian War Memorial: Canberra [1] pp. 636–7
  10. ^ Westlake 1996, p. 275
  11. ^ Chappell, PB. "1st Dismounted Brigade". The Regimental Warpath 1914-18. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  12. ^ James 1978, p. 35
  13. ^ Baker, Chris. "Scottish Horse". Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  14. ^ Becke 1936, p. 111

Bibliography

edit
  • Becke, Major A.F. (1936). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42-56). London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 1-871167-12-4.
  • Becke, Major A.F. (1937). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2B. The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th-69th) with The Home-Service Divisions (71st-73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 1-871167-00-0.
  • James, Brigadier E.A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18. London: Samson Books Limited. ISBN 0-906304-03-2.
  • Rinaldi, Richard A (2008). Order of Battle of the British Army 1914. Ravi Rikhye. ISBN 978-0-97760728-0.
  • Westlake, Ray (1996). British Regiments at Gallipoli. Barnsley: Leo Cooper. ISBN 0-85052-511-X.