Topic: AIF - 4B - 4 LHB
4th LHB, AIF
4th Australian Light Horse Brigade
Outline of the 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade, AIF
Formed in February 1917 as part of the Imperial Mounted Division. The previous 4th Light Horse Brigade was formed in March 1915 and disbanded on 26 August 1915 when the 11th, 12th and 13th Light Horse Regiments were broken up to provide reinforcements for the units that were at Gallipoli. The reconstituted Brigade lost the 13th Light Horse Regiment which went to France but gained the 4th Light Horse Regiment. Regiments included:
4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
This Regiment was recruited exclusively Victoria in August 1914 as divisional cavalry for the Australian Division. During the Gallipoli campaign, the Regiment was attached to the 2nd Infantry Brigade. "B" and "D" Squadrons embarked for France in May 1916. A new "B" Squadron was raised as a consequence. The Regiment was renamed 3rd Camel Regiment in September 1916 and served with the Imperial Camel Corps until it brigaded with the 11th and 12th Light Horse Regiments into the 4th Light Horse Brigade in February 1917.
4th Australian Light Horse Regiment, AIF, History
11th Australian Light Horse Regiment
This was a composite Regiment recruited primarily from Queensland with a South Australian Squadron.
"A" Squadron recruited from Queensland."B" Squadron recruited from Queensland.
"C" Squadron recruited from South Australia.
The Regiment was broken up on 26 August 1915 as reinforcements to Regiments at Gallipoli.
"A" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 2nd Light Horse Regiment.
"B" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 5th Light Horse Regiment.
"C" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 9th Light Horse Regiment.
The Regiment was reconstituted on 20 February 1916 at Heliopolis, Egypt.
The Regiment was renamed 1st Camel Regiment in September 1916 and served with the Imperial Camel Corps until it brigaded with the 4th Light Horse Brigade in February 1917.
11th Australian Light Horse Regiment, AIF, History
12th Australian Light Horse Regiment
This Regiment was recruited exclusively from New South Wales.
The Regiment was broken up on 26 August 1915 as reinforcements to Regiments at Gallipoli.
"A" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 1st Light Horse Regiment.
"B" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 7th Light Horse Regiment.
"C" Squadron became "D" Squadron, 6th Light Horse Regiment.
The Regiment was reconstituted on 20 February 1916 in Egypt.
The Regiment was renamed 2nd Camel Regiment in September 1916 and served with the Imperial Camel Corps until it brigaded with the 4th Light Horse Brigade in February 1917.
12th Australian Light Horse Regiment, AIF, History
4th Signal Troop
The 4th Signal Troop was created in February 1917.
4th Light Horse Field Ambulance
The 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance was formed in February 1917 from some 60 men drawn out of all the other Light Horse formations in Egypt.
4th Light Horse Field Ambulance Formation
4th Light Horse Brigade Train
The 4th Light Horse Brigade Train was primarily recruited around Melbourne and trained at Broadmeadows. After Gallipoli, this unit underwent some name changes from 4th Supply Section in February 1917 to 36th Australian Army Service Corps Company in August 1917.
9th Mobile Veterinary Section
The 9th Mobile Veterinary Section was formed in February 1917.
4th Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron
The 4th Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron was formed when the Parent Brigade was formed in February 1917.
Artillery
Artillery support was provided for the 4th Light Horse Brigade from the British 19th Horse Artillery Brigade, "A" Battery, Honourable Artillery Company.
4th Light Horse Training Regiment
Formed in Egypt during February 1917, this unit trained incoming reinforcements while allowing the wounded and sick a place to recover before returning to active service. The Training Regiment contained three squadrons, each duplicating the Regiments within the Brigade to whom it supplied the reinforcements. The Training Regiment was disbanded in July 1918 to be replaced by the Australian Light Horse Training Regiment when recruits were no longer tied to a Regiment but placed in a general pool of reinforcements called the General Service Reinforcements.
Embarkation
The original Brigade embarked to Egypt during months of May and June 1915. In Egypt additional training occurred at Heliopolis Camp.
See: Troop transport ships for information and photographs about the various ships employed in transporting the troops to Egypt.
Colour Patch
To assist with identification of the various units within the AIF, Divisional Order No 81 (A) Administration was issued at Mena on 8 March 1915 detailing the Colour Patch for the various units. The 4th Light Horse Brigade received the colour in 1917. The colour patch for the Regiments was made of cloth 1¼ inches wide and 2¾ inches long and worn on the sleeve one inch below the shoulder seam. In contrast, the colour patch for the 4th Light Horse Brigade was plain electric blue although for Headquarters was in the shape of a triangle while the individual Regiments used the rectangle shape in the prescribed manner.
The individual units attached to the 4th Light Horse Brigade carried the royal blue colour as a lower triangular part of the colour patch, the unit itself having their colour on the top. This is illustrated with the above description about each individual unit.
Commanders
Brigadier General John Baldwin Meredith, 13 February 1917 to 13 September 1917.
Brigadier General William Grant, 13 September 1917 to June 1919
Attachments
Formed Australia March 1914.
Disbanded and broken up when sent to Gallipoli and attached to the New Zealand and Australian Division at Gallipoli from May 1915 to February 1916.
Reconstituted Regiments were attached to the Imperial Camel Corps as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Camel Regiments from September 1916 until February 1917.
Attached to the Imperial Mounted Division February 1917 until August 1917.
Attached to the Australian Mounted Division August 1917 until June 1919.
Campaigns
Palestine:- First Battle of Gaza;
- Second Battle of Gaza;
- Third Battle of Gaza;
- Beersheba;
- Jerusalem;
- Jericho;
- Es Salt;
- Megiddo; and,
- Damascus
Disbandment
The Brigade returned to Australia from June to July 1919. As each Regiment arrived in the specific home port, they were disbanded.
Further Reading:
Australian Light Horse Order of Battle - Outline
The Australian Light Horse - StructureAustralian Light Horse Order of Battle
Citation: 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade
