Cavalry Corps (United Kingdom)
Military unit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cavalry Corps was a cavalry corps of the British Army in the First World War. The corps was formed in France in October 1914, under General Sir Edmund Allenby. It was later broken up in March 1916, but re-established in the following September.[1] It served as part of the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front throughout its existence.
September 1916 – 1919
| Cavalry Corps | |
|---|---|
| Active | October 1914 – March 1916 September 1916 – 1919 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Cavalry |
| Size | Corps |
| Part of | British Expeditionary Force |
| Engagements | First World War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Edmund Allenby |
Formation
The Corps consisted of the three cavalry divisions serving in France, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd divisions.[2]
The cavalry division consisted of cavalry regiments in brigades. They were armed with rifles, unlike their French and German counterparts, who were only armed with the shorter range carbine. The cavalry division also had a high allocation of artillery compared to foreign cavalry divisions, with 24 13-pounder guns organised into two brigades and two machine guns for each regiment. However, when dismounted, the cavalry division was the equivalent of two weakened infantry brigades with less artillery than the infantry division.[3]
Battles
Commanders
| Rank | Name | Dates | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant-General | E. H. H. Allenby | 10 October 1914 – 19 April 1915 | Sick 19/4/15 | [4] |
| Major-General | Hon. Sir J. H. G. Byng | 19 April – 4 May 1915 | Acting | |
| Lieutenant-General | E. H. H. Allenby | 4–7 May 1915 | ||
| Lieutenant-General | Hon. Sir J. H. G. Byng | 7 May – 16 August 1915 | ||
| Lieutenant-General | H. D. Fanshawe | 16 August – 23 October 1915 | ||
| Lieutenant-General | Hon. C. E. Bingham | 23 October 1915 – 12 March 1916 | ||
| Lieutenant-General | C. T. McM. Kavanagh | 4 September 1916 – 1919 |