1st (Risalpur) Cavalry Brigade


The 1st Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Indian Army formed in 1906 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. It remained in India during the First World War but took an active part in the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919.
It was on the North West Frontier in September 1939, and converted to Risalpur Training Brigade in November 1940.

History

Formation

The Kitchener Reforms, carried out during Lord Kitchener's tenure as Commander-in-Chief, India, completed the unification of the three former Presidency armies, the Punjab Frontier Force, the Hyderabad Contingent and other local forces into one Indian Army. Kitchener identified the Indian Army's main task as the defence of the North-West Frontier against foreign aggression with internal security relegated to a secondary role. The Army was organized into divisions and brigades that would act as field formations but also included internal security troops.
The brigade was formed on 1 January 1906 as Mardan Brigade and in June 1907 it was renamed as Nowshera Cavalry Brigade. In 1910, it was renamed again, this time as 1st Cavalry Brigade. Other than a period from September 1920 until 1927 when it was simply numbered as 1st Indian Cavalry Brigade, it retained this identity until finally broken up in November 1940.

First World War

At the outbreak of the First World War, the brigade was headquartered in the Risalpur Cantonment and commanded the following units:
Of the six cavalry brigades in the Indian Army in August 1914, the 1st Cavalry Brigade was the only one that was not sent to the Western Front. It remained in India throughout the war, guarding the Frontier. A large number of units rotated in and out of the brigade throughout the war.

Third Anglo-Afghan War

Under mobilization plans drawn up in July 1918, IV Corps, with 1st Division under command, would have included 1st and 10th Indian Cavalry Brigades with:
In August 1918, the 21st Lancers traded places with the 1st Dragoon Guards in 4th Cavalry Brigade and the latter mobilized with the brigade in May 1919. At Dakka on 16 May, the 1st Dragoon Guards made the last recorded charge by a British horsed cavalry regiment.

Second World War

The brigade was on the North West Frontier in September 1939 under the command of Peshawar District. It commanded the following units at the outbreak of the Second World War:
The following units were attached:
The brigade lost most of its units to the 1st Indian Motor Brigade in early 1940. In the event, 1st Indian Motor Brigade was actually formed as 1st Indian Armoured Brigade at Sialkot on 1 July 1940. In November, 1st Cavalry Brigade was reconstituted as Risalpur Training Brigade and in March 1944 as 155th Indian Infantry Brigade.

Commanders

The Mardan Brigade / Nowshera Cavalry Brigade / 1st Cavalry Brigade / 1st Indian Cavalry Brigade had the following commanders:
FromRankNameNotes
1 January 1906Major-GeneralM.H.S. Grover
1 December 1907Major-GeneralF.W.P. Angelo
17 November 1912Major-GeneralJ.G. Turner
15 September 1914Brigadier-GeneralS.F. Crocker
18 June 1916Brigadier-GeneralF.G.H. Davies
January 1919Brigadier-GeneralP. Holland-Pryor
October 1921Brigadier-GeneralG.A.H. Beatty
April 1925Brigadier-GeneralW.G.K. Green
September 1927BrigadierJ. Van der Byl
September 1931BrigadierE. de Burgh
August 1934BrigadierT.A.A. Wilson
December 1934BrigadierD.K. McLeod
December 1936BrigadierH. Macdonald
August 1939BrigadierA.A.E. FiloseBrigade dispersed in November 1940