The Australian Mounted Division was a mounted infantry (light horse) division formed in Egypt during World War I. When the British forces in the Middle East expanded in late 1916, a second mounted division was created called the Imperial Mounted Division. It originally comprised the Australian 3rd Light Horse Brigade (from the Anzac Mounted Division) and the reconstituted Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade as well as two British mounted brigades. After protests from the Australian government, the division was renamed in June 1917 when one of the British brigades was detached.

Unit history

During the First Battle of Gaza, the division (as the Imperial Mounted Division) provided protection from counter-attack on the eastern flank while the main infantry assault was underway. The brigades became the rearguard during the withdrawal from Gaza after the attack was called off.

Formation

The core brigades of the division were:

Australian 3rd Light Horse Brigade  

• 8th Light Horse Regiment (Victoria, Australia)
• 9th Light Horse Regiment (Victoria and South Australia)
• 10th Light Horse Regiment (Western Australia)

Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade  

• 4th Light Horse Regiment (Victoria)
• 11th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland and South Australia)
• 12th Light Horse Regiment (New South Wales)

British 5th Mounted (Yeomanry) Brigade 

• 1/1 Warwickshire Yeomanry
• 1/1 Gloucester Hussars
• 1/1 Worcestershire Yeomanry

Originally the division also contained the British 6th Mounted Brigade. In mid-1918 the British 5th Mounted Brigade was detached and the Australian 5th Light Horse Brigade (containing the 14th and 15th Light Horse Regiments as well as a French cavalry regiment) joined the division.

Battles

• First Battle of Gaza
• Second Battle of Gaza
• Third Battle of Gaza
  • Battle of Beersheba

Jerusalem, Syria.

External links

• First AIF Order of Battle 1914-1918: Australian Mounted Division