3rd (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade

The 4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Indian Army that formed part of the Indian Army during the First World War. It was formed as 14th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade in November 1914 to replace the original Meerut Cavalry Brigade that had been mobilized as the 7th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade for service on the Western Front. It remained in India throughout the war, before taking part in the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919.

14th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade
4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade
3rd Indian Cavalry Brigade
3rd (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade
Active21 November 1914 – February 1940
Country British India
AllegianceBritish Crown
Branch British Indian Army
TypeCavalry
SizeBrigade
Part of7th Meerut Divisional Area
Meerut District
Garrison/HQMeerut
ServiceFirst World War
Third Anglo-Afghan War
Second World War
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Maj.-Gen. C.L. Gregory
Brig. J.A. Aizlewood

The brigade continued to exist between the wars and by September 1939 it was designated 3rd (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade. It briefly served as part of the Indian Army during the Second World War before being broken up in February 1940.

History

First World War

At the outbreak of the First World War, the Meerut Cavalry Brigade was part of the 7th (Meerut) Division. It was mobilized in August 1914 as the 7th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade, assigned to the newly formed 2nd Indian Cavalry Division[1] and sailed from Bombay on 19 October for the Western Front.[2] Likewise, the 7th (Meerut) Division was transferred to France in August 1914.[3]

The 7th Meerut Divisional Area was formed in September 1914 to take over the area responsibilities of the 7th (Meerut) Division[4] and on 21 November 1914[lower-alpha 1] a new 14th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade was formed in 7th Meerut Divisional Area to replace the original brigade. It was renumbered as the 4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade in February 1915.[lower-alpha 2] The brigade served with the division in India throughout the First World War.[11]

Between the world wars

In May 1919, the brigade was mobilized to take part in the Third Anglo-Afghan War.[4]

The brigade continued to exist between the world wars. In September 1920 it was redesignated as the 3rd Indian Cavalry Brigade and later in the decade it became the 3rd (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade.[12]

Second World War

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the brigade was under the command of Meerut District.[13] The brigade was broken up in February 1940. Its Headquarters and some units formed the nucleus of The Armoured Brigade[14] (later 2nd Indian Armoured Brigade).[15]

Orders of battle

Commanders

The 14th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade / 4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade / 3rd Indian Cavalry Brigade / 3rd (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade had the following commanders:[11][12]

FromRankNameNotes
21 November 1914Brigadier-GeneralH.L. Roberts
18 June 1915ColonelR.C. Stephen
29 March 1916Brigadier-GeneralH.L. Roberts
April 1916Lieutenant-ColonelC.E.G. Norton
July 1916Brigadier-GeneralH.L. Roberts
May 1920Major-GeneralC.L. Gregory
March 1924Brigadier-GeneralH.A. Tomkinson
August 1927BrigadierE.D. Giles
July 1929BrigadierC.B. Dashwood Strettell
April 1932BrigadierE.M. Dorman
April 1936BrigadierJ.N. Lumley
August 1939BrigadierJ.A. AizlewoodBroken up in February 1940

A note on numbering

The brigade carried several numbers during its existence. This can be a cause for confusion as other, unrelated, Indian cavalry brigades carried the same numbers at different times:

  • the brigade was numbered as 14th from November 1914 to February 1915.[11] Another 14th Cavalry Brigade was formed in April 1918 by merging elements of the 9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade (withdrawn from the Western Front) with the British yeomanry 7th Mounted Brigade in Egypt. It served in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign and was broken up in September 1919.[34]
  • the brigade was numbered as 4th from February 1915 to September 1920, when it was renumbered as 3rd Indian Cavalry Brigade.[11][12] At this point, the Lucknow Cavalry Brigade was numbered as the 4th Indian Cavalry Brigade, until it was broken up in 1923.[35] As a result, the 5th Indian Cavalry Brigade (former Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade) was renumbered as the 4th Indian Cavalry Brigade and later as the 4th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade.[36]
  • the brigade was numbered as 3rd from September 1920 to February 1940.[12][13] The Ambala Cavalry Brigade had mobilized in August 1914 as 3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade and served on the Western Front until it was broken up in March 1918.[18][19] Another 3rd Indian Cavalry Brigade was formed in Mesopotamia after the end of the war for occupation duties. It drew, in part, on units that had earlier served in the Mesopotamian Campaign. It was broken up in late 1920.[37]
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See also

Notes
  1. The first commanding officer was appointed on 21 November 1914.[5]
  2. By February 1915, the Indian Army included the following cavalry brigades: Therefore, the 4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade took the vacant number.
  3. X Battery, Royal Horse Artillery had served with the II Indian Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery / XVII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery in 2nd Indian Cavalry Division on the Western Front from December 1914.[19]
  4. This order of battle is questionable. Neither the 21st (Empress of India's) Lancers[20] nor the 14th Murray's Jat Lancers)[21][22] took part in the war nor were they awarded the Afghanistan 1919 battle honour. On the other hand, the 13th Duke of Connaught's Lancers (Watson's Horse) did earn the battle honour.[23]
  5. 10th Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment was the Training Battalion[31] / Regimental Centre[32] of the 2nd Punjab Regiment.

References
  1. Perry 1993, p. 85
  2. Perry 1993, p. 20
  3. Perry 1993, p. 89
  4. Perry 1993, p. 97
  5. "No. 29023". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1914. p. 11207.
  6. Perry 1993, p. 35
  7. Perry 1993, p. 12
  8. Perry 1993, p. 17
  9. Perry 1993, p. 31
  10. Perry 1993, p. 106
  11. Perry 1993, p. 92
  12. Mackie 2015, p. 365
  13. Kempton 2003b, p. 5
  14. Kempton 2003b, p. 6
  15. Kempton 2003b, p. 1
  16. Perry 1993, p. 94
  17. Perry 1993, pp. 42–44
  18. Perry 1993, p. 14
  19. Perry 1993, p. 18
  20. "21st Lancers (Empress of India's) at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 18 August 2007. Retrieved 2004-12-28.
  21. Gaylor 1996, p. 103
  22. "14th Murray's Jat Lancers at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 16 August 2007. Retrieved 2015-07-17.
  23. "13th Duke of Connaught's Lancers (Watson's Horse) at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 11 September 2007. Retrieved 2015-07-17.
  24. Kempton 2003b, pp. 5–6
  25. Nafziger n.d., p. 5
  26. Kempton 2003c, p. 16
  27. Kempton 2003c, p. 17
  28. Kempton 2003c, p. 3
  29. Kempton 2003c, p. 13
  30. Kempton 2003c, p. 1
  31. Gaylor 1996, p. 135
  32. Gaylor 1996, p. 351
  33. Joslen 1990, p. 501
  34. Perry 1993, p. 24
  35. Mackie 2015, p. 368
  36. Mackie 2015, p. 373
  37. Perry 1993, p. 33

Bibliography
  • Gaylor, John (1996). Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903–1991 (2nd ed.). Tunbridge Wells: Parapress. ISBN 1-898594-41-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Joslen, Lt-Col H.F. (1990) [1st. Pub. HMSO:1960]. Orders of Battle, Second World War, 1939–1945. London: London Stamp Exchange. ISBN 0-948130-03-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Kempton, Chris (2003b). 'Loyalty & Honour', The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947. Part II Brigades. Milton Keynes: The Military Press. ISBN 0-85420-238-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Kempton, Chris (2003c). 'Loyalty & Honour', The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947. Part III. Milton Keynes: The Military Press. ISBN 0-85420-248-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Mackie, Colin (June 2015). "Army Commands 1900-2011" (PDF). www.gulabin.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Nafziger, George (n.d.). "The Indian Army 3 September 1939" (PDF). Fort Leavenworth: Combined Arms Research Library, United States Army Combined Arms Center. Retrieved 9 July 2015.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Perry, F.W. (1993). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions. Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. ISBN 1-871167-23-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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