XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment facts for kids
Quick facts for kids XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment |
|
|---|---|
XXI Corps' formation badge
|
|
| Active | 21 August 1917–25 July 1919 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Yeomanry |
| Size | 3 Squadrons |
| Part of | XXI Corps |
| Engagements | Capture of Wadi el Hesi Junction Station Battle of Jaffa Battle of Tell 'Asur Battle of Sharon Pursuit to Tripoli |
The XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment (also known as the 21st Corps Cavalry Regiment) was a special mounted unit in the British Army. It was made up of different groups, called squadrons, from various Yeomanry cavalry units. The regiment served in Palestine during World War I under the XXI Corps Headquarters.
This regiment took part in several important battles. These included the Third Battle of Gaza, where they helped capture Wadi el Hesi and Junction Station. They also fought in the Battle of Jaffa and the Battle of Tell 'Asur. Later, after some changes in 1918, the XXI Corps joined the Battle of Megiddo. Here, the cavalry regiment helped break through the Turkish lines during the Battle of Sharon. They then led the chase along the coast of what is now Lebanon, reaching Tripoli before the war ended.
Contents
Forming the Cavalry Regiment
When General Sir Edmund Allenby took charge of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) in Palestine in the summer of 1917, he completely reorganized his army. The XXI Corps (21st Corps) Headquarters was created on August 12. It was responsible for the left side of the EEF's battle line near Gaza City.
To support this new corps, a special cavalry regiment was formed. It brought together three existing cavalry squadrons from different divisions:
- Regimental Headquarters (RHQ)
- A Squadron, 1/1st Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (DLOY) joined from the 53rd (Welsh) Division on August 23.
- A Squadron, 1/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry (Herts) joined from the 54th (East Anglian) Division on August 26.
- C Squadron, 1/1st Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry (QORGY) joined from the 52nd (Lowland) Division on August 21.
All three squadrons came from Yeomanry regiments. These were part-time soldiers who served in the Territorial Force before the war. They had recently received new Hotchkiss machine guns, with one for each small group of soldiers called a Troop. The regiment was led by Lieutenant-Colonel G.G.M. Tyrrell, a professional Regular Army officer.
The Regiment in Action
Unlike the Western Front in Europe, where soldiers fought in long trenches, the cavalry in Palestine had a very active role. They were involved in many small fights, guarding duties, and chasing enemy forces. When the regiment first formed, its squadrons continued their scouting missions in front of Gaza.
Capturing Wadi el Hesi
In autumn 1917, the EEF planned to advance further into Palestine. The Third Battle of Gaza began on October 31 with the Capture of Beersheba. During the first part of this battle, XXI Corps kept the enemy busy by attacking Gaza. The Turkish forces had to leave Gaza on the night of November 6-7.
It was very important for XXI Corps to quickly chase the enemy and capture Wadi el Hesi. This was a strong position the Turks might try to hold. The 52nd (Lowland) Division, along with the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade from India, were given this task. The XXI Corps Cavalry led the way. The DLOY squadron went with one infantry brigade, while the Herts Yeomanry and QORGY squadrons went with the Indian cavalry.
The ground was difficult, but by noon, the Herts Yeomanry and QORGY squadrons had reached Beit Lahi. However, the Indian cavalry faced strong Turkish machine gun fire at Beit Hanoun. They could not capture it that day and had to pull back to get water for their horses. Meanwhile, the DLOY squadron moved along the seashore with the 52nd (Lowland) Division. They crossed the Wadi el Hesi and set up a position on the other side. The Turkish defenders there did not fight hard, so the British moved quickly.
The next day, November 8, the Indian cavalry was ordered to advance east. They were meant to meet the Australian Mounted Division (AMD) and trap the retreating Turks. The XXI Corps Cavalry led the attack on Beit Hanoun again. Turkish machine gunners held them up for a while. Around noon, the enemy started to retreat. The Corps Cavalry quickly rode over a ridge and used their Hotchkiss machine guns against the fleeing Turks. They even shot down the crew of a large 150 mm howitzer, which was then captured. A patrol from the Herts squadron managed to get past the Turkish lines and connect with the Australian units.
Taking Junction Station
On November 9, the XXI Corps Cavalry was held back while the Indian cavalry continued the chase. That evening, the Herts squadron was sent to help the 75th Division, which was moving towards Junction Station. On November 13, the 75th Division advanced. The Herts squadron helped by scouting ahead and protecting the sides of the advancing brigades. One group from the Herts squadron kept in touch with the Australian division.
The Turks fought back with machine guns and shrapnel. The Australians began their own attack in the afternoon, which helped. The Turks later launched a strong counter-attack, but it was pushed back. By nightfall, the division was about 4 miles (6 km) from Junction Station. The next morning, Junction Station, with its supplies and water, was captured without a fight.
As the rest of the EEF moved into the Judaean Hills, XXI Corps stayed in the coastal area. The 54th (East Anglian) Division joined them. The Herts squadron then patrolled the front lines for this division. On November 28, a group was sent to Ramla to deal with unrest among the people.
XXI Corps started its advance again in late December. The 54th (East Anglian) and 75th Divisions attacked on December 20-22 during the Battle of Jaffa. It rained heavily during the attack, and many soldiers, including the cavalry, were still wearing their summer uniforms. When the main attack happened on December 22, the 54th (East Anglian) Division found the enemy already retreating. A group from the Herts squadron, with an extra Hotchkiss gun, was ordered to keep contact with the Turks. They followed them towards a ruined castle at Ras al-Ayn. Even though they faced shellfire, the cavalry showed that the Turks had set up a strong new position. XXI Corps stopped along this line until spring 1918.
Fighting at Tell 'Asur
XXI Corps attacked again in March 1918 during the Battle of Tell 'Asur. On March 12, they advanced about 5 miles (8 km) with the 54th (East Anglian) and 75th Divisions and the Corps Cavalry. The British had a lot of artillery in this area, so they captured their targets with few losses. The XXI Corps Cavalry had enough soldiers, but not enough horses. Some groups were smaller because of detachments at Corps Headquarters.
The corps then held a line from Arsuf on the coast into the hills. This reduced the gap between XXI and XX Corps to about 3.5 miles (5.6 km). The XXI Corps Cavalry patrolled this area from a base at Aboud.
Changes to the Regiment
In March 1918, after the German Spring Offensive on the Western Front, the EEF had to send many soldiers to help in Europe. This caused a long break in fighting while the EEF was reorganized. The XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment was pulled back from the front lines on March 28. They gathered near Jaffa and then moved to Sarona on April 16.
The regiment started a "duty squadron" system. Each squadron took turns providing messengers and doing other tasks at corps and division headquarters. This left two squadrons ready for combat. The regiment also made some changes to its units. B Squadron, 1/1st Herts Yeomanry, which had been in Egypt since July 1917, swapped places with C Squadron, QORGY, in May 1918. Soon after, the regiment's commander ordered all squadrons to remove their special helmet badges. This was to help everyone feel like they were part of one single regiment.
The Megiddo Offensive
The XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment stayed at Sarona for almost five months. During this time, the EEF finished its reorganization and prepared for a big attack in the autumn. XXI Corps, with five infantry divisions and a cavalry brigade, had to break through Turkish trench lines that were sometimes 5 miles (8 km) deep. However, they had a huge advantage in artillery.
The Megiddo Offensive began on September 19. During the Battle of Sharon (also called the Battle of Tulkarm), XXI Corps broke through the strong Turkish defenses. While most of the corps cavalry squadrons were spread out, two troops of A Squadron Herts stayed together. With armored cars, they cut through the enemy lines. This forced the Turks to leave Et Tire, which was the division's target. The squadron and armored cars then helped the 60th Division as it moved towards Tulkarm. A Squadron Herts also protected the division's heavy artillery as it caught up.
The next day, the corps began chasing the enemy across the Plain of Sharon. A Squadron Herts led the advance for the 60th Division. The road was full of broken Turkish vehicles. The cavalry patrols followed the Turks as they retreated, capturing many stragglers. They entered 'Anebta, where they found an abandoned German field hospital. That night, a patrol found the Turks holding a strong position further along the road. The next morning, the squadron and armored cars helped the 5th Australian Light Horse Brigade capture Nablus. The fighting on XXI Corps' front then stopped. The official history of the war called XXI Corps' part in the battle "one of the most overwhelmingly successful operations of the war."
Advance into Syria
After the Battle of Sharon, XXI Corps' divisions worked on clearing the battlefields and repairing roads. By late September, the EEF was getting close to Damascus. General Allenby ordered XXI Corps to secure the coast and ports of Ottoman Syria. The 7th (Indian) Division was ordered to march to Beirut along the coast road. All three squadrons of XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment gathered at Acre to go with them.
On October 1, the force was organized into three groups. Column A, led by Lt-Col Tyrrell, included the XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment, armored cars, and a small infantry company. They also had camels carrying five days' worth of food. On October 2, the division faced the Ladder of Tyre, a very narrow ancient path cut into a cliff. There was no other way around. It took two and a half days of hard work to make the path wide enough for vehicles. Even before it was finished, the XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment led their horses up the steps one by one. They then rode on to Tyre on October 4. Here, the Royal Navy brought supplies for the troops. On October 6, the advanced troops secured Sidon, where more supplies were landed.
A Squadron Herts and the armored cars stayed in Sidon for security. The rest of Column A pushed on towards Beirut. On October 8, A Squadron and the armored cars quickly caught up with the column as it neared Beirut. The people of Beirut welcomed them and handed over 500 Turkish prisoners.
On October 11, Column A was suddenly ordered to capture Tripoli, 65 miles (105 km) further on, by the evening of October 13. This was too far for the infantry or camels. So, the XXI Corps Cavalry (riding their best horses), the armored cars, and the signals team set off early on October 12. They covered 35 miles (56 km) on the first day. By midday on October 13, they reached Abu Halka. The main road went inland here, but the cavalry took a more direct coastal path. They reached a deep, dry valley as darkness fell. The two leading squadrons went down into the valley, leading their horses in single file. They then rode through the moonlight to enter the city. The citizens welcomed them and gave them food and supplies. The regiment had traveled about 300 miles (480 km) since September 18. The XXI Corps Cavalry and the armored cars held Tripoli until October 18, when the first infantry brigade arrived.
Ending Service
The fighting in the region ended on October 31 when the Armistice of Mudros was signed. The XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment returned to Beirut. The process of sending soldiers home, called demobilization, began in mid-January. Soldiers who had served at least four years were sent home first. However, in early February, A and B Squadrons Herts were chosen to be part of the Army of Occupation in Turkey. They returned to Beirut in mid-April and combined into one squadron. The XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment continued to shrink as more soldiers went home. It was officially disbanded on July 25, 1919.
Battle Honors
The XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment was a temporary unit, and the British Army did not usually give battle honors to such small, temporary groups. However, because two squadrons of the 1/1st Herts Yeomanry served together in the XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment from May 1918, their main regiment received special honors for actions after that date. These honors were: Megiddo, Sharon, and Damascus (for the operations in Syria). They also received the overall honor Palestine 1918.
See also
- List of corps cavalry regiments of the British Army 1916–19
- XXI Corps (United Kingdom)
- Sinai and Palestine campaign
|
