Topic: AIF - DMC - Aus MD
Aus MD
Australian Mounted Division
Outline
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 British units were gradually withdrawn except for the artillery, which remained entirely British to the end of the war.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 Australian Mounted Division suffered the following casualties.
Killed in action - 303
Died of wounds - 108
Total Casualties, 1917-19 - 414
Battles
1917First Gaza, Palestine, March 26 to 27, 1917.
Second Gaza, Palestine, April 19, 1917.El Auja, Palestine, May 23, 1917.Beersheba, Palestine, October 31, 1917.
Khuweilfe, Palestine, November 1 to 8, 1917.Tel es Sheria, Palestine, November 7, 1917.Huj, Palestine, November 8, 1917.1918
Es Salt, Palestine, April 30 to May 3, 1918.
Abu Tellul, Palestine, July 14, 1918.
Megiddo, Palestine, September 19 to 21, 1918.Nablus, Palestine, September 20, 1918.Semakh, Palestine, September 25, 1918.1919
The Egyptian Rebellion, Egypt, 13 March to 10 April 1919
Order of Battle
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
3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade8th Australian Light Horse Regiment
9th Australian Light Horse Regiment
10th Australian Light Horse Regiment
(Victoria; Victoria and South Australia; Western Australia)
o 3rd Machinegun Squadron [12 x Vickers machine guns]
o 3rd Signal Troop
4th Australian Light Horse Brigade4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
11th Australian Light Horse Regiment
12th Australian Light Horse Regiment(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
3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade8th Australian Light Horse Regiment
9th Australian Light Horse Regiment
10th Australian Light Horse Regiment
(Victoria; Victoria and South Australia; Western Australia)
o 3rd Machine Gun Squadron [12 x Vickers machine guns]
o 3rd Signal Troop
4th Australian Light Horse Brigade4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
11th Australian Light Horse Regiment
12th Australian Light Horse Regiment
(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
3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade8th Australian Light Horse Regiment
9th Australian Light Horse Regiment
10th Australian Light Horse Regiment
(Victoria; Victoria and South Australia; Western Australia)
o 3rd Machine Gun Squadron [12 x Vickers machine guns]
o 3rd Signal Troop
4th Australian Light Horse Brigadeo 4th Machine Gun Squadron [12 x Vickers machine guns]4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
11th Australian Light Horse Regiment
12th Australian Light Horse Regiment
(Victoria; Queensland and South Australia; New South Wales)
o 4th Signal Troop
5th Australian Light Horse Brigade14th Australian Light Horse Regiment
15th Australian Light Horse Regiment
o French 1er Regiment Mixte de Cavalerie Du Lavant
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
Further Reading:
Australian Mounted Division, AMD, AIF
Australian Mounted Division, AMD, Australian and British Forces Roll of Honour
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Citation: Australian Mounted Division, Aus MD, Outline
