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{{For|a similarly numbered formation in existence at the same time|11th Indian Cavalry Brigade}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2013}}
{{infobox military unit
|unit_name=London Mounted Brigade 4th (London) Mounted Brigade 8th Mounted Brigade 11th Cavalry Brigade
|image=
|caption=
|dates=1908–1921
|country={{flagcountry|UKGBI}}
|allegiance= [[British Crown]]
|branch={{army|United Kingdom|23px}} [[British Indian Army]]
|type=[[Yeomanry]], [[Cavalry]]
|role=
|size=[[Brigade]]
|command_structure=[[2nd Mounted Division]] [[Yeomanry Mounted Division]] [[4th Cavalry Division (British Indian Army)|4th Cavalry Division]]
|garrison=[[Duke of York's Headquarters]], [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]]
|garrison_label=HQ (peacetime)
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|colors_label=
|march=
|mascot=
|equipment=
|equipment_label=
|battles=[[First World War]]
:[[Gallipoli 1915]]
:[[Macedonian front|Salonika 1916–17]]
:[[Sinai and Palestine Campaign|Egypt and Palestine 1917–18]]
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
|battle_honours_label=
|disbanded=
|flying_hours=
|website=

|commander1=
|commander1_label=
|commander2=
|commander2_label=
|commander3=
|commander3_label=
|commander4=
|commander4_label=
|notable_commanders=

|identification_symbol=
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|identification_symbol_2=
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}}
The '''London Mounted Brigade''' (later numbered as the '''8th Mounted Brigade''') was a [[yeomanry]] [[brigade]] of the [[British Army]], formed as part of the [[Territorial Force]] in 1908.

It served dismounted in the [[Gallipoli Campaign]] before being remounted to serve in the [[Macedonian front|Salonika]] and [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]]s in the [[First World War]].

In April 1918, it was merged with elements of the [[8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade]] to form '''11th Cavalry Brigade'''. It remained in Palestine after the end of the war on occupation duties.

==Formation==
{{London Mounted Brigade}}
Under the terms of the [[Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907]] (7 Edw.7, c.9), the brigade was formed in 1908 as part of the [[Territorial Force]]. It consisted of three [[yeomanry]] regiments, a [[horse artillery]] [[Artillery battery|battery]] and ammunition column (provided by the [[Honourable Artillery Company]]), a transport and supply column and a [[field ambulance]].<ref name=Westlake14>{{harvnb|Westlake|1992|p=14}}</ref> The [[Westminster Dragoons|2nd County of London Yeomanry]] was attached for training in peacetime.<ref name=James35>{{harvnb|James|1978|p=35}}</ref>

As the name suggests, the units were drawn from [[London]].<ref name=Conrad>{{cite web | url=http://marksrussianmilitaryhistory.info/BRIT14.html | title=The British Army, 1914 | last=Conrad | first=Mark | year=1996 | accessdate=27 November 2013}}</ref>

==First World War==

===London Mounted Brigade===
The brigade was mobilised on 4 August 1914 at the outbreak of the [[First World War]] and concentrated in [[Berkshire]]. It joined [[2nd Mounted Division]] on 2 September and moved with the division to [[East Anglia]] in November 1914.<ref name=Rinaldi>{{harvnb|Rinaldi|2008|p=58}}</ref>

====Egypt====
In April 1915, the 2nd Mounted Division moved to [[Egypt]] arriving at [[Alexandria]] on 27 April (City of London Yeomanry did not arrive until 6 May)<ref name=WestlakeGal>{{harvnb|Westlake|1996|pp=263–266,268}}</ref> and was posted to the [[Suez Canal]] Defences (near [[Ismaïlia]]) by the middle of May.<ref name=Becke16>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=16}}</ref> In May 1915, the brigade was designated '''4th (London) Mounted Brigade'''.<ref name=Becke14/>

It was dismounted in August 1915 and took part in the [[Gallipoli Campaign]].<ref name=James35/> Each regiment left a [[Squadron (army)|squadron]] [[Headquarters#Military|headquarters]] and two [[troop]]s (about 100 officers and men) in Egypt to look after the horses.<ref name=James34>{{harvnb|James|1978|p=34}}</ref>

====Gallipoli====
The brigade landed at [[Landing at Suvla Bay|Suvla Bay]] on the morning of 18 August and moved into reserve positions at Karakol Dagh. It moved to "C" Beach, Lala Baba on 20 August. On 21 August it advanced to Chocolate Hill under heavy fire and took part in the attack on Hill 112.<ref name=WestlakeGal/>

Due to losses during the [[Battle of Scimitar Hill]] and wastage during August 1915, the [[2nd Mounted Division]] had to be reorganised. On 4 September 1915, the [[2nd Composite Mounted Brigade]] was formed from the [[Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade|3rd (Notts and Derby)]] and 4th (London) Mounted Brigades.<ref name=Becke17>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=17}}</ref> The brigade formed a battalion sized unit '''4th London Regiment'''.<ref name=Becke13>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=13}}</ref> The brigade embarked for [[Mudros]] on 2 November and returned to Egypt in December 1915 where it was reformed and remounted.<ref name=Becke17/>

===8th Mounted Brigade===
{| class="toccolours" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; font-size: 85%; background:whitesmoke; color:black; width:25em; max-width: 50%;" cellspacing="5"
| style="text-align: left;" |
'''8th Mounted Brigade''' Organisation, July 1917<ref name=Becke32>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=32}}</ref>
*[[Middlesex Yeomanry|1st County of London Yeomanry]]
*[[City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders)]]
*[[3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)]]
*21st Machine Gun [[Squadron (army)|Squadron]]
*8th Mounted Brigade Signal Troop
*1/London Cavalry [[Field Ambulance]], [[Royal Army Medical Corps|RAMC]]
*3/1st Highland Mobile Veterinary Section
|}
The brigade left the 2nd Mounted Division on 18 January 1916 and was sent to [[Abbassia]].<ref name=Becke14>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=14}}</ref> It served as part of the [[Suez Canal]] Defences.<ref name=James23>{{harvnb|James|1978|p=23}}</ref> On 31 March 1916, the remaining Mounted Brigades were numbered in a single sequence. As a consequence, the London Mounted Brigade was redesignated as '''8th Mounted Brigade'''.<ref name=James36>{{harvnb|James|1978|p=36}}</ref>

From November 1916 to June 1917, the brigade took part in the [[Macedonian front|Salonika Campaign]],<ref name=Becke14/> serving as GHQ Troops with the [[British Salonika Army]].

The brigade arrived back in Egypt from Salonika on 8 June 1917. The Machine Gun Squadron was formed in Egypt on 14 June. The brigade moved forward and joined the newly formed [[Yeomanry Mounted Division]] on 21 July 1917 at el Fuqari.<ref name=Becke33>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=33}}</ref> From 31 October it took part in the [[Third Battle of Gaza]], including the [[Battle of Beersheba (1917)|Battle of Beersheba]] and the Capture of the Sheria Position. It took part in the [[Battle of Mughar Ridge]] on 13 and 14 November and the [[Battle of Nebi Samwil]] for 17 to 24 November. From 27 to 29 November, it withstood the Turkish counter-attacks during the [[Battle of Jerusalem (1917)|Capture of Jerusalem]].<ref name=Becke34>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=34}}</ref>

===11th Cavalry Brigade===
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; font-size: 85%; background:whitesmoke; color:black; width:25em; max-width: 50%;" cellspacing="5"
| style="text-align: left;" |
'''11th Cavalry Brigade''' Organisation, September 1918<ref name=Perry22>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=22}}</ref>
*[[Middlesex Yeomanry|1st County of London Yeomanry]]
*[[29th Lancers (Deccan Horse)]]
*[[36th Jacob's Horse]]
*21st Machine Gun [[Squadron (army)|Squadron]]
*11th Cavalry Brigade Signal Troop
*11th Combined Cavalry [[Field Ambulance]], [[Royal Army Medical Corps|RAMC]]
*11th Mobile Veterinary Section
|}
In March 1918, the [[1st Indian Cavalry Division]] was broken up in France. The British units (notably [[6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons]], [[17th Lancers]], 1/1st [[Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons]] and [[A Battery, Royal Horse Artillery|A]], [[Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery|Q]] and [[U Battery, Royal Horse Artillery|U Batteries]] [[Royal Horse Artillery|RHA]]) remained in France and the Indian elements were sent to Egypt.<ref name=Perry16>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=16}}</ref>

By an [[Egyptian Expeditionary Force]] GHQ Order of 12 April 1918, the mounted troops of the EEF were reorganised when the Indian Army units arrived in [[Theater (warfare)|theatre]]. On 24 April 1918, the Yeomanry Mounted Division was ''indianized''{{efn|British divisions were converted to the [[British Indian Army]] standard whereby brigades only retained one British regiment or battalion and most support units were Indian (artillery excepted).}} and its title was changed to 1st Mounted Division,<ref name=Becke24>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=24}}</ref> the third distinct division to bear this title.{{efn|See [[1st Mounted Division]] and [[3rd Mounted Division]].}}

On 24 April 1918, the 8th Mounted Brigade was merged with elements of the [[8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade]]:<ref name=Becke33/>
*the [[Middlesex Yeomanry|1st County of London Yeomanry]] remained with the brigade
*the [[City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders)]] and the [[3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)]] left the brigade on 7 April and were merged to form E Battalion, [[Machine Gun Corps]]. It was posted to France, arriving on 1 June
*[[29th Lancers (Deccan Horse)]] joined from 8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade
*[[36th Jacob's Horse]] joined from 8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade
*21st Machine Gun Squadron remained with the brigade
*8th Mounted Brigade Signal Troop remained with the brigade
*on 30 April, 1/London Cavalry Field Ambulance merged with Lucknow Cavalry Field Ambulance to form 8th Combined Cavalry Field Ambulance
*in April, 3/1st Highland Mobile Veterinary Section merged with Lucknow Mobile Veterinary Section to form 8th Mobile Veterinary Section
On 22 July 1918, the 1st Mounted Division was renumbered as the [[4th Cavalry Division (British Indian Army)|4th Cavalry Division]] and the brigade as '''11th Cavalry Brigade'''.<ref name=Perry22/> The sub units (Signal Troop, Combined Cavalry Field Ambulance and Mobile Veterinary Section) were renumbered on the same date.<ref name=Becke33/>

The brigade remained with 4th Cavalry Division for the rest of the war, taking part in the [[Battle of Megiddo (1918)|Battle of Megiddo]] and the [[Capture of Damascus (1918)|Capture of Damascus]].<ref name=Perry24>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=24}}</ref>

After the [[Armistice of Mudros]], the brigade remained with 4th Cavalry Division in Palestine as part of the occupation forces. However, demobilization began immediately and by May 1919 most of the British units had been repatriated. The division was finally broken up in 1921.<ref name=Perry24/>

==Commanders==
The London Mounted Brigade<ref name=Becke1011>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|pp=10,11}}</ref> / 8th Mounted Brigade<ref name=Becke31>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=31}}</ref> / 11th Cavalry Brigade<ref name=Perry21>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=21}}</ref> had the following commanders:
{| class="wikitable"
! From !! Rank !! Name
|-
| 25 May 1914 || [[Colonel]] || rowspan=2 | [[Arthur Henry Mendle Taylor|A.H.M. Taylor]] (until 4 September 1915){{efn|Brigade was absorbed in [[2nd Composite Mounted Brigade]] 4 September to 1 December 1915; Brigadier-General Taylor took command of 2nd Composite.}}
|-
| 5 August 1914 || [[Brigadier-General]]
|-
| 1 December 1915 || Brigadier-General || A.H.M. Taylor
|-
| 6 September 1917 || Brigadier-General || [[Claude Stuart Rome|C.S. Rome]], [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]]<ref name=NZMR>{{cite web | url=http://www.nzmr.org/dmc_1917.html | title=Commanders of the Desert Mounted Corps | accessdate=3 January 2016 | publisher=NZMR Association }}</ref>
|-
| 13 June 1918 || Brigadier-General || [[Charles Levinge Gregory|C.L. Gregory]], [[Order of the Bath|CB]]<ref name=NZMR/>
|}

==See also==

* [[2/1st London Mounted Brigade]] for the 2nd Line formation
* [[11th Indian Cavalry Brigade]] existed at the same time but was unrelated other than having the same number
* [[British yeomanry during the First World War]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book
| last = Becke | first = Major A.F.
| year = 1936
| title = Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42-56)
| publisher = His Majesty's Stationery Office
| location = London
| isbn = 1-871167-12-4
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Becke | first = Major A.F.
| year = 1937
| title = Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2B. The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th-69th) with The Home-Service Divisions (71st-73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions
| publisher = His Majesty's Stationery Office
| location = London
| isbn = 1-871167-00-0
}}
* {{cite book
| last = James | first = Brigadier E.A.
| year = 1978
| title = British Regiments 1914–18
| publisher = Samson Books Limited
| location = London
| isbn = 0-906304-03-2
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Perry | first = F.W.
| year = 1993
| title = Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions
| publisher = Ray Westlake Military Books
| location = Newport
| isbn = 1-871167-23-X
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Rinaldi | first = Richard A
| year = 2008
| title = Order of Battle of the British Army 1914
| publisher = Ravi Rikhye
| isbn = 978-0-97760728-0
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Westlake | first = Ray
| year = 1992
| title = British Territorial Units 1914-18
| publisher = Osprey Publishing
| isbn = 978-1-85532-168-7
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Westlake | first = Ray
| year = 1996
| title = British Regiments at Gallipoli
| publisher = Leo Cooper
| location = Barnsley
| isbn = 0-85052-511-X
}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=Cavalry brigades of the British Indian Army, Military units and formations established in 1908, Military units and formations disestablished in 1921, 1908 establishments in the United Kingdom
|description=
}}

[[Category:Brigades of India in World War I|CB11]]
[[Category:Cavalry brigades of the British Indian Army]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1908]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1921]]
[[Category:1908 establishments in the United Kingdom]]

11th Cavalry Brigade British Indian Army - Revision history

CleanupBot at 15:57, 13 August 2023