fbpx
Wikipedia

XVIII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F.)

January 01, 1970

XVIII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (Territorial Force) was a Royal Horse Artillery brigade[a] of the Territorial Force that was formed by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Palestine in July 1917 for the ANZAC Mounted Division. It served with the division thereafter in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign and was broken up after the end of World War I.

History edit

Background edit

The ANZAC Mounted Division was formed in Egypt in March 1916 with four cavalry brigades. Four British Territorial Force horse artillery batteries were assigned to the division to provide artillery support (one per brigade). These were controlled by two Royal Horse Artillery brigade headquarters: III Brigade, RHA (T.F.) and IV Brigade, RHA (T.F.).[3] The ANZAC Mounted Division served with the Desert Column in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign from the Battle of Magdhaba (23 December 1916) through to the Second Battle of Gaza (17 – 19 April 1917).[4]

In June 1917, the Desert Column was reorganised from two mounted divisions of four brigades each (ANZAC and Imperial Mounted Divisions) to three mounted divisions of three brigades each (ANZAC, Australian – Imperial Mounted Division renamed – and the new Yeomanry Mounted Division).[5] Consequently, the British 22nd Mounted Brigade was transferred from the ANZAC to the Yeomanry Mounted Division on 6 July 1917. With a reduction to three brigades, there was a corresponding reduction in the artillery to three batteries. The Leicestershire Battery, RHA (T.F.) departed on 20 June to join XX Brigade, RHA (T.F.) in the Yeomanry Mounted Division.[3][b]

Formation edit

In July 1917, the artillery of the ANZAC Mounted Division was reorganized. The existing III and IV Brigade HQs were dissolved and XVIII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (Territorial Force) was formed for the division with[8]

Ayrshire Battery, RHA (T.F.) from IV Brigade
Inverness-shire Battery, RHA (T.F.) also from IV Brigade
Somerset Battery, RHA (T.F.) from III Brigade

In practice, the batteries were permanently attached to the mounted brigades: Somerset RHA to the 1st Light Horse Brigade,[9] Inverness-shire RHA to the 2nd Light Horse Brigade[10] and Ayrshire RHA to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade.[11]

The batteries had each been re-equipped with four 18 pounders before the First Battle of Gaza in March 1917.[12] They were still equipped with 18 pounders when the brigade was organised[13] but were re-equipped with 13 pounders (four per battery) in time for the Third Battle of Gaza at the end of October 1917.[14]

Service edit

The brigade, and its batteries, served with the ANZAC Mounted Division throughout the rest of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. As part of the Desert Mounted Corps, the division took part in the Third Battle of Gaza, in particular the Capture of Beersheba (31 October) and the Battle of Mughar Ridge (13 and 14 November), and the defence of Jerusalem against the Turkish counter-attacks (27 November – 3 December).[4]

At the beginning of 1918, the division was attached to XX Corps and helped to capture Jericho (19 – 21 February) and then formed part of Shea's Force for the First Trans-Jordan Raid (21 March – 2 April). It returned to the Desert Mounted Corps for the Second Trans-Jordan Raid (30 April – 4 May), the Battle of Abu Tellul (14 July) and the capture of Amman (25 September).[4]

Dissolved edit

After the Armistice of Mudros, the division was withdrawn to Egypt. The Australian brigades departed for home in March and April 1919 and the New Zealanders by the end of July.[4] The brigade was broken up some time after April 1919.[8]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ The basic organic unit of the Royal Artillery was, and is, the Battery.[1] When grouped together they formed brigades, in the same way that infantry battalions or cavalry regiments were grouped together in brigades. At the outbreak of World War I, a field artillery brigade of headquarters (4 officers, 37 other ranks), three batteries (5 and 193 each), and a brigade ammunition column (4 and 154)[2] had a total strength just under 800 so was broadly comparable to an infantry battalion (just over 1,000) or a cavalry regiment (about 550). Like an infantry battalion, an artillery brigade was usually commanded by a Lieutenant-Colonel. Artillery brigades were redesignated as regiments in 1938. Note that the battery strength refers to a battery of six guns; a four-gun battery would be about two thirds of this.
  2. ^ 22nd Mounted Brigade was originally designated as the North Midland Mounted Brigade. Leicestershire RHA had been formed in 1908 for this brigade[6] and was mobilised with it in 1914.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ . Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom). Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  2. ^ Baker, Chris. "What was an artillery brigade?". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  3. ^ a b Perry 1992, p. 51
  4. ^ a b c d Perry 1992, p. 52
  5. ^ Becke 1936, p. 34
  6. ^ Frederick 1984, p. 673
  7. ^ Conrad, Mark (1996). "The British Army, 1914". Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  8. ^ a b Frederick 1984, p. 449
  9. ^ "1st Australian Light Horse Brigade". Australian Light Horse Studies Centre. 10 November 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  10. ^ "2nd Australian Light Horse Brigade". Australian Light Horse Studies Centre. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  11. ^ "New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade". Australian Light Horse Studies Centre. 10 February 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  12. ^ Farndale 1988, p. 83
  13. ^ Farndale 1988, p. 90
  14. ^ Farndale 1988, p. 95

Bibliography edit

  • Becke, Major A.F. (1936). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56). London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 1-871167-12-4.
  • Farndale, General Sir Martin (1988). The Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base, 1914–18. History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Woolwich: The Royal Artillery Institution. ISBN 1-870114-05-1.
  • Frederick, J.B.M. (1984). Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978. Wakefield, Yorkshire: Microform Academic Publishers. ISBN 1-85117-009-X.
  • Perry, F.W. (1992). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5A. The Divisions of Australia, Canada and New Zealand and those in East Africa. Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. ISBN 1-871167-25-6.

External links edit

  • The Royal Horse Artillery on The Long, Long Trail

January 01, 1970
xviii, brigade, royal, horse, artillery, xviii, brigade, royal, horse, artillery, territorial, force, royal, horse, artillery, brigade, territorial, force, that, formed, egyptian, expeditionary, force, palestine, july, 1917, anzac, mounted, division, served, w. XVIII Brigade Royal Horse Artillery Territorial Force was a Royal Horse Artillery brigade a of the Territorial Force that was formed by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Palestine in July 1917 for the ANZAC Mounted Division It served with the division thereafter in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign and was broken up after the end of World War I XVIII Brigade Royal Horse Artillery T F ActiveJuly 1917 April 1919Country United KingdomBranch British ArmyTypeArtillerySizeBattalionPart ofANZAC Mounted DivisionEquipmentOrdnance QF 18 pounderOrdnance QF 13 pounderEngagementsWorld War I Sinai and Palestine 1917 18Battle of Beersheba Battle of Mughar Ridge Battle of Jerusalem Capture of Jericho First and Second Trans Jordan Raids Battle of Abu Tellul Capture of Amman dd Contents 1 History 1 1 Background 1 2 Formation 1 3 Service 1 4 Dissolved 2 See also 3 Notes 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksHistory editBackground edit The ANZAC Mounted Division was formed in Egypt in March 1916 with four cavalry brigades Four British Territorial Force horse artillery batteries were assigned to the division to provide artillery support one per brigade These were controlled by two Royal Horse Artillery brigade headquarters III Brigade RHA T F and IV Brigade RHA T F 3 The ANZAC Mounted Division served with the Desert Column in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign from the Battle of Magdhaba 23 December 1916 through to the Second Battle of Gaza 17 19 April 1917 4 In June 1917 the Desert Column was reorganised from two mounted divisions of four brigades each ANZAC and Imperial Mounted Divisions to three mounted divisions of three brigades each ANZAC Australian Imperial Mounted Division renamed and the new Yeomanry Mounted Division 5 Consequently the British 22nd Mounted Brigade was transferred from the ANZAC to the Yeomanry Mounted Division on 6 July 1917 With a reduction to three brigades there was a corresponding reduction in the artillery to three batteries The Leicestershire Battery RHA T F departed on 20 June to join XX Brigade RHA T F in the Yeomanry Mounted Division 3 b Formation edit In July 1917 the artillery of the ANZAC Mounted Division was reorganized The existing III and IV Brigade HQs were dissolved and XVIII Brigade Royal Horse Artillery Territorial Force was formed for the division with 8 Ayrshire Battery RHA T F from IV Brigade Inverness shire Battery RHA T F also from IV Brigade Somerset Battery RHA T F from III Brigade In practice the batteries were permanently attached to the mounted brigades Somerset RHA to the 1st Light Horse Brigade 9 Inverness shire RHA to the 2nd Light Horse Brigade 10 and Ayrshire RHA to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade 11 The batteries had each been re equipped with four 18 pounders before the First Battle of Gaza in March 1917 12 They were still equipped with 18 pounders when the brigade was organised 13 but were re equipped with 13 pounders four per battery in time for the Third Battle of Gaza at the end of October 1917 14 Service edit The brigade and its batteries served with the ANZAC Mounted Division throughout the rest of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign As part of the Desert Mounted Corps the division took part in the Third Battle of Gaza in particular the Capture of Beersheba 31 October and the Battle of Mughar Ridge 13 and 14 November and the defence of Jerusalem against the Turkish counter attacks 27 November 3 December 4 At the beginning of 1918 the division was attached to XX Corps and helped to capture Jericho 19 21 February and then formed part of Shea s Force for the First Trans Jordan Raid 21 March 2 April It returned to the Desert Mounted Corps for the Second Trans Jordan Raid 30 April 4 May the Battle of Abu Tellul 14 July and the capture of Amman 25 September 4 Dissolved edit After the Armistice of Mudros the division was withdrawn to Egypt The Australian brigades departed for home in March and April 1919 and the New Zealanders by the end of July 4 The brigade was broken up some time after April 1919 8 See also edit nbsp United Kingdom portalNotes edit The basic organic unit of the Royal Artillery was and is the Battery 1 When grouped together they formed brigades in the same way that infantry battalions or cavalry regiments were grouped together in brigades At the outbreak of World War I a field artillery brigade of headquarters 4 officers 37 other ranks three batteries 5 and 193 each and a brigade ammunition column 4 and 154 2 had a total strength just under 800 so was broadly comparable to an infantry battalion just over 1 000 or a cavalry regiment about 550 Like an infantry battalion an artillery brigade was usually commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel Artillery brigades were redesignated as regiments in 1938 Note that the battery strength refers to a battery of six guns a four gun battery would be about two thirds of this 22nd Mounted Brigade was originally designated as the North Midland Mounted Brigade Leicestershire RHA had been formed in 1908 for this brigade 6 and was mobilised with it in 1914 7 References edit The Royal Artillery Ministry of Defence United Kingdom Archived from the original on 23 October 2013 Retrieved 18 November 2013 Baker Chris What was an artillery brigade The Long Long Trail Retrieved 18 November 2013 a b Perry 1992 p 51 a b c d Perry 1992 p 52 Becke 1936 p 34 Frederick 1984 p 673 Conrad Mark 1996 The British Army 1914 Retrieved 27 November 2013 a b Frederick 1984 p 449 1st Australian Light Horse Brigade Australian Light Horse Studies Centre 10 November 2009 Retrieved 18 December 2013 2nd Australian Light Horse Brigade Australian Light Horse Studies Centre 9 October 2009 Retrieved 18 December 2013 New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade Australian Light Horse Studies Centre 10 February 2010 Retrieved 18 December 2013 Farndale 1988 p 83 Farndale 1988 p 90 Farndale 1988 p 95Bibliography editBecke Major A F 1936 Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st Line Territorial Force Divisions 42 56 London His Majesty s Stationery Office ISBN 1 871167 12 4 Farndale General Sir Martin 1988 The Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base 1914 18 History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery Woolwich The Royal Artillery Institution ISBN 1 870114 05 1 Frederick J B M 1984 Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660 1978 Wakefield Yorkshire Microform Academic Publishers ISBN 1 85117 009 X Perry F W 1992 Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5A The Divisions of Australia Canada and New Zealand and those in East Africa Newport Ray Westlake Military Books ISBN 1 871167 25 6 External links editThe Royal Horse Artillery on The Long Long Trail The Great War Royal Horse Artillery Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title XVIII Brigade Royal Horse Artillery T F amp oldid 1206212496, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.