Mounted
Regiments
These were formed in France as corps mounted
regiments. Despite the different title, the Australian components were
organised as light horse.
 I
Anzac Corps Mounted Regiment
 II
Anzac Corps Mounted Regiment
- Formed France July 1916 from B and D Squadrons, 4th
Light Horse Regiment and
- a squadron of the New Zealand Otago
Mounted Rifles Regiment
- and assigned to II Anzac Corps.
- Disbanded
December 1918; personnel transferred to 13th
Light Horse Regiment.
Western Front
II ANZAC (XXII Corps) Mounted
Regiment
When the infantry divisions of
the AIF deployed from Egypt to the Western Front in early 1916,
each included a divisional mounted reconnaissance squadron. Three
squadrons were drawn from the 13th Light Horse Regiment and two
from the 4th Light Horse Regiment. In France, these squadrons were
combined to form corps mounted regiments and in July 1916 the two
squadrons of the 4th Light Horse joined a squadron from the Otago
Mounted Rifles, a New Zealand Unit, to form the II ANZAC Mounted
Regiment. When the five Australian divisions were combined to form
the Australian Corps in November 1917 II ANZAC was reorganised and
became XXII Corps. The Australian personnel of the mounted
regiment were the only Australians to remain with the corps.
On the Western Front, terrain
and the nature of the war there limited the roles mounted troops
could fulfil, but they were still heavily employed. The corps
mounted regiments carried out traffic control, rear area security
and prisoner escort tasks, and, when the tactical situation
permitted, the more traditional cavalry role of reconnaissance.
They were most active during the more mobile phases of the war on
the Western Front, which included the follow-up of the German
retreat to the Hindenburg Line in early 1917, the stemming of the
German Spring Offensive of 1918, and the allied offensive of
August and September 1918.
The II ANZAC Mounted Regiment
was widely employed during the battle of Messines in June 1917,
which marked a switch in the emphasis of British and dominion
operations from the Somme valley in France, to the Ypres sector in
Belgium. The battlefield around Ypres was progressively churned
into a quagmire and by the end of the year the regiment, now known
by its new title, was manning muddy trenches in a dismounted role.
In the spring of the new year,
the Germans launched an offensive to smash through the Allied
front, and the XXII Corps Mounted Regiment was heavily engaged
around Mont Kemmel – it suffered more casualties in April 1918
than the at any time in the rest of the war combined. After
attacking in northern France in April, the Germans struck further
to the south during May. The resulting actions became known
collectively as the battle of the Marne. On this occasion the XXII
Corps Mounted Regiment was attached to French forces, earning high
praise.
The Allies launched their own
offensive in August 1918 centred on the Somme valley and the XXII
Corps commander, Lieutenant General Alexander Godley, was given
command of III Corps for the operation. So impressed was he with
the skills of his mounted regiment that he took it with him to his
new command, and it participated in III Corps’ advance to the
Hindenburg Line. Godley and the regiment returned to XXII Corps in
early September, and ended the war fighting around Cambrai and
Valenciennes.
Long-serving troopers of the
regiment began to return to Australia for discharge soon after the
armistice in November 1918. The XXII Corps Mounted Regiment was
disbanded in early December 1918 and the Australian squadrons were
merged with the 13th Light Horse Regiment.
Colour Patch
Battle honours
The battle honours due to the regiment were
awarded to the 4th Light Horse Regiment and the Otago Mounted
Rifles.
Casualties
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Double
Squadrons
These were dismounted units formed in Egypt in June
1916 from light horse reinforcements for the defence of the Suez Canal.
1st Light
Horse Double Squadron
Formed Egypt 23 May 1916 from light horse reinforcements. Broken up
to form Camel Regiments September 1916.
Egypt, Sinai
2nd Light
Horse Double Squadron
Formed Egypt 23 May 1916 from light horse reinforcements. Broken up
to form Camel Regiments September 1916.
Egypt, Sinai
3rd Light
Horse Double Squadron
Formed Egypt 23 May 1916 from light horse reinforcements. Broken up
to form Camel Regiments September 1916.
Egypt, Sinai
Light
Horse Training Regiments
These were units for training light horse
reinforcements.
1st Light Horse Training Regiment
Formed Egypt March 1916. Supplied
reinforcements for the 1st Light
Horse Brigade. Disbanded July 1918.
Egypt
2nd Light Horse Training Regiment
Formed Egypt March 1916. Supplied reinforcements for the 2nd
Light Horse Brigade. Disbanded July 1918.
Egypt
3rd Light Horse Training Regiment
Formed Egypt March 1916. Supplied reinforcements for the 3rd
Light Horse Brigade. Disbanded July 1918.
Egypt
4th Light Horse Training Regiment
Formed Egypt February 1917. Supplied reinforcements for the 4th
Light Horse Brigade. Disbanded July 1918.
Egypt
Anzac Light Horse Training Regiment
Formed Egypt July 1918. Supplied reinforcements for the 1st
Light Horse Brigade and 2nd Light
Horse Brigade.
Egypt
Australian Light Horse Training Regiment
Formed Egypt July 1918. Supplied reinforcements for the 3rd
Light Horse Brigade and 4th Light
Horse Brigade.
Egypt
Light
Horse Training Squadrons
These were units for training light horse
reinforcements.
13th Light Horse Training Squadron
Formed Tidworth, England 1916. Supplied
reinforcements for the 13th Light
Horse Regiment. Disbanded 11 May 1917.
England
14th Light Horse Training Squadron
Formed Egypt July 1918. Supplied reinforcements for the 14th
Light Horse Regiment.
Egypt
15th Light Horse Training Squadron
Formed Egypt July 1918. Supplied reinforcements for the 15th
Light Horse Regiment.
Egypt
Light
Horse Training Depot
This unit trained light horse reinforcements for the
4th and 13th Light Horse on the Western Front.
Light Horse Training Depot
Formed Tidworth, England 11 May 1917.
England
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