4th Mounted Division

4th Mounted Division; 2nd Cyclist Division
Active	20 March 1916 – 16 November 1916
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Yeomanry then Cyclist
Size	Division
Headquarters	Colchester then Ipswich
Service	World War I
Commanders
Notable; commanders	Lord Lovat

The 4th Mounted Division was a short-lived Yeomanry Division of the British Army active during World War I. It was formed on 20 March 1916, converted to 2nd Cyclist Division in July 1916 and broken up on 16 November 1916. It remained in England on Home Defence duties throughout its existence.^[1]

History

4th Mounted Division

The 4th Mounted Division was formed on 20 March 1916 from three 2nd Line^{[lower-alpha 1]} mounted brigades (2/1st Eastern, 2/1st South Eastern and 2/1st South Western) and the new 2/1st Southern Mounted Brigade. The Headquarters was at Colchester^[5] and Brigadier-General (Major-General from 26 May) Lord Lovat was appointed to command.^[6] The brigades were stationed at Wivenhoe, Canterbury, Kelvedon and Manningtree; they were numbered as 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th Mounted Brigades, respectively, on 31 March.^[4] Being formed relatively late, it did not appear to suffer the same organizational problems (lack of equipment and personnel) as other 2nd Line divisions, for example the 1st and 2/2nd Mounted Divisions.^[5]

2nd Cyclist Division

In July 1916 there was a major reorganization of 2nd Line yeomanry units in the United Kingdom. All but 12 regiments were converted to cyclists:^[4] the rest were dismounted, handed over their horses to the remount depots and were issued with bicycles. The 4th Mounted Division was reorganized as the 2nd Cyclist Division, now commanding the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Cyclist Brigades.^[6] On reorganisation, 14th Mounted Brigade – with 2/1st Hertfordshire, 2/1st Queen's Own West Kent and 2/1st Essex Yeomanry – was posted to the new 1st Mounted Division (3rd Mounted Division redesignated) where it formed the new 3rd Mounted Brigade and remained mounted.^[7] In exchange, the 10th Mounted Brigade (2/1st South Midland) joined as the 8th Cyclist Brigade.^[8]

The Headquarters remained at Colchester and the brigades at Wivenhoe, Kelvedon, Manningtree and West Malling. It was assigned to the Southern Army, Home Defence Troops.^[5] and Lord Lovat remained in command.^[6] The Headquarters moved to Ipswich in September 1916 and the brigade were now at Wivenhoe, Wingham, Woodbridge and Ipswich.^[5]

A further reorganization in November 1916 saw the 2nd 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. The division had remained in England on Home Defence duties throughout its brief existence.^[5]

Orders of battle

4th Mounted Division – 20 March 1916 to July 1916^[9]
13th Mounted Brigade (2/1st Eastern)^{[n1 1]} 2/1st Suffolk Yeomanry 2/1st Norfolk Yeomanry 2/1st Essex Yeomanry^{[n1 2]}	Signal Service 13th Mounted Brigade Signal Troop 14th Mounted Brigade Signal Troop 15th Mounted Brigade Signal Troop 16th Mounted Brigade Signal Troop 4th Mounted Division Signal Squadron Medical 13th Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, RAMC 14th Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, RAMC 15th Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, RAMC 16th Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance, RAMC 4th Mounted Division Train 13th Mounted Brigade Transport and Supply Column, ASC 14th Mounted Brigade Transport and Supply Column, ASC 15th Mounted Brigade Transport and Supply Column, ASC 16th Mounted Brigade Transport and Supply Column, ASC 4th Mounted Division Company, ASC
14th Mounted Brigade (2/1st South Eastern)^{[n1 3]} 2/1st Royal East Kent Yeomanry 2/1st Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry^{[n1 2]} 2/1st Sussex Yeomanry
15th Mounted Brigade (2/1st South Western)^{[n1 4]} 2/1st Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry 2/1st North Somerset Yeomanry 2/1st Hampshire Yeomanry
16th Mounted Brigade (2/1st Southern)^{[n1 5]} 2/1st Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry 2/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry^{[n1 2]} 2/1st Surrey Yeomanry
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2nd Cyclist Division – July 1916 to 16 November 1916^[9]
5th Cyclist Brigade^{[n2 1]} 2/1st Suffolk Yeomanry 2/1st Norfolk Yeomanry 2/1st Sussex Yeomanry 1/8th (Cyclist) Battalion, Essex Regiment	Royal Horse Artillery 2/1st Berkshire Royal Horse Artillery^{[lower-alpha 2]} 2/1st Nottinghamshire Royal Horse Artillery^{[lower-alpha 3]} Signal Service 5th Cyclist Brigade Signal Troop 6th Cyclist Brigade Signal Troop 7th Cyclist Brigade Signal Troop 8th Cyclist Brigade Signal Troop 2nd Cyclist Division Signal Squadron Medical 5th Cyclist Brigade Field Ambulance, RAMC 6th Cyclist Brigade Field Ambulance, RAMC 7th Cyclist Brigade Field Ambulance, RAMC 8th Cyclist Brigade Field Ambulance, RAMC 2nd Cyclist Division Train 5th Cyclist Brigade Transport and Supply Column, ASC 6th Cyclist Brigade Transport and Supply Column, ASC 7th Cyclist Brigade Transport and Supply Column, ASC 8th Cyclist Brigade Transport and Supply Column, ASC 2nd Cyclist Division Company, ASC
6th Cyclist Brigade^{[n2 2]} 2/1st Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry 2/1st North Somerset Yeomanry 2/1st Hampshire Yeomanry 2/1st Kent Cyclist Battalion
7th Cyclist Brigade^{[n2 3]} 2/1st Royal East Kent Yeomanry 2/1st Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry 2/1st Surrey Yeomanry 1/7th (Cyclist) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
8th Cyclist Brigade^{[n2 4]} 2/1st Royal Gloucestershire Hussars 2/1st Berkshire Yeomanry 2/1st Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars 2/8th (Cyclist) Battalion, Essex Regiment
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Notes

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References

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Bibliography

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↑ Becke 1936, pp. 27–30
↑ Rinaldi 2008, p. 35
↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 James 1978, p. 36
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 ^5.3 ^5.4 Becke 1936, p. 30
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 ^6.3 ^6.4 ^6.5 Becke 1936, p. 27
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 ^7.4 ^7.5 ^7.6 Becke 1936, p. 29
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 Becke 1936, p. 22
↑ ^9.0 ^9.1 Becke 1936, p. 28
↑ Becke 1936, p. 20

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[Becke2730-1] Becke 1936, pp. 27–30

[Rinaldi35-2] Rinaldi 2008, p. 35

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[James36-4] 4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 James 1978, p. 36

[Becke30-6] 5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 ^5.3 ^5.4 Becke 1936, p. 30

[Becke27-7] 6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 ^6.3 ^6.4 ^6.5 Becke 1936, p. 27

[Becke29-8] 7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 ^7.4 ^7.5 ^7.6 Becke 1936, p. 29

[Becke22-9] 8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 Becke 1936, p. 22

[Becke28-10] 9.0 ^9.1 Becke 1936, p. 28

[Becke20-13] Becke 1936, p. 20

[1]

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[5]

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[9]

[n1 1]

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4th Mounted Division

Contents

History