From June 1809, Wellington organized his cavalry into one, later two, cavalry divisions (1st and 2nd) for the Peninsular War.[1] These performed a purely administrative, rather than tactical, role;[2] the normal tactical headquarters were provided by brigades commanding two, later usually three, regiments.[3] The cavalry brigades were named for the commanding officer, rather than numbered.[a] For the Hundred Days Campaign, he numbered his British cavalry brigades in a single sequence, 1st to 7th.[b] The 6th Cavalry Brigade consisted of:
The brigade took part in the Battle of Waterloo. During the battle, the 1st Hussars, KGL suffered just 7 casualties (1 killed, 6 wounded), the 10th Hussars 94 (22 killed, 46 wounded, 26 missing) and the 18th Hussars 102 (12 killed, 73 wounded, 17 missing).[11] This represented a loss rate of about 13%.[c]
First World War
Formation
The brigade was formed on 19 September 1914 at Ludgershall, Wiltshire for the 3rd Cavalry Division.[13] It commanded three regular British Army cavalry regiments,[14] the only ones not stationed in the United Kingdom or India at the outbreak of the war.[d] A Royal Engineers signal troop also joined on formation.[14]
The 3rd Cavalry Division was initially formed with just two cavalry brigades – the 6th and 7th.[13] To bring the division up to the standard strength of three brigades, the 8th Cavalry Brigade was formed in Belgium on 20 November 1914.[20] The 10th Hussars was transferred to the new brigade on formation and was replaced by the 1/1st North Somerset Yeomanry from the 1st South Western Mounted Brigade in England.[14]
Chronicle
The brigade served with the 3rd Cavalry Division on the Western Front until the end of the war. In 1914, the division saw action in the defence of Antwerp (9 and 10 October) and the First Battle of Ypres, notably the battles of Langemarck (21–24 October), Gheluvelt (29–31 October) and Nonne Bosschen (11 November). In 1915, it took part in the Second Battle of Ypres (Battle of Frezenberg Ridge, 11–13 May) and the Battle of Loos (26–28 September). 1916 saw no notable actions, but in 1917 the division saw action in the Battle of Arras (First Battle of the Scarpe, 9–12 April).[13] At other times, the brigade formed a dismounted unit and served in the trenches (as a regiment under the command of the brigadier).[21]
At the Armistice, units of the division had reached the River Dender at Leuze and Lessines in Belgium, when orders were received that they would cover the advance of the Second Army into Germany. They started the advance on 17 November, divisional headquarters being established at Waterloo on 21 November. Transport difficulties meant that the only one cavalry division could advance with Second Army so the following winter was spent in Belgium. By 31 March 1919, the division was demobilized.[22]
With the 1st Cavalry Division, the 6th Cavalry Brigade departed the United Kingdom in December 1939, transited across France, and arrived in Palestine on 9 January 1940. It served as a garrison force under British Forces, Palestine and Trans-Jordan.[25]
Unlike in the First World War, when brigade compositions rarely changed, there was considerable movement of units between the 4th, 5th and 6th Cavalry Brigades in the Second World War.
Of the three regiments with the brigade when it was converted to an armoured formation:
the Royal Scots Greys converted into an Armoured Regiment in 8th Armoured Brigade.[31]
the Yorkshire Hussars converted into an Armoured Regiment in 9th Armoured Brigade (former 4th Cavalry Brigade).[32] It remained in the Middle East until 1943 when it returned to the UK.[33]
^This could be a source of confusion as brigades acquired new commanders, or they moved between brigades. For example, Fane's Brigade became De Grey's Brigade from 13 May 1810 when Henry Fane went to Estremadura;[4] De Grey's Brigade was broken up 29 January 1812.[5] On 20 May 1813, Fane took over Slade's Brigade;[6] the second Fane's Brigade was unrelated to the original one although coincidentally, and to add to the potential confusion, the 3rd Dragoon Guards served in both.[7]
^1st Hussars, KGL had a strength of 605, 10th Hussars 452, and 18th Hussars 447.[12]
^In August 1914, the regular British Army cavalry comprised 31 regiments. 19 regiments were in the United Kingdom, nine in India, two in South Africa and one with the Force in Egypt.[15]
^ ab10th Hussars returned from 8th Cavalry Brigade in exchange for the 1/1st North Somerset Yeomanry.[14]
^1/1st North Somerset Yeomanry was originally slated to become a cyclist unit, then to form a machine gun battalion with the 1/1st Leicestershire Yeomanry. The German spring offensive forestalled this plan, and the regiment was remounted and returned to 3rd Cavalry Division. From April 1918 it was split up with a squadron joining each regiment in 6th Cavalry Brigade (3rd Dragoon Guards, 1st Dragoons and 10th Hussars).[23]
^Warwickshire Yeomanry transferred to 4th Cavalry Brigade.[28]
^ abStaffordshire Yeomanry transferred to, and returned from, 5th Cavalry Brigade.[29]
^Cheshire Yeomanry transferred to 5th Cavalry Brigade.[29]
^ abRoyal Wiltshire Yeomanry joined from, and returned to, 4th Cavalry Brigade.[28]
^Royal Scots Greys joined from Force Troops, British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan.[30]
^Yorkshire Hussars joined from 5th Cavalry Brigade.[29]
Becke, Major A.F. (1935). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 1. The Regular British Divisions. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN1-871167-09-4.
Bellis, Malcolm A. (1994). Regiments of the British Army 1939–1945 (Armour & Infantry). London: Military Press International. ISBN0-85420-999-9.
