Australian Mounted Division

 

 

Narrative

The Australian Mounted Division was formed in Egypt as the Imperial Mounted Division in February 1917 from the 3rd Light Horse Brigade of the Anzac Mounted Division, the 4th Light Horse Brigade, reconstituted after having been broken up the year before, and two British mounted brigades.

The Australian government protested this move being made without consultation and sent Brigadier General R. M. McC. Anderson from England to negotiate with the authorities in Egypt. As a result, the division was renamed the Australian Mounted Division on 20 June 1917 and became an Australian unit. British units were gradually phased out except for the artillery, which remained entirely British to the end.

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 made a charge at Beersheba to capture the wells before they could be destroyed by the Germans. This was the last of history's great cavalry charges.

Afterward it pursued the enemy to Jerusalem. Units of the Australian Mounted Division became he first mounted troops to enter Jerusalem in December 1917.

In March and again in April 1918, the division made major raids across the Jordan River.

In August 1918, the Australian Mounted Division participated in the final breakthrough 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 2 October 1918 the division captured 31,335 prisoners.

 

Commanders

 

Campaigns

Palestine: First Battle of Gaza, Second Battle of Gaza, Third Battle of Gaza, Beersheba, Jerusalem, Jericho, Es Salt, Megiddo, Damascus

 

Memorial (including Anzac Mounted Division)

Canberra

 

Casualties (including Anzac Mounted Division)

 

British Imperial Mounted Division (Egypt, February 1917)

 

 

Australian Mounted Division (Palestine, August 1917)

 

 

 


Main 1st Division 2nd Division 3rd Division 4th Division 5th Division 6th Division NZ & Australian Division Anzac Mounted Division Australian Mounted Division


Page created by Ross Mallett
ross@metva.com.au
Last update 28 June 2010