Topic: AIF - 1B - 1 LHB
1st LH Bde, AIF
1st Australian Light Horse Brigade
Outline
Outline of the 1st Australian Light Horse Brigade, AIF
Formed in August 1914 as part of the 1st Contingent and attached to the Australian Division, the 1st Light Horse Brigade was made up of Light Horsemen from four different states. This was the only Brigade recruited from a majority of men drawn immediately from the Militia formations within the various states. The Regiments included:
1st Australian Light Horse Regiment
This Regiment was recruited exclusively from New South Wales. "A" Squadron recruited mainly from 5th Light Horse Regiment (31 men) and 6th Light Horse Regiment (59 men).
"B" Squadron recruited mainly from 7th Light Horse Regiment (41 men) and 11th Light Horse Regiment (62 men).
"C" Squadron recruited mainly from 9th Light Horse Regiment (49 men).
2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment
This Regiment was recruited exclusively from Queensland.
"A" Squadron recruited mainly from 2nd Light Horse Regiment (50 men).
"B" Squadron recruited mainly from 3rd Light Horse Regiment (34 men).
"C" Squadron recruited mainly from 4th Light Horse Regiment (64 men) and 27th Light Horse Regiment (30 men).
3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment
This Regiment was recruited from South Australia which contributed two squadrons and Tasmania providing the last squadron.
"A" Squadron recruited mainly from the 23rd Light Horse Regiment region.
"B" Squadron recruited mainly from 24th Light Horse Regiment region.
"C" Squadron recruited exclusively from the 26th Light Horse Regiment region within Tasmania.
1st Signal Troop
The 1st Signal Troop was composed exclusively from Victorians from the Militia 10th and 21st Signal Troops.
1st Light Horse Field Ambulance
The 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance was formed with two sections: "A" Section recruited in Melbourne which included some 20 students from the Richmond Agricultural College; and, "B" Section recruited in Sydney and composed to a greater extent by Militia members from the 28th Light Horse Field Ambulance.
1st Light Horse Brigade Train
The 1st Light Horse Brigade Train was primarily recruited around Brisbane and trained at Enoggera. After Gallipoli, this unit underwent some name changes from 1st Supply Section in February 1916 to 32nd Australian Army Service Corps Company in February 1917.
6th Mobile Veterinary Section
After the formation of the Anzac Mounted Division, the three individual Regimental Veterinary sections were brigaded to form the 6th Mobile Veterinanry Section.
1st Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron
In July 1916, all Regimental Machine Gun Sections were to be excised and brigaded to form a Machine Gun Squadron. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Machine Gun Sections were combined to form the 1st Machine Gun Squadron under the command of the Brigade.
Artillery
Artillery support was provided for the 1st Light Horse Brigade from British batteries. The first British battery attached to the Brigade was the 3rd (Territorial Force) Horse Artillery Brigade, Leicester Battery. This battery remained until the re-organisation of February 1918 when the Leicester Battery was replaced by the British 18th Royal Horse Artillery Brigade, Somerset Battery
1st Light Horse Training Regiment
Formed in Egypt during March 1916, 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 Anzac 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.
1st Light Horse Double Squadron
Formed Egypt 6 July 1916 from 1st Light Horse Brigade reinforcements. It was officered and administered by the 1st Light Horse Brigade. This Double Squadron was broken up in November 1916 with the men being transferred to the newly formed Imperial Camel Corps Battalions.
Embarkation
The Brigade embarked to Egypt during the months of September and October 1914. In Egypt additional training occurred at the Mena 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 1st Light Horse Brigade as others received their colours. The colour patch was made of cloth 1¼ inches wide and 2¾ inches long and worn on the sleeve one inch below the shoulder seam. The colour patch for the 1st Light Horse Brigade was plain white.
The individual units attached to the 1st Light Horse Brigade carried the white 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 Henry “Harry” George Chauvel 15 August 1914 to 6 November 1915.
Brigadier General Charles Frederick Cox 6 November 1915 to 13 March 1919.
Attachments
Formed Australia August 1914.
Attached to the New Zealand and Australian Division from December 1914 to April 1915. Attachment ceased on the Division's deployment to Gallipoli.
Attached to the New Zealand and Australian Division at Gallipoli from May 1915 to February 1916.
Attached to the Anzac Mounted Division March 1916 until March 1919.
Campaigns
Egypt:
- Defence of Egypt; and,
- Western Desert.
Gallipoli:
- Defence of Anzac; and,
- Withdrawal from Anzac.
Sinai:
Palestine:
- First Battle of Gaza;
- Second Battle of Gaza;
- Third Battle of Gaza;
- Beersheba;
- Jerusalem;
- Jericho;
- Es Salt;
- Megiddo; and,
- Amman
Disbandment
The Brigade returned to Australia in March 1919. As each Regiment arrived in the specific home port, they were disbanded.
Embarkations:
The following list details all the embarkations in support of the 1st Light Horse Brigade, AIF, during the Great War. Each entry details the individual soldier's: rank on embarkation; full name; Declared age; last occupation held; last address as a civilian; enlistment Date; and, ultimate fate. Each man is linked to a brief military biography where ever possible. One interesting point is that many of the men listed in the embarkation roll for the 1st Light Horse Brigade ended up in a different unit altogether. This list details the men's starting point in the AIF.
| Brigade Headquarters Section | Melbourne, Victoria on board HMAT A3 Orvieto 21 October 1914 |
| 5th Company Army Service Corps | Brisbane, Queensland on board HMAT A5 Omrah 24 September 1914 |
| 1st Reinforcement | Melbourne, Victoria on board HMAT A30 Borda 22 December 1914 |
| 2nd Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A54 Runic 12 February 1915 |
| 3rd Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A54 Runic 12 February 1915 |
| 4th Reinforcement | Brisbane, Queensland on board HMAT A15 Star Of England 8 April 1915 |
| 5th Reinforcement | Brisbane, Queensland on board HMAT A55 Kyarra 16 April 1915 |
| 6th Reinforcement | Brisbane, Queensland on board HMAT A7 Medic 2 June 1915 |
| 7th Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A21 Marere 16 August 1915 |
| 8th Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A54 Runic 9 August 1915 |
| 9th Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A8 Argyllshire 30 September 1915 |
| 10th Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A69 Warilda 8 October 1915 |
| 11th Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A14 Euripides 2 November 1915 |
| 12th Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A37 Barambah 4 December 1915 |
| 13th Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A35 Berrima 17 December 1915 |
| 14th Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A70 Ballarat 16 February 1916 |
| 15th Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A15 Star Of England 8 March 1916 |
| 16th Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A71 Nestor 9 April 1916 |
| 17th Reinforcement | Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A10 Karroo 5 May 1916 |
See: Troop transport ships for information and photographs about the various ships employed in transporting the troops to Egypt.
Further Reading:
1st Australian Light Horse Brigade
1st Australian Light Horse Brigade, AIF, Roll of Honour
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1919
Citation: 1st Australian Light Horse Brigade, Outline
