The 9th Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Army in World War I. It was formed in France in 1915 and served on the Western Front as part of the 1st Cavalry Division until the end of the war.

First World War Formation Divisional reconnaissance squadrons, August 1914 15th Hussars A Squadron 3rd Division B Squadron 2nd Division C Squadron 1st Division 19th Hussars A Squadron 5th Division B Squadron 4th Division C Squadron 6th Division 9th Cavalry Brigade was formed in France on 14 April 1915 with the 15th Hussars and the 19th Hussars. These regular cavalry regiments had been serving on the Western Front since August 1914 as divisional cavalry squadrons assigned to infantry divisions. On the same date, 1/1st Warwickshire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery (TF) (transferred from the 2nd Cavalry Division) and a signal troop joined.

On formation, the brigade was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division to bring it up to a three brigade standard. 1st Cavalry Division also obtained a third Cavalry Field Ambulance (9th, from England on 23 May) and a third Mobile Veterinary Section (39th, from England on 23 August).

On 12 June, 1/1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry joined from the Eastern Mounted Brigade in England to bring the brigade up to the standard three regiment strength. On 28 February 1916, a Machine Gun Squadron was formed from the machine gun sections of the brigade's constituent regiments.

Chronicle With the 1st Cavalry Division, the brigade took part in most of the major actions where cavalry could be used as a mounted mobile force. At other times it formed a dismounted unit and served in the trenches (as a regiment under the command of the brigadier). Notable amongst these occasions was on 24–25 March 1918 when, in the Battle of Bapaume, the division formed a "Dismounted Division" under Brigadier-General D'Arcy Legard.

In 1915, it took part in the Second Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Flers–Courcelette in 1916. 1917 saw action at the Battle of Arras and the Battle of Cambrai and in 1918 at the First Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Amiens, the Second Battle of the Somme and the battles of the Hindenburg Line. It then took part in the Final Advance in Artois and the Final Advance in Picardy.

By the Armistice, the division was north of Mons, about 9 miles east of Ath on the Fifth Army front. On 16 November 1918, orders were received that the 1st Cavalry Division would lead the advance of the Second Army into Germany. Moving through Namur, the division crossed the frontier on 1 December and on 7 December the brigade reached the Rhine north of Cologne. On 12 December, the brigade crossed the Rhine on the Hohenzollern Bridge and reached its position on the perimeter of the bridgehead the next day.

Units Unit From To 15th (The King's) Hussars 14 April 1915 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars 14 April 1915 1/1st Bedfordshire Yeomanry 12 June 1915 10 March 1918 April 1918 8th (The King's Royal Irish) Hussars 10 March 1918 1/1st Warwickshire Battery, RHA (TF) 14 April 1915 21 November 1916 Y Battery, RHA 1 December 1916 9th Signal Troop, Royal Engineers 14 April 1915 9th Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron, MGC 28 February 1916

Commanders The 9th Cavalry Brigade had the following commanders: From Rank Name 14 April 1915 Brigadier-General W.H. Greenley 15 November 1915 Brigadier-General S.R. Kirby 25 October 1916 Lieutenant-Colonel G.D. Franks (acting) 31 October 1916 Brigadier-General D'A. Legard

See also

British Army during World War I British cavalry during the First World War

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