"At a mile distant their thousand hooves were stuttering thunder, coming at a rate that frightened a man - they were an awe inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze - knee to knee and horse to horse - the dying sun glinting on bayonet points..." Trooper Ion Idriess
The Australian Light Horse Studies Centre aims to present an accurate history of early Australian military developments from 1899 to 1920.
WARNING: This site contains: names, information and images of deceased people; and, language which may be considered inappropriate today.
Australian Mounted Division, Aus MD, outline Topic: AIF - DMC - Aus MD
Australian Mounted Division (Aus MD)
Outline
This thread gives details as to the formation and operation of the Australian Mounted Division, initially called the Imperial Mounted Division but changed in June and retained that name till the end of the war. Firstly it was shortened to the IMD but later known as the Aus MD when the confusion of capitalisation occurred with two AMD's - the Anazac Mounted Division and Australian Mounted Division. It was formed in February 1917 due to an excess of Brigades in the Anazac Mounted Division. Chauvel was given the option to remove a Brigade and he chose to retain the New Zealand brigade. The 3rd Light Horse Brigade became the senior brigade in the new division.
To view an outline of its history regarding this formation, its emergence and composition, this is detailed in the section on the Australian Light Horse Order of Battle. The full Order of Battle can be viewed at the following link:
The individual formations that comprised the Anzac MD were many. Put together at any one time and there was about 7,000 mounted men in the Division. Below is a guide to the individual units.
One of the best sources of information available for understanding the immediate challenges facing a regiment is to be found in the Routine Orders. They are a wealth of detail. The Routine Orders provide an unvarnished history of the Regiment.
Australian Mounted Division, Aus MD, history Topic: AIF - DMC - Aus MD
Australian Mounted Division (Aus MD)
History
The formation of the Aus MD (Australian Mounted Division) began during February 1917, although initially called the (IMD) Imperial Mounted Division. The first units included the o 3rd Light Horse Brigade hived off from the Anzac Mounted Division; o 4th Light Horse Brigade, reconstituted after having been broken up as reinforcements to Gallipoli in August 1915; and, o two British mounted brigades.
The Australian government protested about the name and as a result, the division was renamed the Australian Mounted Division on 20 June 1917 and reflecting its substantial Australian composition. British units were gradually withdrawn except for the artillery, which remained entirely British to the end of the war.
The Imperial Mounted Division first saw action in the First Battle of Gaza in March 1917 and it was heavily engaged in the Second Battle of Gaza in April 1917.
During the Third Battle of Gaza it took part in the charge at Beersheba. Afterward it took part in all major operations that led to the fall of Jerusalem.
In April 1918, the division participated in an invasion of Moab across the Jordan River.
In September 1918, the Australian Mounted Division participated in the final breakthrough known as the Battle of Meggido and engaged in a high speed pursuit to Damascus, which it entered ahead of any other allied troops in October 1918.
Between 19 September 1918 and 3 October 1918 the division captured 31,335 prisoners.
Commanders
Major General W. Hodgson, from 8 February 1917 to past November 1918.
Casualties
During the period of campaigning, the Anzac MD and Australian Mounted Division suffered the following casualties.
British Imperial Mounted Division (Egypt, February 1917)
* Imperial Mounted Division Artillery o British 19th Horse Artillery Brigade [16 x 18 pounders] + 1/1 Nottingham, 1/1 Berkshire Batteries + A and B Batteries, Honourable Artillery Company + British 19th Horse Artillery Brigade Ammunition Column * Imperial Mounted Division Engineers o Imperial Field Squadron + 3rd, 4th Field Troops + British 6th, 7th Field Troops o Imperial Signal Squadron * Imperial Mounted Division Medical Services o 3rd, 4th Light Horse Field Ambulances o British 1/1, 1/2 South Midlands Mounted Brigade Field Ambulances o 8th Sanitary Section
(Victoria; Queensland and South Australia; New South Wales)
o 4th Machinegun Squadron [12 x Vickers machine guns] o 4th Signal Troop * British 5th Mounted Brigade o 1/1 Warwickshire Yeomanry,1/1 Gloucester Hussars, 1/1 Worcestershire Yeomanry o British 16th Machinegun Squadron [12 x Vickers machine guns] * British 6th Mounted Brigade o 1/1 Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars,1/1 Queens Own Dorsetshire Yeomanry, 1/1 Berkshire Yeomanry o British 17th Machinegun Squadron [Vickers machine guns] * Imperial Mounted Division Train o 3rd, 4th Supply Sections o 27th Depot Unit of Supply * Imperial Mounted Division Veterinary Services o 8th, 9th Mobile Veterinary Sections o British 3/1, 4/1 South Midlands Mobile Veterinary Sections
Australian Mounted Division (Palestine, August 1917)
* Australian Mounted Division Artillery o British 19th Horse Artillery Brigade [18 x 18 pounders] + British 1/1 Nottingham Battery + British A and B Batteries, Honourable Artillery Company + British 19th Horse Artillery Brigade Ammunition Column * Australian Mounted Division Engineers o 2nd Field Squadron o 2nd Signal Squadron * Australian Mounted Division Medical Services o 3rd, 4th Light Horse Field Ambulances o British 1/1 South Midlands Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance o 8th Sanitary Section
(Victoria; Queensland and South Australia; New South Wales)
o 4th Machine Gun Squadron [12 x Vickers machine guns] o 4th Signal Troop * British 5th Mounted Brigade o British 1/1 Warwickshire Yeomanry,1/1 Gloucester Hussars, 1/1 Worcestershire Yeomanry o British 19th Machinegun Squadron [12 x Vickers machine guns] o British 6th Signal Troop * Australian Mounted Division Train o 35th, 36th, 37th, 38th Australian Army Service Corps Companies o 27th Depot Unit of Supply * Australian Mounted Division Veterinary Services o 8th, 9th Mobile Veterinary Sections o British 3/1 South Midlands Mobile Veterinary Section
Australian Mounted Division (Palestine, July 1918)
* Australian Mounted Division Artillery o British 19th Horse Artillery Brigade [18 x 13 pounders] + British 1/1 Nottingham Battery + A and B Batteries, Honourable Artillery Company + British 19th Horse Artillery Brigade Ammunition Column * Australian Mounted Division Engineers o 2nd Field Squadron o 2nd Signal Squadron * Australian Mounted Division Medical Services o 3rd, 4th, 5th Light Horse Field Ambulances o 8th Sanitary Section
o New Zealand 2nd Machine Gun Squadron [12 x Vickers machine guns] o 5th Signal Troop * Australian Mounted Division Train o 35th, 36th, 37th, 38th Australian Army Service Corps Companies o 27th Depot Unit of Supply * Australian Mounted Division Veterinary Services o 8th, 9th, 10th Mobile Veterinary Sections
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