Login
Login

Desert Column

{{Infobox military unit

|unit_name=Desert Column

|image=Image:Desert Mounted Corps.jpg, Albany, Western Australia. The memorial originally stood in Port Said, Egypt, until it was damaged in anti-British riots, during the Suez Crisis of 1956. Albany is also linked with the corps by the fact that among the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) were the Light Horsemen, mounted infantry units which left Australia from there in November 1914.]]

|caption=The Desert Mounted Corps Memorial at Mount Clarence, Albany, Western Australia.

|dates=1916–1917

|country={{flagu|Australia}}
{{flag|British Empire}}
{{flagu|New Zealand}}

|allegiance=

|branch=

|type=Light horse, mounted rifle, infantry

|role=Mounted infantry, infantry

|size=

|command_structure=Egyptian Expeditionary Force, Eastern Force

|current_commander=

|garrison=

|ceremonial_chief=

|colonel_of_the_regiment=

|nickname=

|patron=

|motto=

|colors=

|march=

|mascot=

|battles=World War I

|notable_commanders= Philip W. Chetwode

|anniversaries=

}}

The Desert Column was a First World War British Empire army corps which operated in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign from 22 December 1916.There is no war diary for Desert Column for December. See {{cite web |url=http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm4/subclass.asp?levelID=1347 |title=First World War Diaries - AWM4, Sub-class 1/64 | Australian War Memorial |access-date=2013-09-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002043102/http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/records/awm4/subclass.asp?levelID=1347 |archive-date=2 October 2013 |df=dmy-all }} The Column was commanded by Lieutenant General Philip W. Chetwode and formed part of Eastern Force. When Chetwode took command of Eastern Force after the Second Battle of Gaza, Harry Chauvel took command and oversaw the expansion of the column to three divisions.Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 351

Chetwode was appointed on 7 December 1916 to command the Column which was composed of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division, the 52nd (Lowland) Division, the Anzac Mounted Division and the Imperial Camel Brigade's eighteen companies, six of which were yeomen.Woodward 2006 p. 53 These divisions had been involved in the Battle of Romani in August 1916 and had advanced across the Sinai Peninsula.Falls 1930 Vol. 1 pp. 175–204, 242–251 Chetwode arrived at El Arish to take up his appointment on 22 December 1916.Bruce 2002, p. 82Powles 1922, p. 50 The Battle of Magdhaba was won the next day, and on 9 January 1917 the Battle of Rafa was also won by the Desert Column, before two defeats were suffered during the First and Second battles for Gaza in March and April 1917.Falls 1930 Vol. 1 pp. 251–372

In mid 1917 when General Edmund Allenby took command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, Desert Column was renamed to become the Desert Mounted Corps commanded by Lieutenant General Chauvel.Falls 1930 Vol. 2 p. 16

December 1916

Desert Column Headquarters El Arish (Lieutenant General Sir Philip Chetwode)

:42nd (East Lancashire) Division

::125th (Lancashire Fusiliers) Brigade

::126th (East Lancashire) Brigade

::127th (Manchester) Brigade

:52nd (Lowland) Division (Major General W.E.B. Smith)

::155th (South Scottish) Brigade

::156th (Scottish Rifles) Brigade

::157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade

:Anzac Mounted Division (Major General Harry Chauvel)

::1st Light Horse Brigade

::2nd Light Horse Brigade

::3rd Light Horse Brigade

::New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade

:Imperial Camel Corps Brigade

Woodward 2003, p. 53

Bou 2009, pp. 150–2Hill 1978, p. 67Kinloch 2007, pp. 57–8Powles 1922, p. 12

:Royal Flying Corps 5th Wing stationed at Mustabig (Lieutenant Colonel W.G.H Salmond)

::No. 14 (British) Squadron

::(No. 17 Squadron)

::No. 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps / No. 67 (Australian) Squadron Cutlack 1941, pp. 45–9

Order of Battle 9 January 1917

{{main|Battle of Rafa}}

Desert Column (Lieutenant General Chetwode)

:Anzac Mounted Division (Major General Chauvel)

::1st Light Horse Brigade (Brigadier General C. F. Cox)

::3rd Light Horse Brigade (Brigadier General J. R. Royston)

::New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade (Brigadier General E. W. C. Chaytor)

::Inverness, Leicestershire and Somerset Territorial Royal Horse Artillery batteries

:Imperial Camel Corps Brigade

::1st (Australian) Battalion

::2nd (British) Battalion

::3rd (Australian) Battalion

::4th (Australian and New Zealand) Battalion

::Hong Kong and Singapore Mountain Battery

:5th Mounted Yeomanry Brigade

::Honourable Artillery Company (18–pounder) Battery

:No. 7 Light Car Patrol (six Ford cars equipped with machine guns)

:No. 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps

:No. 14 Squadron Royal Flying Corps Bruce 2002 p. 85Cutlack 1941, pp. 45–9, 51Gullett 1941, pp. 230–1Keogh 1955, p. 77Powles 1922, p. 65Coulthard-Clark 1998, p. 123

Order of Battle March 1917

{{main|First Battle of Gaza}}

:Desert Column (Lieutenant General P. Chetwode)

:53rd (Welsh) Division (Major General A.G. Dallas)

::158th (North Wales) Brigade (Brigadier General H. A. Vernon)

:::1/5th (Flintshire) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers

:::1/6th (Carnarvonshire & Anglesey) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers

:::1/7th (Montgomery) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers

:::1/1st Battalion, Herefordshire Regiment

:::158th Brigade Machine Gun Company

::159th (Cheshire) Brigade (Brigadier General N. Money)

:::1/4th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment

:::1/7th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment

:::1/4th Battalion, Welch Regiment

:::1/5th Battalion Welch Regiment

:::159th Brigade Machine Gun Company

::160th (Welsh Border) Brigade (Brigadier General V. L. N. Pearson)

:::2/4th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)

:::1/4th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment

:::2/4th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment

:::2/10th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment

:::160th Brigade Machine Gun Company{{cite web|access-date=10 December 2011|publisher=Long Long Trail|title=The 53rd (Welsh) Division in 1914–1918 |url=http://www.1914-1918.net/53div.htm}}Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 390, 398

::Anzac Mounted Division (Major General H. G. Chauvel)

:::2nd Australian Light Horse Brigade (Brigadier General G. de L. Ryrie)

::::5th, 6th, 7th Australian Light Horse Regiments

:::New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade (Brigadier General E. W. C. Chaytor)

::::Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington Mounted Rifle Regiments

:::22nd Mounted Brigade (Brigadier General F. A. B. Fryer)

::::Stafford, 1/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry, Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry/East Riding Yeomanry

::Imperial Mounted Division (Major General H.W. Hodgson)

:::3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade (Brigadier General L. C. Wilson)

::::8th, 9th, 10th Australian Light Horse Regiments

:::5th Mounted Brigade (Brigadier General Percy Desmond FitzGerald)

:::6th Mounted Brigade (Brigadier General C A C. Godwin)

::::Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry, Buckinghamshire Yeomanry and Berkshire Yeomanry

Artillery

:Anzac Mounted Division 4 Batteries RHA of 4 18–pdrs = 16 guns

:Imperial Mounted Division 4 Batteries RHA of 4 18–pdrs = 16 guns

:Imperial Camel Brigade 1 Camel Pack Battery of 6 2.75-inch = 6 guns

:53rd (Welsh) Division (3 Brigades RFA 12 18–pdrs=24 guns) 4 of each battery only = 16 guns; 4 4.5-inch howitzers = 8 howitzer

:54th (East Anglian) Division (3 Brigades RFA 12 18–pdrs=24 guns) 4 of each battery only = 16 guns; 4 4.5-inch howitzers = 8 howitzer

:Army Troops (3 Batteries of 4 60–pdrs=12 guns) one section only = 6 guns Wavell 1968, pp. 92–4Powles 1922, pp. 278–9Preston 1921, p. 331-3The third brigades of 53rd and 54th Divisions were in the Suez Canal Defences with 1st Light Horse Brigade about Bir el Abd, Mazar and Bardawil patrolling the pipeline until moving to El Arish on 20 March. And only four guns of each 18–pounder battery of the 53rd and 54th Divisions, and one section of each heavy battery were brought across the Sinai Peninsula. The guns left behind formed part of the Suez Canal Defences. [Wavell 1968, p. 94, 1st Light Horse Brigade War Diary March 1917 AWM4-10-1-32]

Order of Battle April 1917

General Headquarters Commander in Chief Lieutenant General (temp. General) A. J. Murray

Eastern Force GOC Major General (temp. Lieutenant General C. M. Dobell Brigadier General General Staff Brevet Lieutenant Colonel (temp. Brigadier General G. P. Dawnay

Desert Column

GOC Major General (temp. Lieutenant General P. W. Chetwode

:Anzac Mounted Division GOC Colonel (temp. Major General) H. G. Chauvel

::1st Australian Light Horse Brigade [Anzac Mounted Division] GOC Lieutenant Colonel C. F. Cox

:::1st Light Horse Regiment

:::2nd Light Horse Regiment

:::3rd Light Horse Regiment

:::1st Australian Light Horse Signal Troop

:::1st Australian Machine Gun Squadron

::2nd Australian Light Horse Brigade GOC Colonel (temp. Brigadier General G. de L. Ryrie

:::5th Light Horse Regiment

:::6th Light Horse Regiment

:::7th Light Horse Regiment

:::2nd Australian Light Horse Signal Troop

:::2nd Australian Machine Gun Squadron

::New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade GOC Brigadier General E. W. C. Chaytor)

:::Auckland Mounted Rifle Regiment

:::Canterbury Mounted Rifle Regiment

:::Wellington Mounted Rifle Regiment

:::New Zealand Mounted Rifles Signal Troop

:::New Zealand Machine Gun Squadron

::22nd Mounted Brigade GOC Colonel (temp. Brigadier General) F. A. B. Fryer

:::1/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry

:::1/1st Staffordshire Yeomanry

:::1/1st East Riding Yeomanry

:::22nd Mounted Brigade Signal Troop

:::18th Machine Gun Squadron

:Divisional Troops same as April 1916 oob except

::batteries not brigaded

::Mounted Divisional Ammunition Column added

::Nos 26 and 27 Australian Units of Supply substituted for Light Horse Supply Column

::1/1st North Midland Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance substituted for 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance

:Imperial Mounted Division GOC Colonel (temp. Major General) H. W. Hodgson

::3rd Light Horse Brigade GOC Colonel (temp. Brigadier General) J. R. Royston

:::8th Light Horse Regiment

:::9th Light Horse Regiment

:::10th Light Horse Regiment

:::3rd Australian Light Horse Signal Troop

:::3rd Australian Machine Gun Squadron

::4th Light Horse Brigade GOC Lieutenant Colonel (temp. Brigadier General J. B. Meredith

:::4th Light Horse Regiment

:::11th Light Horse Regiment

:::12th Light Horse Regiment

:::4th Australian Light Horse Signal Troop

:::4th Australian Machine Gun Squadron

::5th Mounted Brigade GOC Colonel (temp. Brigadier General) E. A. Wiggin

:::1/1st Warwick Yeomanry

:::1/1st Gloucester Yeomanry

:::1/1st Worcester Yeomanry

:::5th Mounted Signal Brigade Troop

:::16th Machine Gun Squadron

::6th Mounted Brigade GOC Lieutenant Colonel (temp. Brigadier General) T. M. S. Pitt

:::1/1st Buckinghamshire Yeomanry

:::1/1st Berkshire Yeomanry

:::1/1st Dorsetshire Yeomanry

:::6th Brigade Signal Troop

:::17th Machine Gun Squadron

:Divisional Troops

::Artillery

:::1/1st Nottinghamshire and 1/1st Berkshire Batteries RHA

:::"A" and "B" Batteries, H.A.C.

:::Mounted Divisional Ammunition Column

::Engineers

:::Imperial Mounted Division Field Squadron

::Signal Service

:::Imperial Mounted Division Signal Squadron

::ASC (unidentified)

::Medical Units

:::3rd and 4th Light Horse, 1/1st and 1/2nd South Midland Mounted Brigades Field Ambulances.Falls 1930 Vol. 1 pp. 400–2

Notes

; Notes

{{Reflist|group=Note}}

; Citations

{{Reflist|15em}}

References

{{Refbegin}}

  • {{cite book |title=Light Horse: A History of Australia's Mounted Arm |last=Bou |first=Jean |series=Australian Army History |year=2009 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Port Melbourne |isbn=9780521197083}}
  • {{cite book |title=The Last Crusade: The Palestine Campaign in the First World War |last=Bruce |first=Anthony |year=2002 |publisher=John Murray|location=London|isbn=978-0-7195-5432-2}}
  • {{cite book| last=Coulthard-Clark |first= Chris |year=1998 |title= Where Australians Fought: The Encyclopaedia of Australia's Battles |location= St Leonards |publisher= Allen and Unwin|isbn= 1864486112}}
  • {{cite book|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1069925/|title=The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War, 1914–1918|last=Cutlack|first=Frederic Morley| year=1941|edition=11th|series=Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918|volume=VIII|publisher=Australian War Memorial|location=Canberra|oclc=220900299}}
  • {{cite book |title=Military Operations Egypt & Palestine: From the Outbreak of War with Germany to June 1917 |last=Falls |first=Cyril |series=Official History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence |author2=G. MacMunn |year=1930 |volume=1 |publisher=HM Stationery Office |location=London |oclc=610273484}}
  • {{cite book |title=Military Operations Egypt & Palestine: From June 1917 to the End of the War |last=Falls |first=Cyril |series=Official History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence |others=A. F. Becke (maps) |year=1930 |volume=2 Part I |publisher=HM Stationery Office |location=London|oclc=644354483}}
  • {{cite book| url=https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1069924/| title= The Australian Imperial Force in Sinai and Palestine, 1914–1918 |last=Gullett|first=Henry S.| year= 1941|edition=11th |series= Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918|volume=VII| publisher= Australian War Memorial| location= Canberra|oclc=220900153}}
  • {{cite book |title=Chauvel of the Light Horse: A Biography of General Sir Harry Chauvel, GCMG, KCB |last=Hill |first=A. J. |year=1978 |publisher=Melbourne University Press |location=Melbourne |oclc=5003626}}
  • {{cite book |title=Suez to Aleppo |last=Keogh |first=E. G. |author-link = Eustace Graham Keogh|author2=Joan Graham|year=1955 |publisher=Directorate of Military Training by Wilkie & Co. |location=Melbourne|oclc=220029983}}
  • {{cite book|title=Devils on Horses: In the Words of the Anzacs in the Middle East, 1916–19 |last=Kinloch |first=Terry |year=2007|publisher=Exisle Publishing|location=Auckland|isbn=978-0-908988-94-5}}
  • {{cite book |title=The New Zealanders in Sinai and Palestine |last=Powles |first=C. Guy |author2=A. Wilkie|series=Official History New Zealand's Effort in the Great War|volume=III|year=1922|publisher=Whitcombe & Tombs|location=Auckland|oclc=2959465}}
  • {{cite book |title=The Desert Mounted Corps: An Account of the Cavalry Operations in Palestine and Syria 1917–1918 |url=https://archive.org/details/desertmountedco00presgoog |last=Preston |first=R. M. P. |year=1921 |publisher=Constable & Co. |location=London|oclc=3900439}}
  • {{cite book |chapter=The Palestine Campaigns |last=Wavell |first=Field Marshal Earl|author-link=Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell|editor-last=Sheppard|editor-first=Eric William |edition=4th |title=A Short History of the British Army |year=1968|orig-year=1933|publisher=Constable & Co. |location=London|oclc=35621223}}

{{Refend}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

Category:World War I orders of battle

Category:Expeditionary units and formations

Category:Commands of the British Army

Category:Military units and formations of the British Army in World War I

Category:Egypt in World War I

Category:Military units and formations established in 1916

Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1917