Welsh Border Mounted Brigade

Welsh Border Mounted Brigade
Active	1908–March 1916
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Yeomanry
Size	Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Shrewsbury (HQ)
Engagements	World War I

The Welsh Border Mounted Brigade was a formation of the Territorial Force of the British Army, organised in 1908. After home defence service, it was posted to Egypt where it was absorbed into the 4th Dismounted Brigade in March 1916.

Formation

Welsh Border Mounted Brigade Shrewsbury
Organisation on 4 August 1914
Assigned units Shropshire Yeomanry, Shrewsbury A Squadron at Shrewsbury B Squadron at Oswestry C Squadron at Ludlow D Squadron at Wellington Cheshire Yeomanry (Earl of Chester's), Chester A Squadron at Knutsford B Squadron at Eaton C Squadron at Northwich D Squadron at Macclesfield Denbighshire Hussars, Wrexham A Squadron at Wrexham B Squadron at Denbigh C Squadron at Bangor (Caernarfonshire) D Squadron at Birkenhead (Cheshire) Brigade troops Shropshire RHA, Shrewsbury Ammunition column, Church Stretton Transport and Supply Column, ASC, Chester Field Ambulance, RAMC, Chester
Training attachments Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry, Manchester A Squadron at Oldham B Squadron at Bolton C Squadron at Manchester D Squadron at Preston Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry, Penrith, Cumbria|Penrith A Squadron at Kendal B Squadron at Penrith C Squadron at Whitehaven D Squadron at Carlisle Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry, Liverpool A Squadron at Ashton-in-Makerfield B Squadron at St Helens C Squadron at Newton-le-Willows D Squadron at Rainhill
Source Conrad, Mark (1996). "The British Army, 1914". http://marksrussianmilitaryhistory.info/BRIT14.html.

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 battery and ammunition column, a transport and supply column and a field ambulance. Three other yeomanry regiments (the Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry, the Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry and the Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry) were attached for training in peacetime.

As the name suggests, the units were drawn from the areas adjacent to both sides of the England–Wales border, notably Denbighshire (Wales), Cheshire and Shropshire (both England).

World War I

The brigade was mobilised on 4 August 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War and moved to East Anglia. It joined the 1st Mounted Division in September 1914, replacing 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade which moved to 2nd Mounted Division. In November 1915, the brigade was dismounted. It was replaced in 1st Mounted Division by 2/1st Welsh Border Mounted Brigade when it departed for Egypt.

Egypt

The brigade was posted to Egypt in March 1916. On 20 March, Welsh Border Mounted Brigade was absorbed into the 4th Dismounted Brigade (along with the South Wales Mounted Brigade). 4th Dismounted Brigade was later renamed as 231st Brigade in the 74th (Yeomanry) Division.

Commanders

The Welsh Border Mounted Brigade was commanded from 4 April 1912 by Colonel E.A. Herbert. He was promoted to Brigadier General on 5 August 1914 and remained in command until the brigade was absorbed into 4th Dismounted Brigade. He took command of 4th Dismounted Brigade on formation, and remained in command when the brigade was converted to 231st Brigade.

See also

• 2/1st Welsh Border Mounted Brigade for the 2nd Line formation

Bibliography

• Becke, Major A.F. (1936). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42-56). London: His Majesty's Stationary Office. ISBN 1-871167-12-4. 
• Becke, Major A.F. (1937). 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. London: His Majesty's Stationary Office. ISBN 1-871167-00-0. 
• James, Brigadier E.A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18. London: Samson Books Limited. ISBN 0-906304-03-2. 
• Rinaldi, Richard A (2008). Order of Battle of the British Army 1914. Ravi Rikhye. ISBN 978-0-9776072-8-0. 
• Westlake, Ray (1992). British Territorial Units 1914–18. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-168-7.