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{{Short description|British Indian military unit}}
{{for|a similarly designated Indian cavalry brigade in the First World War|7th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 14th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade 4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade 3rd Indian Cavalry Brigade 3rd (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| dates = 21 November 1914 – February 1940
| country = {{flag|British India|23px}}
| allegiance = [[British Crown]]
| branch = {{army|British India|23px}}
| type = [[Cavalry]]
| role =
| size = [[Brigade]]
| command_structure = [[7th Meerut Divisional Area]] Meerut District
| garrison = [[Meerut]]
| garrison_label =
| nickname =
| patron =
| motto =
| march =
| mascot =
| anniversaries =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles = [[First World War]] [[Third Anglo-Afghan War]] [[Second World War]]
| battles_label = Service
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
| battle_honours_label =
| disbanded =
| notable_commanders = [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Maj.-Gen.]] [[Charles Levinge Gregory|C.L. Gregory]] [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brig.]] [[John Aldam Aizlewood|J.A. Aizlewood]]
| identification_symbol =
| identification_symbol_label =
}}
The '''4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade''' was a [[cavalry]] [[brigade]] of the [[British Indian Army]] that formed part of the [[Indian Army during the First World War]]. It was formed as '''14th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade''' in November 1914 to replace the original Meerut Cavalry Brigade that had been mobilized as the [[7th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade]] for service on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]]. It remained in India throughout the war, before taking part in the [[Third Anglo-Afghan War]] in 1919.

The brigade continued to exist between the wars and by September 1939 it was designated '''3rd (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade'''. It briefly served as part of the [[Indian Army during the Second World War]] before being broken up in February 1940.

==History==

===First World War===
At the outbreak of the [[First World War]], the [[Meerut Cavalry Brigade]] was part of the [[7th (Meerut) Division]]. It was mobilized in August 1914 as the [[7th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade]], assigned to the newly formed [[2nd Indian Cavalry Division]]<ref name=Perry85>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=85}}</ref> and sailed from [[Bombay]] on 19 October for the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]].<ref name=Perry20>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=20}}</ref> Likewise, the 7th (Meerut) Division was transferred to France in August 1914.<ref name=Perry89>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=89}}</ref>

The [[7th Meerut Divisional Area]] was formed in September 1914 to take over the area responsibilities of the 7th (Meerut) Division<ref name=Perry97>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=97}}</ref> and on 21 November 1914{{efn|The first commanding officer was appointed on 21 November 1914.<ref>{{London Gazette | issue = 29023 | date = 31 December 1914 |page=11207 | supp = y }}</ref>}} a new '''14th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade''' was formed in 7th Meerut Divisional Area to replace the original brigade. It was renumbered as the '''4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade''' in February 1915.{{efn|By February 1915, the Indian Army included the following cavalry brigades:
* [[1st (Risalpur) Cavalry Brigade]]<ref name=Perry35>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=35}}</ref>
* [[2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade]]<ref name=Perry12>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=12}}</ref>
* [[3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade]]<ref name=Perry12/>
* [[5th (Mhow) Cavalry Brigade]]<ref name=Perry17>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=17}}</ref>
* [[6th Indian Cavalry Brigade]]<ref name=Perry31>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=31}}</ref>
* [[7th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade]]<ref name=Perry17/>
* [[8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade]]<ref name=Perry12/>
* [[9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade]]<ref name=Perry17/>
* [[Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade]]<ref name=Perry106>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=106}}</ref>
Therefore, the 4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade took the vacant number.}} The brigade served with the division in India throughout the First World War.<ref name=Perry92>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=92}}</ref>

===Between the world wars===
In May 1919, the brigade was mobilized to take part in the [[Third Anglo-Afghan War]].<ref name=Perry97/>

The brigade continued to exist between the world wars. In September 1920 it was redesignated as the '''3rd Indian Cavalry Brigade''' and later in the decade it became the '''3rd (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade'''.<ref name=Mackie365>{{harvnb|Mackie|2015|p=365}}</ref>

===Second World War===
At the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], the brigade was under the command of Meerut District.<ref name=Kempton5b>{{harvnb|Kempton|2003b|p=5}}</ref> The brigade was broken up in February 1940. Its [[Headquarters#Military|Headquarters]] and some units formed the nucleus of ''The Armoured Brigade''<ref name=Kempton6b>{{harvnb|Kempton|2003b|p=6}}</ref> (later [[2nd Indian Armoured Brigade]]).<ref name=Kempton1b>{{harvnb|Kempton|2003b|p=1}}</ref>

==Orders of battle==
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; background:transparent;"
!First World War units
|-
|The 4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade commanded the following units in the First World War:<ref name=Perry94>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=94}}</ref>
* [[14th (King's) Hussars]] ''(arrived in September 1914 from [[Mhow]] and joined the brigade on formation; left in October 1915 for the [[6th Indian Cavalry Brigade]] in [[Mesopotamian campaign|Mesopotamia]])''
* [[21st Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force)]] ''(arrived in October 1914 from [[Jhelum]], [[2nd (Rawalpindi) Division]] and joined the brigade on formation; left in March 1915 for [[Lahore]])''
* [[12th Cavalry]] ''(joined in November 1914 from [[Faizabad|Fyzabad]], [[8th (Lucknow) Division]]; left in December 1915 for Mesopotamia where it joined [[15th Indian Division]] in August 1916; rejoined in December 1918 from Mesopotamia)''
* [[11th King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse)]] ''(at [[Delhi]] in [[7th (Meerut) Division]] in August 1914 and attached to the brigade in June 1915; left in February 1916 for [[Derajat Brigade]])''
* [[Bhopal Lancers]] ([[Imperial Service Troops|I.S.]]) ''(joined in May 1915; left in March 1918 for Derajat Brigade)''
* [[7th (Queen's Own) Hussars]] ''(joined in October 1915 from [[4th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade|Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade]]; left in November 1917 for the [[11th Indian Cavalry Brigade]] in Mesopotamia)''
* [[W Battery, Royal Horse Artillery]] ''(joined in February 1915 from [[Sialkot]], 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division;<ref name=Perry4244>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|pp=42–44}}</ref> left in November 1917 for the 11th Indian Cavalry Brigade in Mesopotamia)''
* [[1st (King's) Dragoon Guards]] ''(joined in November 1917 from [[8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade]], [[1st Indian Cavalry Division]] on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]];<ref name=Perry14>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=14}}</ref> left in August 1918 for [[1st (Risalpur) Cavalry Brigade]], [[1st (Peshawar) Division]])''
* [[25th Cavalry (Frontier Force)]] ''(joined in March 1918 from [[East African Campaign (World War I)|East Africa]])''
* [[21st (Empress of India's) Lancers]] ''(joined in August 1918 from 1st (Risalpur) Cavalry Brigade, 1st (Peshawar) Division)''
* [[X Battery, Royal Horse Artillery]] ''(joined in January 1918)''{{efn|[[X Battery, Royal Horse Artillery]] had served with the [[II Indian Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery]] / [[XVII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery]] in [[2nd Indian Cavalry Division]] on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] from December 1914.<ref name=Perry18>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=18}}</ref>}}
|}
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; background:transparent;"
!colspan=2|Third Anglo-Afghan War units
|-
|July 1918 plans saw the brigade mobilizing with the following units:<ref name=Perry97/>
* [[1st (King's) Dragoon Guards]]
* [[25th Cavalry (Frontier Force)]]
* [[39th King George's Own Central Indian Horse]]
* [[X Battery, Royal Horse Artillery]]
* 23rd [[Machine Gun]] [[Squadron (army)|Squadron]]
* 3rd Field [[Troop]], [[2nd Queen Victoria's Own Madras Miners and Sappers]]
|In the event, the brigade mobilized in May 1919 with:<ref name=Perry97/>
* [[21st (Empress of India's) Lancers]]
* [[13th Duke of Connaught's Lancers (Watson's Horse)]]
* [[14th Murray's Jat Lancers]]
* X Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
* 3rd Field Troop, 2nd Queen Victoria's Own Madras Miners and Sappers{{efn|This order of battle is questionable. Neither the [[21st (Empress of India's) Lancers]]<ref name=Mills21EoIL>{{cite web|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D21b(L).htm |title=21st Lancers (Empress of India's) at regiments.org by T.F.Mills |access-date=2004-12-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818132744/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D21b%28L%29.htm |archive-date=18 August 2007 |df=dmy }}</ref> nor the [[14th Murray's Jat Lancers]])<ref name=Gaylor103>{{harvnb|Gaylor|1996|p=103}}</ref><ref name=Mills14MJL>{{cite web|url=http://regiments.org/regiments/southasia/cav/1903-14.htm |title=14th Murray's Jat Lancers at regiments.org by T.F.Mills |access-date=2015-07-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070816202706/http://regiments.org/regiments/southasia/cav/1903-14.htm |archive-date=16 August 2007 |df=dmy }}</ref> took part in the war nor were they awarded the [[Afghanistan 1919]] [[battle honour]]. On the other hand, the [[13th Duke of Connaught's Lancers (Watson's Horse)]] did earn the battle honour.<ref name=Mills13DoCL>{{cite web|url=http://regiments.org/regiments/southasia/cav/1903-13.htm |title=13th Duke of Connaught's Lancers (Watson's Horse) at regiments.org by T.F.Mills |access-date=2015-07-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911170747/http://regiments.org/regiments/southasia/cav/1903-13.htm |archive-date=11 September 2007 |df=dmy }}</ref>}}
|}
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; background:transparent;"
!Second World War units
|-
|The 3rd (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade commanded the following units in the Second World War:<ref name=Kempton56b>{{harvnb|Kempton|2003b|pp=5–6}}</ref><ref name=Nafziger>{{harvnb|Nafziger|n.d.|p=5}}</ref>
* [[18th King Edward VII's Own Cavalry]] ''(pre-war; remained at [[Meerut]])''<ref name=Kempton16c>{{harvnb|Kempton|2003c|p=16}}</ref>
* [[Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse)]] ''(pre-war; left in November 1939 for mechanization and training at [[Secunderabad]])''<ref name=Kempton17c>{{harvnb|Kempton|2003c|p=17}}</ref>
* 1st Battalion, [[Royal Warwickshire Regiment]] ''(pre-war; left in October 1939 for [[Razmak Brigade]])''<ref name=Kempton3c>{{harvnb|Kempton|2003c|p=3}}</ref>
* 3rd Cavalry Brigade Signals [[Troop]] ''(pre-war; to [[2nd Indian Armoured Brigade|The Armoured Brigade]] in February 1940)''
* [[Hodson's Horse (4th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers)]] ''(joined in November 1939 from [[Zhob Brigade]];<ref name=Kempton13c>{{harvnb|Kempton|2003c|p=13}}</ref> to The Armoured Brigade in February 1940)''
* [[14th/20th King's Hussars]] ''(joined in November 1939 from [[4th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade]])''<ref name=Kempton1c>{{harvnb|Kempton|2003c|p=1}}</ref>
* 10th Battalion, [[2nd Punjab Regiment]]{{efn|10th Battalion, [[2nd Punjab Regiment]] was the Training Battalion<ref name=Gaylor135>{{harvnb|Gaylor|1996|p=135}}</ref> / Regimental Centre<ref name=Gaylor351>{{harvnb|Gaylor|1996|p=351}}</ref> of the 2nd Punjab Regiment.}}
* 11th Field Regiment, [[Royal Artillery|RA]] ''(left India on 2 August 1941 with [[8th Indian Infantry Division]])''<ref name=Joslen501>{{harvnb|Joslen|1990|p=501}}</ref>
** 78th, 83rd, 85th [[Artillery battery|Batteries]]
* 3rd Indian Divisional Signals
* 11th Battalion, [[9th Jat Regiment]], [[Indian Territorial Force|ITF]] ''(Meerut Area)''
|}

==Commanders==
The 14th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade / 4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade / 3rd Indian Cavalry Brigade / 3rd (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade had the following commanders:<ref name=Perry92/><ref name=Mackie365/>
{| class="wikitable"
! From !! Rank !! Name !! Notes
|-
| 21 November 1914 || [[Brigadier-General]] || [[Hereward Llewelyn Roberts|H.L. Roberts]] ||
|-
| 18 June 1915 || [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|Colonel]] || R.C. Stephen ||
|-
| 29 March 1916 || Brigadier-General || H.L. Roberts ||
|-
| April 1916 || [[Lieutenant-Colonel (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-Colonel]] || [[Charles Ernest Graham Norton|C.E.G. Norton]] ||
|-
| July 1916 || Brigadier-General || H.L. Roberts ||
|-
| May 1920 || [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] || [[Charles Levinge Gregory|C.L. Gregory]] ||
|-
| March 1924 || Brigadier-General || [[Henry Archdale Tomkinson|H.A. Tomkinson]] ||
|-
| August 1927 || [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] || [[Edward D. Giles|E.D. Giles]] ||
|-
| July 1929 || Brigadier || [[Chauncey Batho Dashwood Strettell|C.B. Dashwood Strettell]] ||
|-
| April 1932 || Brigadier || [[Edward M. Dorman|E.M. Dorman]] ||
|-
| April 1936 || Brigadier || [[John N. Lumley|J.N. Lumley]] ||
|-
| August 1939 || Brigadier || [[John Aldam Aizlewood|J.A. Aizlewood]] || Broken up in February 1940
|}

==A note on numbering==
The brigade carried several numbers during its existence. This can be a cause for confusion as other, unrelated, Indian cavalry brigades carried the same numbers at different times:
* the brigade was numbered as '''14th''' from November 1914 to February 1915.<ref name=Perry92/> Another [[14th Cavalry Brigade (British Indian Army)|14th Cavalry Brigade]] was formed in April 1918 by merging elements of the [[9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade]] (withdrawn from the Western Front) with the British [[yeomanry]] [[7th Mounted Brigade]] in Egypt. It served in the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]] and was broken up in September 1919.<ref name=Perry24>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=24}}</ref>
* the brigade was numbered as '''4th''' from February 1915 to September 1920, when it was renumbered as 3rd Indian Cavalry Brigade.<ref name=Perry92/><ref name=Mackie365/> At this point, the [[4th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade|Lucknow Cavalry Brigade]] was numbered as the ''4th Indian Cavalry Brigade'', until it was broken up in 1923.<ref name=Mackie368>{{harvnb|Mackie|2015|p=368}}</ref> As a result, the 5th Indian Cavalry Brigade (former Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade) was renumbered as the ''4th Indian Cavalry Brigade'' and later as the [[4th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade]].<ref name=Mackie373>{{harvnb|Mackie|2015|p=373}}</ref>
* the brigade was numbered as '''3rd''' from September 1920 to February 1940.<ref name=Mackie365/><ref name=Kempton5b/> The [[Ambala Cavalry Brigade]] had mobilized in August 1914 as [[3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade]] and served on the Western Front until it was broken up in March 1918.<ref name=Perry14/><ref name=Perry18/> Another ''3rd Indian Cavalry Brigade'' was formed in Mesopotamia after the end of the war for occupation duties. It drew, in part, on units that had earlier served in the [[Mesopotamian Campaign]]. It was broken up in late 1920.<ref name=Perry33>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=33}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|World War I|World War II}}

* [[List of Indian Army Brigades in World War II]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

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

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book
| last = Gaylor | first = John
| year = 1996
| edition = 2nd
| title = Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903–1991
| publisher = Parapress
| location = Tunbridge Wells
| isbn = 1-898594-41-4
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Joslen | first = Lt-Col H.F.
| year = 1990
| orig-year = 1st. Pub. [[HMSO]]:1960
| title = Orders of Battle, Second World War, 1939–1945
| publisher = London Stamp Exchange
| location = London
| isbn = 0-948130-03-2
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Kempton | first = Chris
| year = 2003b
| title = 'Loyalty & Honour', The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947
| volume = Part II Brigades
| publisher = The Military Press
| location = Milton Keynes
| isbn = 0-85420-238-2
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Kempton | first = Chris
| year = 2003c
| title = 'Loyalty & Honour', The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947
| volume = Part III
| publisher = The Military Press
| location = Milton Keynes
| isbn = 0-85420-248-X
}}
* {{cite web
|last=Mackie
|first=Colin
|date=June 2015
|title=Army Commands 1900-2011
|publisher=www.gulabin.com
|url=http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf
|access-date=1 July 2015
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705211343/http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf
|archive-date=5 July 2015
|df=dmy
}}
* {{cite web
| last = Nafziger | first = George
| author-link = George Nafziger
| date = n.d.
| title = The Indian Army 3 September 1939
| publisher = Combined Arms Research Library, United States Army Combined Arms Center
| location = [[Fort Leavenworth]]
| url = http://www.cgsc.edu/CARL/nafziger/939BIBB.pdf
| access-date = 9 July 2015
}}
* {{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
}}

==External links==
*{{cite web|url=http://www.warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/7_ind_div_area.htm |title=7th Meerut Divisional Area on ''The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918'' by PB Chappell |access-date=2015-07-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517084750/http://www.warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/7_ind_div_area.htm |archive-date=17 May 2008 |df=dmy }}
* {{oob unit | id = 10074 | name = 3 (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade }}

[[Category:Brigades of India in World War II|C03]]
[[Category:Cavalry brigades of the British Indian Army]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1914]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1940]]

3rd Meerut Cavalry Brigade - Revision history

Bot at 04:28, 7 July 2021