The history of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division

A Division of the Indian Army which was renamed as the 4th Cavalry Division in November 1916. The Division arrived in France on 7 October 1914 and remained on the Western Front in France and Flanders, taking part in the many engagements before being broken up in February 1918, but principally:


1917
The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line (14 March - 5 April 1917)
The Battle of Cambrai (20 November - 30 December 1917)

 

The order of battle of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division

The order of battle shown below includes British units in normal font and Indian units in italic font:

2nd (Sialkot) Brigade
17th Lancers	transferred to 7th Cavalry Brigade in 3rd Cavalry Division when 4th Cavalry Division broken up
6th King Edward's Own Cavalry
19th Lancers (Fane's Horse)
Q Battery, RHA	joined from 1st (Peshawar) Division in October 1914
10th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron MGC	formed after February 1916
3rd (Ambala) Brigade	left for 2nd Indian Cavalry Division 15 September 1915
8th Hussars	transferred with brigade to 2nd Indian Cavalry Division
9th Hodson's Horse
30th Lancers
8th (Lucknow) Brigade
1st Dragoon Guards	left Brigade and returned to India 7 October 1917
29th Lancers (Deccan Horse)
36th Jacob's Horse
U Battery, RHA	joined 1 October 1914
12th Cavalry Bde Machine Gun Squadron MGC	formed 29 February 1916, broken up 14 April 1918
5th (Mhow) Brigade	joined from 2nd Indian Cavalry Division 15 September 1915
6th Inniskilling Dragoons	transferred to 7th Cavalry Brigade in 3rd Cavalry Division when 4th Cavalry Division broken up
11th Cavalry Bde Machine Gun Squadron MGC	formed 29 February 1916, broken up 14 April 1918
Divisional Artillery
I Indian Brigade, RHA	V and X Batteries RHA
Royal Army Medical Corps
Sialkot Cavalry Field Ambulance
Lucknow Cavalry Field Ambulance
Ambala Cavalry Field Ambulance
Other Divisional Troops
1st Indian Cavalry Divisional Train ASC	426 (Horse Transport) Company
1st Indian Cavalry Divisional Supply Column ASC	82 and 89 (Mechanical Transport) Companies, left October 1916
1st Indian Cavalry Divisional Ammunition Park ASC	79 Company