1st Light Antiaircraft Missile Battalion, History, Reactivation, broken time and final stand down
1st LAAM was reactivated on 11 March 1987 at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan as part of Marine Air Control Group 18 (MACG-18), 1st Marine Aircraft Wing(1st MAW). The battalion was reactivated as part of a Marine Corps initiative titled the “Air Defense Enhancement Program” which sought to provide an Improved HAWK Missile capability in support of the III Marine Amphibious Force in the Pacific Area of Operations. 1st LAAM Battalion was composed of a battalion headquarters and a Headquarters & Services battery based at Camp Hansen.


1st Light Antiaircraft Missile Battalion, History, Reactivation, broken time and final stand down
The two firing batteries, Alpha and Bravo, were provided by Marines from 2d and 3d LAAM Battalions as part of the Unit Deployment Program. In July 1990 1st LAAM Battalion was directed by Headquarters Marine Corps to deactivate in 4th Quarter 1990. At 1600 on 28 September 1990, then commanding officer, LtCol Frank D. Dunn transferred 1st LAAM's colors to MajGen Ehlert, Commanding General 1st MAW.


1st Light Antiaircraft Missile Battalion, History, Reactivation, broken time and final stand down
On 1 September 1994, 1st LAAM Battalion was reactivated at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona. This event coincided with the deactivation of 2d LAAM Battalion whose personnel and equipment were re-designated as 1st LAAM Battalion. During this time the battalion was the only active duty unit providing medium range air defense in the Marine Corps. For the next three years the battalion continued to support exercises throughout the southwestern United States to include Exercises Red Flag, Roving Sands and the Marine Corps' Combined Arms Exercises (CAX) and Weapons Tactics Instructor Course (WTI). 1st LAAM Battalion was deactivated on 11 July 1997 as the Marine Corps began to divest itself of its medium range air defense capability. Following the deactivation, a battery of HAWK missiles was maintained at MCAS Yuma and fell under the command of Marine Air Control Squadron 1 (MACS-1).


1st Light Antiaircraft Missile Battalion, Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. The 1st Light Antiaircraft Missile Battalion has been presented with the following awards:


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion is a fast and mobilized armored terrestrial reconnaissance battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Nicknamed the "Highlanders," their primary weapon system is the LAV-25 Light Armored Vehicle armed with the M242 25mm Bushmaster chain gun. They fall under the command of the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force. The unit is based out of the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Organization
A LAV platoon consists of 4 vehicles usually divided into an Alpha section and a Bravo section. The platoon commander will control one section and also be the vehicle commander (VC) of one of the LAVs and the platoon sergeant will control the other section as well as be VC.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Organization
A crew consists of a driver, usually the most junior 0313 (the MOS designation for LAV Crewman), a VC, and the gunner. The gunner operates the main gun, the M242 Bushmaster chaingun. The VC makes target acquisition changes and helps the gunner make adjustments. The remaining crew consists of Scouts (0311). The LAV can hold as many as 6 scouts, but in most cases, there are only 3–4 in the back. There is also 1 corpsman per platoon, and 1 Light Armored Vehicle Mechanic (2147, the MOS designation for the LAV Mechanic).


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Early years
1st Light Armored Vehicle Battalion was activated in May 1985 and began receiving the first of its LAV-25 light armored vehicles in July 1985. On 9 October 1988, the battalion's name was changed to 1st Light Armored Infantry Battalion.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Persian Gulf War & the 1990s
In August 1990, First Light Armored Infantry Battalion deployed to Southwest Asia in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. During Operation Desert Shield, 1st Light Armored Infantry Battalion was the forward unit of the 1st Marine Division, conducting screening and counter-reconnaissance operations along the Kuwaiti-Saudi Arabian border. During Operation Desert Storm, after breaching the Iraqi defensive positions, the 1st Light Armored Infantry Battalion attacked north to locate and destroy enemy forces. On the third day of the ground offensive, the 1st Light Armored Infantry Battalion was the first of the Allied Forces to enter Kuwait City, capturing Kuwait International Airport on 28 February 1991. The battalion redeployed to the United States in April 1991.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Persian Gulf War & the 1990s
On May 1, 1992, the 1st Light Armored Infantry Battalion deployed to Los Angeles on a four-hour notice and assisted the Long Beach Police Department in quelling civil disturbances and looting. After a successful deployment as part of the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Los Angeles, the battalion returned once again to Camp Pendleton.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Persian Gulf War & the 1990s
On June 12, 1992, the 1st Light Armored Infantry Battalion was redesignated as First Reconnaissance Battalion (Light Armored). Almost two years later, on March 1, 1994, the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion (Light Armored) underwent another name change and was redesignated First Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Global War on Terror
In December 2001, Bravo Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion deployed to Afghanistan as part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. It performed a variety of combat/reconnaissance missions in the rugged terrain of Afghanistan.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Global War on Terror
In January 2003, it was deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The battalion, operating as part of Regimental Combat Team Five, was the first unit to cross the Iraqi-Kuwaiti Border on March 20, 2003. After attacking northward through Iraq, the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion was instrumental in securing the capital of Baghdad. Due to its unique mobility and reconnaissance capabilities, the battalion left Regimental Combat Team Five and was assigned to Task Force Tripoli. As part of Task Force Tripoli, the battalion advanced further north, ultimately securing former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Global War on Terror
Following the cessation of major combat operations, First Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion moved from the northern portion of Iraq to the country's extreme southern area along the Saudi-Arabian border to halt and deter illegal smuggling into Iraq. The First Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion redeployed to the United States at the end of May 2003.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Global War on Terror
In February 2004 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (-) again returned to Iraq. The battalion conducted security and stability operations in the Al Anbar province of western Iraq as part of Regimental Combat Team Seven. 1st LAR performed a wide range of critical missions, including key roles in regimental size operations, in order to capture or kill terrorist and insurgent forces. Additionally, the battalion was vital in patrolling the western borders of Iraq in order to prevent the infiltration of arms and insurgents from Ar Rutba in the south to Al Qaim further north. The battalion returned to the United States in October 2004.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Global War on Terror
In July 2004, Charlie Company deployed with the 31st MEU in support of Operation Phantom Fury, Fallujah, Iraq.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Global War on Terror
In March 2007, parts of the battalion were responsible for security and stabilization in the area around Ar Rutba in western Iraq.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Global War on Terror
In September 2008, 1st LAR deployed again to the Al Anbar Province in western Iraq and conducted a Relief In Place (RIP) with 2nd LAR of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 1st LAR conducted security and stabilization operations around Camp Korean Village and Ar Rutba before turning over the battlespace to 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines. 1st LAR then moved north to Sinjar Airfield, just west of Mosul, to conduct more security and stabilization operations. With them, they had elements of 1st Tanks, 2d tanks, A/1/2, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, a Tow Missile Platoon and Army and Navy support personnel. In April 2009 1st LAR conducted a RIP with 3d LAR and redeployed to Camp Pendleton, CA. (Note, Fox Company, 4th LAR was attached to 1st LAR for the duration of this deployment)


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Global War on Terror
In May 2010, 1st LAR deployed to Reg-E-Khan Neshin district (Rig District) in southern Helmand Province, Afghanistan. While there, 1st LAR Bn remained the southernmost unit attached to the MEF. Operating out of Combat Out Post (COP) Payne as the Battalion CP, the unit controlled a swath of 750 square kilometers in southern Helmand Province. Operations out of COP Khan Neshin Castle, Patrol Base (PB) Shabu, and COP Taghaz were conducted by Alpha Company (Arthur Co). PB South Station controlled Sar Banadar and terrain south of the river along the fertile terrain and was manned by Charlie Company (Celtic Co).


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Global War on Terror
The vastly unpopulated trafficking area to the south was controlled by Bravo Company (Beserker Co). Concurrently, Echo Company (Enormous Co), separated from the rest of the battalion, relying on British and Danish support, operated near Gereshk in central Helmand province and took part in hundreds of engagements and IED strikes in an attempt to control the only highway through Afghanistan at the time. Joint missions were conducted to close the gap between 3/1 and 1st LAR in October 2010.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Global War on Terror
A substantial raid was conducted on Baghram Cha, a border town and chief logistical hub for Taliban activity in late October 2010, named Operation Steel Dawn. During the raid, 1st LAR, special operations forces, and Afghan forces neutralized Bahram Chah and destroyed the Bazaar and Taliban stronghold. 1st LAR conducted a RIP with 3rd LAR in November 2010.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, History, Global War on Terror
1st LAR deployed again to Rig District in September 2011 and returned in May 2012.


1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Equipment
The LAV-25 is an all-terrain, all-weather vehicle with night capabilities. It is air transportable via C-130, C-17 Globemaster, and C-5 Galaxy. When combat loaded there are 210 ready rounds and 420 stowed rounds of 25 mm ammunition as well as 400 ready rounds and 1200 stowed rounds of 7.62mm. There are 8 ready rounds and 8 stowed rounds of smoke grenades. A supplementary M240G 7.62mm machine gun can be pintle-mounted at the vehicle commander's station in the turret. The LAV-25 is fully amphibious with a maximum of 3 minutes of preparation.


1st Light Car Patrol (Australia)
The 1st Light Car Patrol was formed in Melbourne in June of 1916, and designated the 1st Armoured Car Section; it was also known as the 1st Armoured Car Battery. The patrol was disbanded in 1919 as repatriation of soldiers was underway.


1st Light Car Patrol (Australia), History
The unit was raised in Melbourne during 1916 as part of the Australian Imperial Force during World War I, and left for Egypt in June of the same year. The unit fought against the Senussi in the Sudan and Western Desert. The 1st Armoured Car Section became the 1st Light Car Patrol on 3 December. As their original three vehicles became worn out from hard use in the Western Desert and were irreparable due to shortages of spare parts, the unit was reequipped with six Ford light cars. Extra drivers and motorcycles were provided. The cars were given names: Anzac, Billzac, Osatal, Silent Sue, Imshi and Bung. These were traded in for six new Fords on 11 December 1917.


1st Light Car Patrol (Australia), History
In May 1917 the unit was redeployed to Palestine by rail, and served throughout the campaign there. Like similar British units of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force it was used to conduct long range reconnaissance and patrol duties, often operating well in advance of forward cavalry units. By November 1918 they had reached Aleppo with the British Indian 5th Cavalry Division, where they were believed to be the furthest advanced Australian unit at the conclusion of the campaign.


1st Light Car Patrol (Australia), Equipment
The 1st Light Car Patrol was equipped with three armoured cars built at the Vulcan Engineering Works in South Melbourne, a 50 hp (37 kW) Daimler, a 60 hp (45 kW) Mercedes and a 50 hp (37 kW) Minerva. All were armoured, with the Daimler and Mercedes models armed with Colt machine guns.


1st Light Cavalry Division (France)
The French 1st Light Cavalry Division (1er Division de Cavalerie Légère) was a French Army division active during World War II. The 1st Light Cavalry Division was formed alongside the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Light Cavalry Divisions in February 1940.


1st Light Cavalry Division (France), World War 2, Battle Of France
During the Battle of France in May 1940 the division contained the following units:


1st Light Cavalry Division (France), World War 2, Battle Of France
In 1940 during the occupation of France the division was disbanded.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish)
The 1st Polish Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish: 1 Pułk Lekkokonny [Polski] Gwardii Cesarskiej; French: 1er Régiment des chevaux-légers [polonais] de la Garde Impériale) was a formation of Polish light cavalry that served Emperor Napoleon during the Napoleonic Wars.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish)
The Regiment, as part of Napoleon's Imperial Guard, fought in many battles, distinguishing itself at Wagram, Beresina, Hanau and especially Somosierra. On at least three occasions, light-horsemen of the Regiment saved Napoleon's life.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish)
There was an Old Guard Régiment de Chasseurs à Cheval from 1804; the Company (later Squadron) of Mamelukes first raised in Egypt in 1799, also attached to the Old Guard, similar to the First (1807) and Second (1810) Régiments de Chevaux-lanciers, known respectively as the Polish Blue and Dutch Red Lancers of the Guard; and three regiments of Eclaireurs raised in 1814, four more Gardes d'Honneur (from 1813) and the Légion de Gendarmerie d'Elite, going back to 1804.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
The Polish 1st Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard, under the command of Wincenty Krasiński, was created by a decree of Napoleon's, and signed on 9 April 1807 in Finckenstein (now Kamieniec Suski in northeast Poland):


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
From our field quarters in Finkenstein on the 6th day of April 1807.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
We, Napoleon I, Emperor of the French and King of Italy, have determined as follow:


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
Art. 1st . Polish Light Cavalry (Chevaux-légers) Regiment of the Guard will be formed.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
Art. 2nd . Regiment will consist of four squadrons, each of two companies.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
Art. 3rd . Each company will consist of one captain, two lieutenants, two sub-lieutenants, one sergeant major, six sergeants, one corporal-quartermaster, ten corporals, ninety-six cavalrymen, three trumpeters, two blacksmiths.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
Art. 4th. Regimental Staff will consist of one colonel, two French majors of the Guard, four squadron commanders, one quartermaster-treasurer, one French instructor-captain from the Guard, two French adjutant-majors from the Guard, four sub-adjutant-majors from among the Poles, who formerly were on duty in Legions in France, one standard-bearer, four surgeons, two of them 1st class and two 2nd or 3rd, one sub-instructor in the rank of sergeant major, one staff trumpeter, two trumpeter-corporals, one tailor, one breecher, one shoemaker, one gunsmith, one saddlemaker, one armourer, two blacksmiths.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
Art. 5th. To be enlisted into the Chevauleger Corps one has to be a landowner or the son of a landowner, be more than 18 years old, and less than 40, and come with his own horse, uniform, caparison and other equipment according to the regulations; men, who can not afford immediately deliver a horse, uniform, caparison and equipment, will be paid in advance. Horse has to be a maximum 4 feet and 9 inches, and a minimum 4 feet and 6 inches tall.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
Art. 6th. Polish Chevaux-legers of the Guard will have to fulfill the same duties as Chasseurs of the Guard. They will be able to obtain food, forage, and payments, which will be established by the Colonel General, commanding officer of all cavalry of the Guard.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
Art. 7th. Cost of the initial equipment, as will be established by the Administrative Board for those who have not enough money, 15 sous will be deducted daily until the termination of the pay.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
Art. 8th. Administrative Board book-keeping and Registre-Matricule will be organized in the same fashion as in other cavalry regiments of the Guard.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
Art. 9th. Men, who want to be enrolled in the Chevaulegers of the Guard, have to immediately present themselves to Prince Poniatowski, director of the Department of War of the Duchy of Warsaw, and explain before him their serviceableness, according to the Article 5th. Next they have to present themselves to a Major chosen to organize the regiment, who – after examination – will incorporate candidates to the regiment, and note their age, description, country of origin, names of father and mother. Annotations will be presented for our acceptation.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Origins
Art. 10th. Our Ministry of War has obtained an order to fulfill this decree.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Beginning
Polish efforts to form a prestigious detachment of the Imperial Guard began in 1804. Napoleon agreed to this during the Polish Campaign of 1806, when he was escorted by a "Polish Honor Guard" comprising aristocratic youths from the Society of Friends of the Fatherland, leaders of which would in the future be officers of the Regiment. Aspiring Guardsmen distinguished themselves in the Battles of Pułtusk and Gołymin. It is unclear whether Napoleon's reason in agreeing to the Regiment's formation was a desire to control the Polish aristocracy (whose loyalty he could not be sure of) or his appreciation of the Polish contributions to his victories.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Beginning
The Regiment was an elite body of volunteers in respect of income and origin—peasants were not eligible to enlist. The cadre were drawn almost exclusively from aristocratic and wealthy noble families; most of the rank-and-file soldiers were also noblemen, though burghers—including Jews—were also represented. Some veterans were upset to learn that their officers were callow youths.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Beginning
In June 1807, the first company of the first squadron was ready to leave Warsaw's Mirów Barracks. Earlier, 125 light cavalry under Captain Tomasz Łubieński had presented themselves to the public and won their acclaim.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Organization, uniforms and armament
According to intentional Ordre de Bataille Wincenty Krasiński (father of Polish poet Zygmunt Krasiński), was nominated as the commanding officer of the Regiment. COs of four squadrons were appointed: Tomasz Łubieński, Ferdynand Stokowski, Jan Kozietulski and Henryk Kamieński. Each squadron was composed of two companies (demisquadrons) of 125 chevaulegers each. Each company consisted of five troops.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Organization, uniforms and armament
Among troop commanders were: Antoni Potocki, Paweł Jerzmanowski, Łukasz Wybicki (son of Józef Wybicki), Józef Szymanowski, Józef Jankowski, Seweryn Fredro. Positions of Lieutenant-Colonels (grossmajors) and instructors were taken by Frenchmen: Charles Delaitre of the Mamelukes of the Guard, and Pierre "Papa" Dautancourt of Choice Gendarmerie. The regiment consisted of 60 officers and about 1000 men. In 1812 a fifth squadron under Paweł Jerzmanowski was formed. In the beginning of 1813 remnants of 3rd Lithuanian Light Cavalry, detachment of Lithuanian gendarmes, and a company of Lithuanian Tartars were included, so the number of companies rose to 13.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Organization, uniforms and armament
During May and June of the same year the number of companies rose to 15 (117 officers and 1,775 men), but in December the original organization was restored – 4 squadrons and 8 companies. 3rd Scout Regiment of the Guard under Jan Kozietulski was formed from the remaining officers and men. Polish chevaux-legers were treated as French soldiers and were on the French payroll. In 1809 (after the battle of Somosierra) the Regiment was incorporated to the Old Guard.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Organization, uniforms and armament
According to the Old Guard seniority they were located after Chasseurs à Cheval, but before Mamelukes. After Napoleon's abdication (6 April 1814) chevaulegers and scouts were united (minus Paweł Jerzmanowski's squadron, which accompanied the former emperor to Elba). 1 May 1814 the Regiment was transferred from the French Army to the newly created Army of Congress Poland, and on 7 June all squadrons were presented in Saint-Denis before their new Commander, Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia and then moved to Poland.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Organization, uniforms and armament
Uniforms of chevaulegers were modelled upon Cavalry National uniforms from the last decade of the 18th century. Dark blue kurtka had crimson stand-up collar, wristbands and facings. The snug dark blue pantaloons (breeches) were lined with leather, and ornamented with a single crimson stripe. Collar and facings of the Grand Uniform were ornamented also with silver wavy line, and pantaloons with double crimson stripes (officer's Gala Full Dress was white and crimson). High (22 cm) czapkas had their forehead metals made of brass (officer's of silver) with a rising sun and the letter "N".


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Organization, uniforms and armament
For the parade czapka was crowned with 47 cm long plume of heron's or ostrich white feathers, and a cockade with a blue center, broad crimson middle band and a narrow white outer edging, with the blue practically hidden under the silver Maltese cross. Officers had blue, while regular soldiers had off-white overcoats, known as manteau-capotes.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Organization, uniforms and armament
Chevaulegers were armed with sabres, initially Prussian of bad quality, and as of March 1809 French sabres. Also, Prussian pistols were replaced gradually with French mousquetonnes. Lances, 2.75 meters long with crimson-and-white pennons, were obtained not earlier than after the battle of Wagram, where they acquired lances of Austrian uhlans, and fought victoriously with these. At that time the name of the Regiment was changed to (fr. 1er Régiment de chevau-légers lanciers Polonais de la Garde Impériale).


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Organization, uniforms and armament
Witamy was, witamy was,Jeżeliście nasi kochajcie nas, kochajcie nas. Witamy was, witamy was,Jeżeliście wrogi szanujcie nas, szanujcie nas. Do zwycięstw przywykli wkraczamy do was,Obejścia wzglęgnego żądamy po was,A wy się nic złego, a wy się nic złegoNie bójcie od nas! Do zwycięstw przywykli wkraczamy do was,Polacy po świecie wojujemy was! My za Polskę naszą i za sławę nasząWojujemy was!


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Organization, uniforms and armament
We greet you, We greet you,If you are friends, love us, love us. We greet you, We greet you,If you are enemies, respect us, respect us. To victories accustomed, we're entering your lands,And only respect we're awaiting from you,So nothing evil, nothing evil will youhave to fear from us! To victories accustomed, we're entering your lands,We Poles in the world are warring you! For our Poland and for our gloryAre we warring you!


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, Spain
The regiment was sent, detachment after detachment, to Spain. The first time chevaulegers fought was on 14 July 1808, during the battle of Medina del Rio Seco (two squadrons under Radzimiński).


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, Spain
On 30 November 1808 their most famous charge up the Somosierra Pass took place. That day the 3rd Squadron under Kozietulski (ad interim) was on duty as a personal escort to the Emperor. After the failure of the French infantry attack, Napoleon ordered Polish chevaulegers to take the pass defended by 3000 men and four batteries of Spanish cannons. The narrow road to the top (300 meters level difference, 2,500 meters long), bordered from both sides with waist high stone walls, lined with poplar trees, precluded a demi-squadron or even a troop frontal attack.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, Spain
This was why the attack was conducted in a column four horses wide. After the first battery was taken, chevaulegers, without slowing the full gallop charge, gained the top of the pass in about eight minutes. All four batteries were taken, and the road to Madrid opened for Napoleon's Army. The charge was led by Kozietulski who, however, lost his horse after taking the first battery. The squadron was then joined by Lt. Andrzej Niegolewski, who had previously been on reconnaissance with his troop.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, Spain
The charge was continued under Dziewanowski, and when he fell from his horse after taking the third battery, by Piotr Krasiński. The charge, which continued to the last battery, was led by Niegolewski, who miraculously survived when the Spanish attacked him (he received nine wounds from bayonets and two carbine shots to the head).


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, Spain
According to the official version, Kozietulski led his men into the charge with the standard French war cry "En avant, vive l'Empereur!". However, according to the memoirs of many of the veterans the true battle cry was (in Polish) "Naprzód psiekrwie, Cesarz patrzy!" (Forward, you sons of dogs, the Emperor is watching! ).


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, Spain
The charge has been noted as the most effective victory of the Polish cavalry during the time of the Napoleonic Wars, and as the least costly victory for Napoleon. It became a legend and later an inspiration for many writers and painters.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, Spain
Soon after the battle the regiment was - by Napoleon's decree - included in the Old Guard. It stayed in Spain until February 1809. It took its part in the retaking of Madrid, and in Marshal Soult's campaign against Coalition forces in Portugal. Hundred chevaulegers under Tomasz Łubieński escorted Napoleon on his way back to Paris.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, 1809–1811
In the spring of 1809 the War of the Fifth Coalition began. The regiment marched to Austria. On 22 May the light horse took part in the Battle of Essling.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, 1809–1811
On 6 July 1809, during the Battle of Wagram, the light horse again led a charge that enhanced  their legend. In one daring attack, they smashed Duke Schwarzenberg's uhlans and prevented the whole army from being separated from the banks of the Danube River. During the melée, they grabbed the uhlans’ lances and continued their attack further with these new weapons. Most of Schwarzenberg's uhlans were Poles from Galicia. After the battle, Napoleon supposedly said: "Give them these lances, if they can use them so well." From this point on, they became light-horse lancers.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, 1809–1811
Over the next two years (1810–11) the Regiment spent time in Chantilly resting, drilling, receiving awards, and from time to time participating in court duties. Some 400 lancers escorted the Emperor and his wife on their trip to Belgium, and Napoleon  during his visit to the maritime provinces. Kozietulski was awarded the officer's star of the Légion d'honneur together with the title of baron, and was nominated for the Polish cross of Virtuti Militari. Wincenty Krasiński was appointed brigadier-general and was created a count. Many other officers and men obtained promotions and awards for gallantry.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, Russia
In February 1812 the Regiment was ordered to go to Germany and further East. On March 11 it stopped in Toruń. Then on June 21 (enlarged by the fifth squadron which was formed in Poznań) it crossed the eastern border of the Duchy of Warsaw. On the very next day Napoleon issued in Wyłkowyszki his order, which began the Second Polish War, which was equal with the French invasion of Russia.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, Russia
In the first stage of the war the Regiment was assigned to the Headquarters of the Emperor, and one squadron was the personal guard of Marshal Davout. Chevaulegers acted from time to time as a military police unit. They also fought near Wilno, Mohylew and Smoleńsk. During the Battle of Borodino they were kept in reserve. Only one squadron went to Moscow with Napoleon (the rest of them followed a few days later). Some fifty chevaulegers-lancers escorted the Emperor from the burning Kremlin, covering him - in the most critical moment - with their overcoats. With their experience of the severity of winters in Eastern Europe, the chevaulegers, when leaving Moscow, had their horses fitted with ice-horseshoes.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, Russia
The high morale and discipline of the chevaulegers was especially obvious during the retreat of the Grande Armée. The Regiment was one of very few detachments which remained battle-ready until the end. On 25 October it fought at Borovsk and Maloyaroslavets against the Cossacks. The same day a service squadron saved Napoleon, about to be kidnapped by Cossacks near Horodnia. On 17 November chevaulegers took part in the Battle of Krasnoi, and 28 November in the Battle of Beresina. On 5 December Napoleon left the Army rushing for Paris.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, Russia
He was escorted to Ashmyany by the 7th company of chevaulegers (newly formed). The rest of the regiment escorted the imperial treasure, and reached Wilno on 9 December. During the campaign the Regiment suffered tremendous losses. In the end of December there were only 374 men with 270 horses. However, its numbers were still larger than of the other cavalry detachments of the Guard. Chevaulegers gained the great respect of their enemies. Cossacks, who in the last weeks of the retreat presented a real threat to the remnants of the Grande Armée, often escaped at the sight of chevaulegers.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, 1813–1815
During the campaign of 1813 the Regiment was fighting, but at the same time was being reorganized. In spring four squadrons (under Wincenty Krasiński, Dominik Radziwiłł, Paweł Jerzmanowski, Dezydery Chłapowski) fought battles at Lützen, at Bautzen and at Reichenbach. On 12 July the renovated regiment of seven squadrons was incorporated into the new Grande Armée. This time it was divided into two parts: six companies were attached to the division of the Old Guard under General Walther. Eight younger companies, plus a company of Tartars, were included into the 2nd light cavalry division of General Lefebvre.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, 1813–1815
The first regiment accompanied Napoleon. On September 16 at Peterswalde they smashed a regiment of Prussian hussars under the son of General Blücher. In the battle of Leipzig both regiments took part. After this battle even "old breed" chevaulegers felt disappointed and frustrated. Some fifty of the younger even deserted. However, in the battle of Hanau (30/31 October) in another great charge, the chevaulegers, along with other cavalrymen of the Guard opened ways of retreat for the remnants of the Army.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, 1813–1815
In 1814, while defending France the chevaulegers and scouts took part in nearly every battle of the period. They fought at Saint Dizier, Brienne, La Rothiere, Champaubert, Montmirail, Vauchamps, Montereau, Troyes, Berry-au-Bac, Craonne, Laon, Reims, La Fere-Champenoise, Arcis-sur-Aube and Vitry. They took part in the battle of Paris. To the end they remained loyal to Napoleon. After the betrayal of Marshal Marmont who was supposed to cover Fontainebleau, Kozietulski led two Polish regiments to the Palace. Here for the last time Napoleon reviewed his Polish detachment of the Guard. After his abdication, the victorious powers excluded chevaulegers from the French Army. The soldiers of the regiment returned to their once again occupied country, and went into the newly created army of Congress Poland.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, 1813–1815
Their way back to Poland was not pleasant, especially during the crossing of Prussia, but in Poland they were welcomed with love and respect.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, 1813–1815
One squadron of volunteers under Major Paweł Jerzmanowski accompanied Napoleon to Elba. During the "March on Paris" the squadron marched as a vanguard of Napoleon's forces. During the "Hundred Days" campaign, 225 men of the Polish detachment fought as part of Red Lancers division under General Colbert, wearing their Polish uniforms (in the decree excluding foreigners from the Guard, Napoleon made the only exception for the Squadron of Elba). Despite a summons by the Grand Duke Constantine, demanding that Jerzmanowski return with his squadron to Poland, chevaulegers fought at the battle of Ligny and in the battle of Waterloo. After the defeat, the squadron retreated along with Marshal Davout – to the left banks of Loire. On 1 October 1815 all members of the squadron were forced to leave the French Army.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, 1813–1815
The very last accent of the existence of the Regiment was this letter:


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, 1813–1815
The officers of the former Polish 1st Regiment of Chevaux Legers of the Imperial Guard, after so many years of fighting, wishing to pay their respects to Your Grace, whose virtues and love of our Country are widely known, present to you one of the Banners of their Regiment for your Collection of Sacred Relics of Our National Glory, which, assembled by Your Grace, has been rescued from the enemies of our country and saved for future generations. This banner has been present at a hundred battles and has flown over the walls of Madrid, Vienna and the Kremlin. Thousands of Polish youths who followed it have felt happy to shed their blood for their Country and its Eternal Glory.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, 1813–1815
Your Highness, this gift is evidence of the feelings that we bear for you, together with every other Pole, and proof of our esteem.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Operational history, 1813–1815
In the name of all its officers, Major General, formerly Colonel of the Regiment, Count Krasiński.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Registre-Matricule
Archival records on the soldiers of the 1st Regiment can be found in genealogical books known as Registre-Matricule.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Registre-Matricule
First book, commenced 14 April 1807 in Warsaw, includes chevaulegers with record numbers from 1 to 1800. Its last entry was 27 February 1812.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Registre-Matricule
The second book, made in the same manner, was started the same day – 27 February 1812. It covers soldiers registered under numbers 1801 – 3508. The last chevaulegers was recorded on 25 February 1814. The book contains not only those men who enlisted in the 1st Regiment, but also soldiers of the 3rd Regiment Lithuanian chevaulegers, and a squadron of Lithuanian Tartars included in the 1st Regiment as well.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Registre-Matricule
The third book refers to the 3rd Scout Regiment. It was opened 1 January, and closed 21 March 1814 and contains numbers from 1 to 934. The last, fourth book, refers to the detachment of chevaulegers reconstituted in 1815 and dissolved a few months later, after the fall of Napoleon. One can find there the names of about 200 Poles from the Squadron of Elba, as well as the latest of the volunteers.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Registre-Matricule
All books contain names of Poles, Dutchmen, Lithuanians, and Frenchmen.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), March
During the Bourbon Restoration, after the first abdication of Napoleon, the Chasseurs à Cheval de la Garde Impériale wrote a march in honour of the Polish Lancers with whom they fought for many years. This march is called Les Adieux des Chasseurs à Cheval aux Lanciers polonais ("Farewell of the Chasseurs à Cheval to the Polish Lancers") also known as Les Lanciers polonais ("The Polish Lancers").


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Tradition
In the times of the Second Polish Republic the traditions of the 1st Regiment were maintained by 1. Pułk Szwoleżerów Józefa Piłsudskiego, an exclusive regiment of cavalry, the 2nd squadron of which was traditionally the Service Squadron for the president of Poland.


1st Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish), Tradition
Each year, since the mid-1990s, in the middle of August in Ciechanów and Opinogóra the "Return of the Chevaulegers " festival is organized by the city of Ciechanów, Museum of Romanticism in Opinogóra, Faculty of Arts of the Aleksander Giejsztor College, and many other institutions and organizations. During the spectacle many re-enactment groups from countries such as Poland, Great Britain, Belarus, Lithuania and Latvia present themselves in historical uniforms.


1st Light Cruiser Squadron
The 1st Light Cruiser Squadron was a naval unit of the Royal Navy from 1913 to 1924.


1st Light Cruiser Squadron, History
The 1st Light Cruiser Squadron was a Royal Navy unit of the Grand Fleet during World War I. Four of its ships (Inconstant, Galatea, Cordelia and Phaeton) fought at Jutland in 1916, by which time it was under the command of Commodore Edwyn Alexander-Sinclair – his flagship, Galatea, was the first to sight enemy vessels, at 2:20pm. During the interwar period, the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron was a unit of the Atlantic Fleet until October 1924. In November 1924 the squadron was dispatched to the Mediterranean Fleet where it was re-designated 1st Cruiser Squadron.


1st Light Horse Brigade
The 1st Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), which served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. The brigade was initially formed as a part-time militia formation in the early 1900s in New South Wales and then later in Queensland. In 1914, the brigade was re-constituted as part of the AIF and was sent to Egypt. Forming part of the New Zealand and Australian Division, during the Gallipoli Campaign it served in a dismounted role between May and December 1915.


1st Light Horse Brigade
After being withdrawn to Egypt it served in the Anzac Mounted Division from March 1916 as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, taking part in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign until the end of the war. It was disbanded in 1919. After the war, the AIF light horse regiments were demobilised and disbanded; however, the brigade briefly existed as a part-time militia formation in Queensland until 1921 when its regiments were reorganised into cavalry brigades.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, Early formation
The 1st Light Horse Brigade was initially raised as part of the Citizens Forces in the early 1900s, being formed sometime between 1902 and 1905. That formation was raised in New South Wales, and consisted of three light horse regiments – the 1st (New South Wales Lancers), 2nd (New South Wales Mounted Rifles) and 3rd (Australian Horse). The 1st had depots around Parramatta and other smaller centres; the 2nd was based in Sydney and was spread out across depots from Camden to Dubbo; and the 3rd was based in several small towns including Bega, Goulburn and Bungendore.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, Early formation
In 1912, an Army wide reorganisation resulted in the brigade's designation being reused for a Queensland-based formation, consisting of the 2nd Light Horse (Queensland Mounted Infantry), the 3rd Light Horse (Darling Downs Regiment), and 4th Light Horse (Northern River Lancers). The 2nd had depots in Brisbane and its surrounds, spread out to Laidley and Ipswich, while the 3rd was based around Toowoomba, Warwick, Roma and other smaller centres; the 4th was based around Lismore, Casino, Grafton and a couple of other smaller centres. The previously assigned New South Wales-based regiments were redesignated and reassigned to 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Brigades.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Formation and service at Gallipoli
At the outbreak of the war August 1914 the Australian Government decided to raise the all- volunteer Australian Imperial Force (AIF) consisting of 20,000 troops comprising an infantry division and a light horse brigade of three regiments to be used at the discretion of Britain. These regiments were raised from volunteers for overseas service, as the provisions of the Defence Act did not allow conscripts to be deployed overseas.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Formation and service at Gallipoli
Nevertheless, many of the recruits were drawn from the various militia light horse formations created as a consequence of the Kitchener Report 1910 and the introduction of Universal Training, although they were assigned to freshly raised units that were separate to the light horse regiments raised as part of the militia. Initial enlistments outstripped expectations and, as a result, a total of three light horse brigades as well as two divisional cavalry regiments were formed in the early part of the war.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Formation and service at Gallipoli
The 1st Light Horse Brigade was the first light horse formation raised at the start of the war. It was part of the 1st Contingent that was hastily put together in the middle of August 1914, and consisted of 1,560 men organised into three regiments – the 1st, 2nd and 3rd – each of approximately 520 men, under the overall command of Brigadier General Harry Chauvel. The brigade's personnel were drawn from the states of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Formation and service at Gallipoli
Following its formation, the brigade began embarking for Egypt from Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Hobart, in September and October 1914. Upon arrival in December 1914, the brigade moved into camp at Mena, where training was undertaken, and further reinforcements were received from Australia. In May 1915, the brigade was deployed to Gallipoli as reinforcements for the infantry that had landed in April, but had become pinned around a small perimeter around a beachhead at Anzac Cove; deployed in a dismounted role, the brigade was assigned to the New Zealand and Australian Division. About a quarter of the strength of each light horse regiment remained in Egypt with their horses; however, additional reinforcements were provided prior to their arrival, to bring them up to strength.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Formation and service at Gallipoli
Upon arrival, Chauvel's brigade was assigned to hold part of the defensive line that the Allies had established around Anzac Cove. During this time, they undertook patrolling operations, occupied outposts, carried out sniping and worked to dig trenches and lay down wire. For the majority of the campaign the brigade's regiments maintained a defensive posture; however, in August the Allies attempted to break the deadlock on the Gallipoli peninsula, launching the August Offensive in an effort to secure the heights around Sari Bair, Chunuk Bair and Baby 700.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Formation and service at Gallipoli
During this effort, the 1st Light Horse Regiment carried out a feint attack at Pope's Hill, in support of the attack at the Nek. Out of 200 men committed, less than 40 survived. Meanwhile, the 2nd Light Horse Regiment undertook its own attack around Quinn's Post; this too met little success and was called off after the first wave of attackers suffered many casualties. Meanwhile, the 3rd Light Horse Regiment was held back in reserve. Following the failed offensive, the brigade occupied positions around the top of Monash Valley, which remained strongly contested.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Formation and service at Gallipoli
As winter approached, in early September, they were moved to a more secure location on the seaward side, to the north of Anzac Cove, towards Suvla Bay; this position included outposts at Destroyer Hill and Sazli Dere, which had been captured in late August during the Battle of Hill 60. By mid-December all three regiments were withdrawn from the peninsula, as part of the general withdrawal that followed the decision to abandon the position. The 3rd Light Horse Regiment was the first to depart, leaving on 14 December; it was followed by the 2nd on 18 December, while the 1st remained until 21 December, which was the last day. They were subsequently returned to Egypt, sailing via Mudros.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Sinai and Palestine campaign
After the evacuation from Gallipoli, the Australian and New Zealand forces in the Middle East were reorganised. There were a large number of reinforcements that had arrived in Egypt at this time, and while the infantry was to be deployed to the Western Front, the mounted units were to remain in the Middle East. This resulted in the establishment of the Anzac Mounted Division, which consisted of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Brigades, and the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Sinai and Palestine campaign
Chauvel had been promoted to command this division, while Brigadier General Charles Frederick Cox, who had taken over command of the brigade in early November 1915, remained in command of the 1st Light Horse Brigade. He would remain in command of the brigade until after the end of the war. At this time, the brigade was provided with a British Territorial horsed artillery battery, the Leicestershire Battery, which was detached from III Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F.).


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Sinai and Palestine campaign
Until July 1916, the brigade was supported by a machine gun section, but this was then expanded to a full squadron, equipped with 12 machine guns. A light horse training regiment was also established for each brigade, to provide trained reinforcements, while other supporting elements including signals, logistic, engineer, medical and veterinary support units were also assigned.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Sinai and Palestine campaign
In the early part of 1916, the 1st Light Horse Brigade was sent to guard parts of the Nile and Suez Canal from Senussi tribesmen. This lasted from January to May 1916; afterwards it was reassigned to defend the Suez Canal.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Sinai and Palestine campaign
In August 1916, the brigade helped repel an Ottoman advance on the canal during the Battle of Romani, which took place 35 kilometres (22 mi) to the east; they were involved in the initial fighting as the Ottoman forces clashed with the brigade on the night of 3/4  August, which had occupied outposts throughout the area that the Ottoman commanders had detailed as the forming up position for their attack on the Suez Canal.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Sinai and Palestine campaign
Threatened with being outflanked, the brigade was pushed back in the early morning, but they were reinforced just in time by the 2nd Light Horse Brigade, which appeared on the brigade's right and helped restore the situation. They were followed by New Zealand and British troops who launched a counterattack later in the day, while the two light horse brigades remained in the centre. Initially too exhausted to counterattack, they were committed early on 5 August, advancing with bayonets drawn. As the tide of the fighting turned, in the following days, the brigade was committed to the pursuit that followed as the Ottoman forces began to withdraw.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Sinai and Palestine campaign
After a period of rest out of the line, the brigade returned to join the advance across the Sinai into southern Palestine, taking part in actions at Maghdaba in December 1916, and at Rafa in early January 1917. During the first battle, the attack was hampered by limited artillery and a lack of water; this resulted in slow progress from the dismounted troops and eventually Chauvel decided to withdraw back to El Arish.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Sinai and Palestine campaign
However, the commander of the 1st Light Horse Brigade delayed following the order and pushed the dismounted 3rd Light Horse Regiment forward against an Ottoman redoubt in the northwest, which proved to be successful and wrested the initiative from the Ottomans. The 2nd Light Horse Regiment carried out a mounted attack to the south, and captured another Ottoman redoubt, while other units also began to make gains, resulting in a general advance. A fortnight later, they began to advance towards Rafa, and the 1st Light Horse Brigade was committed along with the New Zealand Mounted Rifles and the Imperial Camel Corps.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Sinai and Palestine campaign
For several months, the brigade undertook defensive duties, protecting lines of communication, before taking part in the unsuccessful Second Battle of Gaza in April 1917. After this, British planners decided to attempt an indirect approach, focusing their efforts on Beersheba, about 50 kilometres (31 mi) from Gaza. In late October and early November, the brigade took part in the Battle of Beersheba; the breakthrough here paved the way for the opening of the Southern Palestine Offensive, after which the brigade participated in the advance north towards Jaffa on the coast. Jerusalem was captured in November 1917, and after this the brigade moved inland east towards the Jordan River, to occupy defensive positions along the western bank as part of the British occupation of the Jordan Valley.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Sinai and Palestine campaign
In February 1918, the Somerset Battery was detached from XVIII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F. ), replacing the Leicestershire Battery. In the middle of the month, the brigade took part in the capture of Jericho, during which the Anzac Mounted Division was placed on the right of two British infantry divisions, pushing through a large gorge near the Dead Sea towards Rujm el Bahr. At the end of the month, the brigade pushed further west and took part in the failed First Battle of Amman during the First Transjordan attack on Amman.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Sinai and Palestine campaign
This was followed by the raid on Es Salt in April and May, and then launched a counterattack on 14 July during the Battle of Abu Tellul following an attack by two Ottoman divisions. Following this, the Allies renewed their offensive, during which the Anzac Mounted Division was assigned to a mixed force that became known as Chaytor's Force to join the Third Transjordan attack, supporting the main drive towards Damascus further to the north.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, World War I, Sinai and Palestine campaign
The Australian Mounted Division who were advancing along the coast, employed cavalry tactics, having been issued swords and trained in their use in August; however, the Anzac Mounted Division continued to be employed as mounted rifles. In late September, the brigade took part in the Second Battle of Amman. During their final battle of the war, the brigade helped clear the west bank of the Jordan, before crossing the river at Uniin esh Sher and then advanced to Es Salt, before later advancing to  Suweile and supporting the capture of Amman. On 30 October, the Ottomans surrendered, and the Armistice of Mudros came into effect, bringing an end to the fighting in the theatre.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, Disbandment and perpetuation
After the conclusion of hostilities, the Anzac Mounted Division undertook occupation duties in southern Palestine until it returned to Egypt in early 1919. The various regiments within the brigade embarked for Australia around March 1919. The horses remained behind due to cost and quarantine issues, and were either destroyed or undertook further service in Egypt or Syria. The brigade's headquarters finally closed on 4 July 1919 after arriving in Sydney.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, Disbandment and perpetuation
Throughout late 1918 and early 1919, the process of demobilising the AIF continued, although this would not be complete until 1921. At this time, the militia formations that had remained in Australia for home service were reorganised to realign them with the recruitment areas that had contributed to the AIF regiments, and to replicate the AIF's organisational structure and designations. These formations had continued to exist alongside the AIF in Australia, albeit largely on paper only as they had been reduced significantly due to large-scale enlistment in the AIF, and a lack of funds and resources for training. By 1919, a 1st Light Horse Brigade had been formed in the militia, consisting of 2nd, 5th and 11th Light Horse Regiments, which were based in Brisbane, Ipswich, Gympie, and Toowoomba.


1st Light Horse Brigade, History, Disbandment and perpetuation
In the first couple of years after the war, plans were made to reorganise the home forces to meet the needs of peacetime while providing a strong base upon which to mobilise if necessary. By 1921, when the AIF was officially disbanded, plans were approved to raise two cavalry divisions, each of three brigades, utilising a mix of voluntary enlistment and compulsory service. At this time, the brigades were designated as cavalry brigades, rather than light horse brigades, and the 1st Light Horse Brigade ceased to exist. Within the new structure, the 2nd Light Horse Regiment became part of the 11th Mixed Brigade, while the 5th and 11th Light Horse Regiments were assigned to the 1st Cavalry Brigade, based in the same locations as before.


1st Light Horse Brigade, Composition
During World War I, the 1st Light Horse Brigade consisted of the following:


1st Light Mechanized Division (France)
The 1st Light Mechanized Division (French: 1ère division légère mécanique, 1ère DLM) was a French Army formation during World War II. It was the first of the armoured divisions of the French Cavalry.


1st Light Mechanized Division (France), Formation
Preparations to create such a unit began in 1931. Slowly the 4th Cavalry Division was mechanised.


1st Light Mechanized Division (France), Formation, Name
In July 1935, the mechanised components, though still not fully equipped, were given a separate identity, while confusingly 4th Cavalry continued to exist, giving the false impression the armoured division was a completely new force. The name of the unit is most often translated as "Light Mechanized Division", but a better translation, both from a linguistic as military point of view, would be "Mechanized Light Division". In French the adjective mécanique qualifies légère, not the other way around.


1st Light Mechanized Division (France), Formation, Name
In French military parlance, light troops were those that engaged in scouting and skirmishing, and the distinction traditionally applied to both cavalry and infantry arms. A mechanized light division was therefore one designed for this role but using modern motorized and armored equipment to perform it. Some motorised infantry divisions without tracked vehicles would also be called "light divisions".


1st Light Mechanized Division (France), Formation, Organisation
Another confusion often caused by the category indication is the mistake to assume that such units were "lightly" equipped: in fact most heavy equipment was concentrated into the motorised units which represented the most powerful in the French Army. The 1re DLM used the AMR 35 as a light skirmisher and the Somua S-35 and Hotchkiss H35 as main battle tanks, though the latter vehicle was not really suited for this role as its armament was too weak. The artillery and infantry components were fully motorised; part of the organic infantry was also mechanised, using half-tracks. In organisation a DLM closely resembled the contemporaneous German Panzerdivision of the Panzerwaffe, though it would be more "tank-heavy", not so much the Leichte Kavalleriedivisionen of the German Cavalry, which units in the thirties were only partly mechanised.


1st Light Mechanized Division (France), World War II, Battle Of France
During the Battle of France in May 1940 the division contained the following units:


1st Light Regiment of the Gendarmerie (Belgium)
The 1st Light Regiment (1LR), was a voluntary Gendarmerie regiment of the Belgian Army that served in the Battle of Belgium and in the German Occupation of Belgium.


1st Light Regiment of the Gendarmerie (Belgium), World War II
Two regiments were formed out of the Territorial Gendarmerie Police Force of Belgium. The 2nd and the 1st Light Regiment. As a local Police based unit, the 1st Light Regiment was formed out of units that had served in the First World War, and thus, already had veterans that can become the base for its manpower. Mobilized in late 1939, the 1st Light Regiment has two platoons, each armed with 4 newly deployed Machine guns. The 1st Light Regiment will have two Groups, each with 3 squadrons.


1st Light Regiment of the Gendarmerie (Belgium), World War II
When hostilities began on May 10, 1940, the 1st Light Regiment was at Charleroi, armed at the Belgian-French Border. The 1st Light Regiment dispatched multiple units to the north, becoming part of the defense of the K-W line. It was an important junction leading to the position of Namur, and therefore, needed to be protected.


1st Light Regiment of the Gendarmerie (Belgium), World War II
After the breach of the Albert Canal, and the attack on the Capital, the 1st Light Regiment was sent north to prevent a German breakthrough. German bombardment continues, as several parachute reports occur in the Dense regions near Brussels.


1st Light Regiment of the Gendarmerie (Belgium), World War II
The 1st Light Regiment was driven out of Brussels and scattered into the surrounding area. The 4th and 5th squadrons of Group II were sent away from the main Group, with 4th Squadron now in Antwerp, and 5th Squadron in reconnaissance missions.


1st Light Regiment of the Gendarmerie (Belgium), World War II
For the 1st Light Regiment, reconnaissance was their main goal. After only 6 days into the battle, the Allies decided to abandon the K-W line, including Brussels. Without allied support, the Belgians also had to withdraw. The retreat was complete by the next day. Most of Group II is still on other sides of the front.


1st Light Regiment of the Gendarmerie (Belgium), World War II
The regiment moves to Bovekerke, as now they were being held in reserve. Most of the professional Rijkswatchers of the 2nd Light Regiment were sent to Tielt, becoming part of the rearguard. This rearguard will be routed and mostly captured by May 24.


1st Light Regiment of the Gendarmerie (Belgium), World War II
Now repositioned in the south, the 1st Light Regiment was placed in reserve. Retreating with the remains of the Belgian front, reorganization was needed. The 4th and 5th Squadrons of the II Group (Group II) merged into a single unit, consisting of only 3 platoons.


1st Light Regiment of the Gendarmerie (Belgium), World War II
With little hope of support from the Allies, Colonel Dethise orders all Squadrons of the Regiment to gather at Bovekerke. Then, surrenders his regiment over to the Germans. The normal personnel and Infantry soldiers were immediately disarmed.


1st Light Regiment of the Gendarmerie (Belgium), World War II
After the battle, some of the Gendarmerie Police returned to their duties, now under German occupation. These men included some experienced officers of the Rijkswachters. The rest all either retired or joined the Belgian resistance. After Belgium was liberated in 1944, many of the resistance fighters would return to their duties.


1st Light Regiment of the Gendarmerie (Belgium), Structure 1940
Structure of the regiment at the eve of the Battle of Belgium


1st Light Tank Company (Australia)
The 1st Light Tank Company was an Australian Army armoured unit formed in 1937 equipped with the Vickers Medium Mark II medium tank.


1st Light Tank Company (Australia)
The unit was raised in November 1937 from the disbanded 1st Tank Section, with the men and equipment transferred to the unit and was based at Randwick, New South Wales. The unit was disbanded in March 1941.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers
The 1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers were formed in 1860 as a response to a French invasion threat. They fought on the Western Front during World War I. In World War II, the unit took part in the Battle of France and Dunkirk evacuation, the Anglo-Iraqi War with 'Kingcol', the Western Desert Campaign in which it distinguished itself at the Battle of Sidi Rezegh, and finally fought as infantry in the Chindits. The unit was disbanded in 1947.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, Artillery Volunteers 1859-1908
The enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need. Three Artillery Volunteer Corps (AVCs) were formed in Lincolnshire in 1860 and they were brought together under the 1st Administrative Brigade, Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers in July 1861, with headquarters at Grimsby:


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, Artillery Volunteers 1859-1908
George Morland Hutton, a former Lieutenant in the 46th Foot, was appointed Major in command in 1862 and promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1866. He retained the command until 1897, when he was appointed Honorary Colonel and was succeeded as Commanding Officer (CO) by Lt-Col A. Bannister.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, Artillery Volunteers 1859-1908
In May 1880 the Corps were consolidated as the 1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, with six and a half batteries distributed as follows:


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, Artillery Volunteers 1859-1908
All artillery volunteer units were attached to one of the territorial garrison divisions of the Royal Artillery (RA) in 1882, with the 1st Lincolnshire joining the Eastern Division. In 1886, the unit's title was changed to 3rd Volunteer (Lincolnshire) Brigade, Eastern Division, RA. The divisions were reorganised in 1889 when the 1st Lincolns tranferred to the Western Divisionand took the title became the 1st Lincolnshire AVC (Western Division, RA). By 1890, the unit comprised four Position Artillery batteries (semi-mobile units organised to work alongside the Volunteer Infantry brigades). In 1891, a drill hall was built in Victoria Street North, Grimsby.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, Artillery Volunteers 1859-1908
In 1899, the Artillery Volunteers were transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA), and when the territirial divisions were abolished the unit became the 1st Lincolnshire RGA (Volunteers)on 1 January 1902 with the role of heavy artillery.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, Territorial Force
When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908, it was organised into regional infantry divisions, each with an establishment of four Royal Field Artillery (RFA) brigades. The 1st Lincolnshire RGA (V) became I North Midland Brigade, RFA (TF), in the North Midland Division, with the following organisation:


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, Territorial Force
Lieutenant-Colonel Ernest Grange, who had been in command since 1902, continued as CO of the new unit. He was succeeded on 2 July 1910 by Lt-Col J. Tonge, VD, who was still CO on the outbreak of World War I.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, Mobilisation
The order to mobilise was received on 4 August 1914. Shortly afterwards, the men were invited to volunteer for overseas service, and the majority having accepted this liability, the North Midland Division concentrated at Luton. In November, it moved to the area round Bishop's Stortford where it completed its war training. At the time of mobilisation, the batteries of I North Midland Bde were each equipped with four 15-pounder guns.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, Mobilisation
On 15 August 1914, the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas. The flood of recruits coming forward were enrolled in these 2nd Line units. The 2/I North Midland Brigade was assigned to the 2nd North Midland Division


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade
The North Midland Division began embarking for France on 25 February 1915, and by 8 March had completed its concentration at Ploegsteert in Belgium – the first complete TF division to deploy to the Western Front with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). It was numbered the 46th (North Midland) Division shortly afterwards.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Hooge
Over the following months, the artillery supported the infantry in routine trench warfare in the Ypres Salient. On 19 July, the Royal Engineers exploded a mine under the German Army's positions at Hooge, but the infantry of 3rd Division tasked with seizing the crater had not been given a supporting artillery fireplan. As the infantry were being driven out by German artillery, counter-battery fire from 46th Division's guns and other neighbouring artillery helped to rectify the situation. When the Germans attacked the Hooge crater with flamethrowers on 30 July, 139th (Sherwood Foresters) Brigade of 46th Division was able to stabilise the line with the help of the divisional artillery.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Hohenzollern Redoubt
46th Division's first offensive operation was the Battle of the Hohenzollern Redoubt. This was an attempt to restart the failed Battle of Loos, and the division was moved down from Ypres on 1 October for the purpose. The Germans recaptured the Hohenzollern trench system on 3 October, and the new attack was aimed at this point. The artillery bombardment (by the field guns of 46th and 28th Division, backed by heavy batteries) began at 12.00 on 13 October and the infantry went in at 14.00 behind a gas cloud. The attack was a disaster, most of the leading waves being cut down by machine gun and shell fire from German positions that had not been suppressed by the bombardment.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Hohenzollern Redoubt
1/I NM Brigade was re-equipped with 18-pounder guns in November. On 23 December the 46th (NM) Division was ordered to embark for Egypt. It entrained for Marseilles, and some of the infantry had actually reached Egypt before the order was rescinded on 21 January 1916. The artillery returned from Marseilles and the whole division reassembled on the Western Front near Amiens by 14 February.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Gommecourt
On 1 May 1916, the division was ordered into the line facing Gommecourt in preparation for the forthcoming Somme Offensive. Over the first 10 days of the month, the divisional artillery took over the existing battery positions along this front and began digging additional gun pits, observation posts (OPs) and dugouts to new designs. During this period, the field brigades of the BEF were reorganised.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Gommecourt
On 19 April 1916 an extra battery of four 18-pounders was formed, and on 13 May the brigade was assigned a number as CCXXX (230) Brigade, RFA, the batteries being redesignated A, B, C and D. Then on 23 May the new D Bty was exchanged for the former 1st Derbyshire Howitzer Bty of CCXXXIII (4th NM) Bde, equipped with 4.5-inch howitzers, which became D (H) Bty. Lastly, the Brigade Ammunition Columns were merged into the Divisional Ammunition Column. Lieutenant-Colonel Tonge was awarded a CMG in the June 1916 Birthday Honours List.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Gommecourt
Preparations were under way for the 46th and 56th (1st London) Divisions to carry out an Attack on the Gommecourt Salient as a diversion from the main offensive further south. 46th Division would attack from the north west, converging with 56th from the south west. On 18 June, 46th Divisional artillery was allocated its tasks for wire-cutting and registration of targets ahead of the attack. It was divided into two groups: CCXXX Bde was grouped with CCXXXIII Bde on the right under Lt-Col Tonge, supporting 137th (Staffordshire) Brigade, which was to make the division's right attack towards Gommecourt Wood.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Gommecourt
Right Group had its batteries dug in west and south west of Gommecourt with a concentration of three batteries around Chateau de la Haye and three others scattered around Sailly-au-Bois and Foncquevillers intermixed with 56th Division's batteries. Right Group's responsibility was the German line from the westernmost tip of Gommecourt Park to a point just north of the Gommecourt–Foncquevillers road.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Gommecourt
46th Division used a high proportion of its 18-pounder ammunition to bombard enemy trenches and lines of communication, and a smaller proportion (about 27 per cent) of shrapnel shells to cut German Wire entanglements. One lane was to be cut by A/CCXXX Bty through the wire halfway up the side of Gommecourt Park as a diversion from the actual front to be attacked. A/CCXXX Battery had a daily allocation of 350 shells, while the other batteries each had 480.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Gommecourt
Apart from the wire-cutting batteries, the divisional artillery was under the direction of VII Corps during the preliminary bombardment, which began on 24 June, but at zero hour it reverted to divisional control. Once the infantry went 'over the top' the field guns were to make a series of short 'lifts', almost amounting to a 'creeping barrage'.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Gommecourt
A final 'whirlwind' bombardment by all the guns began at 06.25 on 1 July and at zero hour (07.30) 137th Brigade made its attack with 1/6th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment and 1/6th Bn North Staffordshire Regiment in the lead. Patrols had already established that the German wire was not adequately cut: there were four partially cut lanes on the South Staffs' front and five areas of weakened wire in front of the North Staffs.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Gommecourt
In addition, German casualties during the bombardment had been few because of their deep dugouts, and when the attack went in their men emerged to receive the attack with heavy machine-gun and rifle fire from their trenches and from Gommecourt Wood. Held up by uncut wire in dead ground and by enemy fire, the brigade's leading two waves only reached the German first line and were forced to take cover in shell holes where they exchanged Grenade attacks with the Germans. The third wave was stopped by machine gun fire 100 yards (91 m) short of the first line.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Gommecourt
The British infantry were unable to keep up with the covering barrage of the 18-pounders, which was lifted onto each enemy trench line to a strict timetable: artillery observation during the attack was difficult due to the smoke and confusion. Meanwhile, the supporting waves were held up in the jumping-off trenches or in No man's land by enemy shellfire. The whole attack had halted in bloody failure by 08.00.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Gommecourt
The Forward Observation Officer of CCXXX Bde reported the holdup at 08.16. The commander of 137th Bde attempted to bring the barrage back so that a second attack could be launched by the supporting battalions (1/5th South Staffs and 1/5th North Staffs). At about 08.45, VII Corps ordered a renewed bombardment on Gommecourt Wood, but the support units were already inextricably held up by mud and shellfire in their own trenches and the attack was postponed several times. It was not until 15.30 that 137th Bde was ready to attack again. However, the neighbouring brigade never began the advance, and 137th Bde's officers called off the attack at the last minute.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Reorganisation
The Gommecourt attack had been a diversion, and it was not renewed after the first day's disaster. 46th Division remained in position while the Somme offensive continued further south throughout the summer and autumn. There was further reorganisation amongst divisional artillery on 28 August, in which CCXXXIII Bde was broken up, with its A Bty (formerly D Bty of the CCXXX Bde) rejoining, with Right Section assigned to A/CCXXX, Left Section to B/CCXXX, and Left Section of C/CCXXXIII joining C/CCXXX to bring them up to six 18-pounders each. A final round of reorganisation came in the new year, when CCXXXII (3rd NM) Bde left the division, leaving a section of its C Bty (formerly 512 (Howitzer) Bty) to bring D (H)/CCXXX up to six 4.5-inch howitzers. For the remainder of the war the brigade had the following organisation.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Bucquoy
At the beginning of March 1917, patrols found that the Germans were beginning to retreat from the Gommecourt defences. 46th (NM) Division followed up slowly and cautiously, but on the night of 14 March an attack on Bucquoy Graben (trench) by 137th Brigade led to heavy casualties. The rushed attack had been ordered by V Corps headquarters despite the protests of the divisional commander, and there was not time for the artillery adequately to cut the enemy wire.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Bucquoy
The attack went in behind an artillery barrage moving at 100 yards in four minutes but although 'the assault was gallantly pressed' (Official History) it was a complete failure. The Germans eventually retreated as far as their new Hindenburg Line defences well beyond the Somme battlefields (Operation Alberich), but 46th Division was withdrawn from the pursuit on 17 March.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Lens
After rest and training, 46th Division returned to the line in the coal-mining sector around Lens in April. In May and June, the division carried out small-scale operations against Hill 65. 46th Division was now ordered to capture Lens itself, beginning on 28 June. Another divisional attack on 1 July aimed at capturing more houses and trenches. 137 Brigade attacked 'Aconite' trench behind a creeping barrage beginning at 02.47. By 07.00 the two right companies held Aconite, but the two left companies were held up in severe house-to-house fighting.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, Lens
A second push at 08.00 cleared the cellars round the church and caused heavy casualties to the defenders. But in the afternoon a German counter-attacks drove the battalion back to its start line. After Lens, the division was withdrawn into reserve, and did not engage in major operations again during 1917.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, St Quentin Canal
The 46th Division had been very unlucky during the war, the infantry in particular taking appalling casualties at the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Gommecourt, but it gained revenge at the Battle of the St Quentin Canal on 29 September 1918 when it performed one of the great feats of World War I by crossing the canal and breaking open the Hindenburg Line. Careful artillery preparation and support was an integral part of this success.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, St Quentin Canal
46th Division had nine brigades of field artillery under its command, including CCXXX Bde, and several brigades of corps heavy artillery were also firing on the division's front. The bombardment began on the night of 26/27 September with harassing fire and gas shells, followed with intense bombardment with high explosive shells until the morning of the assault.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, St Quentin Canal
Every field gun was used in carefully timed barrages: creeping barrages (including smoke shells) ahead of the attacking troops, with pauses at the end of each phase, including a standing barrage of three hours to allow mopping-up of the first objectives to be carried out, and the second wave of troops to pass through and renew the attack behind the creeping barrage. The first of these creeping barrages actually progressed at twice the normal pace while the infantry rushed downhill to seize the canal crossings; it was described in the Official History as 'one of the finest ever seen'.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 1/I North Midland Brigade, St Quentin Canal
The attack was a brilliant success, and by the afternoon the field artillery batteries were crossing the canal by the bridges that had been captured or thrown across, and were coming into action on the far side. Over succeeding weeks, the division took part in a succession of successive follow-up attacks: Battle of the Beaurevoir Line, Battle of Cambrai (1918), Battle of the Selle and Battle of the Sambre (1918). On 8 November 1918, in its last operation of the war, 46th Division pushed forward 138th (Lincoln and Leicester) Brigade to seize the Avesnes road, aided by concentrations of fire from the field artillery, which had managed to keep up with the rapid advance.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade
Meanwhile, the men who had not volunteered for foreign service, together with the recruits who were coming forward, remained to form the 2/I North Midland Brigade, RFA, in the 2nd North Midland Division (59th (2nd North Midland) Division from August 1915), which concentrated round Luton in January 1915. At first the 2nd Line recruits had to parade in civilian clothes and train with 'Quaker' guns – logs of wood mounted on cart wheels – but these shortages were slowly made up.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade
Uniforms arrived in November 1914, but it was not until March 1915 that a few 90 mm French guns arrived for training. The division took over the requisitioned transport and second-hand horse harness when 46th Division was re-equipped and left for France. The divisional artillery were joined at Luton by the1st Line 4th Home Counties (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA, and Wessex Heavy Bty, RGA, which were fully equipped and could lend guns for training. Later, the 59th Divisional Artillery took over some 15-pounders from a TF division that was proceeding to India. In July, the division moved out of overcrowded Luton, the artillery moving to Hemel Hempstead, where they spent the winter of 1915–16. In early 1916, the batteries were finally brought up to establishment in horses, and 18-pounders replaced the 15-pounders.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Ireland
In April 1916, the 59th Division was the mobile division of Central Force in England, and it was ordered to Ireland when the Easter Rising occurred, the divisional artillery landing at Kingstown on 28 April. The artillery moved up to Ballsbridge to support the infantry but was not engaged, and once the trouble in Dublin had been suppressed, the troops moved out to The Curragh to continue training. As was the case with the RFA units in the BEF, the brigade went through major reorganisation at this time.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Ireland
On 29 April 1916, the batteries were designated A, B and C, and later the brigade was numbered CCXCV (295) Brigade, RFA. At the end of May the brigade was joined by 2/1st Hampshire Royal Horse Artillery (equipped with four 18-pounder field guns rather than horse artillery guns) which became D/CCXCV. However, on 10 July, the Hampshire RHA Bty was exchanged for A (Howitzer) Bty from CCXCVIII (2/IV NM) Bde (originally 2/1st Derbyshire Bty). This became D (H) Bty, equipped with 4.5-inch howitzers. On 31 July, the Brigade Ammunition Column was absorbed into 59th Divisional Ammunition Column.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Western Front
In January 1917, the 59th Division was relieved in Ireland and returned to the UK, concentrating at the Fovant training area on the edge of Salisbury Plain preparatory to embarking for France. Before leaving for France, CCXCVII (2/III NM) Bde was broken up, with sections Btys joining A, B and C Btys of CCXCV Bde to bring them up to six 18-pounders each. Once in France, D (H) Bty was made up to six 4.5-inch howitzers by the addition of a section from C (H) Bty from CCLXXXVII (2/III West Lancashire) Bde in 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division. For the remainder of the war the brigade had the following organisation.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Western Front
59th Division began crossing to France on 17 February 1917 and concentrated around Méricourt. The last unit arrived on 17 March, the day the Germans began their retreat to the Hindenburg Line (Operation Alberich). The brigade immediately took part in following this retreat in March and April.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, 3rd Ypres
The 59th Division took part in following the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line in March and April, but it was not until September that it was engaged in its first full-scale action, the phase of the 3rd Ypres Offensive known as the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge. New artillery tactics involved five belts of fire, the first two fired by 18-pounders, the third by 4.5-inch howitzers, moving at a slow pace with frequent pauses to allow the infantry to keep up.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, 3rd Ypres
Batteries also had the task of swinging off to engage targets of opportunity, and had spare detachments to avoid exhaustion of the gunners. The barrage was described as 'magnificent both in accuracy and volume', German counterattacks were broken up by shellfire, and the attack was a resounding success. > The next phase, the Battle of Polygon Wood (26 September), was equally successful, with 176th (2/1st Staffordshire) Brigade advancing steadily behind its barrage onto the final objectives.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Bourlon Wood
59th Division was next moved south to join in the Battle of Cambrai. The division entered the recently captured line between Cantaing and Bourlon Wood on 28 November. Fierce German counter-attacks began on 30 November. Two infantry assaults were made against 176th Brigade, but both attacks were easily broken up under British artillery fire. By 4 December the decision had been made to withdraw from the Bourlon Salient, and 59th Division held covering positions while this was carried out. On 7 December the British were back on the line that they would hold for the coming winter.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Spring Offensive
When the German spring offensive began on 21 March 1918 (the Battle of St Quentin), 59th Division was holding the Bullecourt Salient, squarely in the path of the German thrust. Its two field artillery brigades (CCXCV and CCXCVI (2/II NM)) were bolstered by the presence of XXVI Army Field Artillery Brigade. The British knew the attack was coming: from 02.00 that morning CCXCV Bde had been firing 'counter-preparation' tasks, but the must was so thick that one battery could barely see the gunflashes of its neighbour.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Spring Offensive
From 05.00 the front line and forward gun positions came under very heavy enemy fire. The situation soon became desperate, the forward infantry brigades were almost totally destroyed, and the reserves moving up were swamped. The division's field guns in the forward zone were captured after firing over open sights at the advancing Germans. Word trickled back that the forward guns of D (H)/CCXCV and 116/XXVI Btys had fired off all their ammunition and blown up their guns. The rear guns engaged the advancing enemy as they emerged from the mist towards the gun positions, which were defended by rear details, including the gunners using rifles and Lewis guns, until the next defence line behind could be prepared.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Spring Offensive
At 18.30 that day, Major W.P.J. Akerman, the officer commanding A/CCXCV Bty, was put in command of the remnants of the three field artillery brigades. His force consisted of:


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Spring Offensive
These guns engaged the enemy at first light the next day as they fought their way into Mory, and were still action at 21.00 in front of Divisional HQ at Behagnies. During the night of 22/23 March Akerman pulled his guns back to a position north west of Gomiecourt to fire in the Mory–Ervillers–Behagnies area, covering the defence line that the surviving brigades of 59th Division were endeavouring to establish. XXVI Brigade came under the command of 177th (2/1st Lincoln and Leicester) Brigade, and CCXCV and CCXCVI under 178th (2/1st Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire) Brigade.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Spring Offensive
During the afternoon C/CCXCV Bty got six guns back into action, and D (H)/CCXCVI received three new howitzers that day. Late in the day Akerman was ordered to retire at once to Courcelles, but his own patrols reported all quiet, so he did not withdraw until 14.00 when the infantry retired. Through the following days of the Battle of Bapaume and the 'Great Retreat', the remaining batteries of 59th Divisional Artillery remained in action under the command of 40th Division.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Spring Offensive
Although the rest of 59th Division was withdrawn, its artillery remained in the front line, under the command of 42nd (East Lancashire) Division, with which it fought at the Battles of Arras (28 March) and the Ancre (5 April).


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Reconstruction
59th Division, without its artillery, was back in the line on 14 April, when it was again in the path of a German offensive (the Battle of Bailleul) and remnants took part in the 1st Battle of Kemmel Ridge (17–18 April). By now, 59th Division's infantry had been almost destroyed. The units were reduced to training cadres and the division was later reconstructed with garrison battalions. Until June, it was employed in digging rear defences, then it underwent training to enable it to hold a sector of the front line. On 25 July the reconstructed division went back into the line, and on 21 August it once more took part in active operations.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Reconstruction
However, the Divisional Artillery (CCXCV and CCXCVI Bdes) remained in the line, serving with various formations as required: 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division (15–24 April and 17 May–19 June), 37th Division (24 April–17 May), XVIII Corps (23 June–1 July), 5th Division (1–8 August) and 61st (2nd South Midland) Division (8–26 August).


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Advance to Victory
59th Divisional Artillery rejoined its parent division on 27 August 1918. From 2 October until 11 November 1918 the division participated in the final advance in Artois and Flanders. On 2 October, 59th Division ordered two minor operations in which detachments advanced under cover of smoke and a creeping barrage; these determined that the enemy had retired, and so the division advanced against little opposition. On 16 October, the division fought its way through the old defences of Lille, and liberated the city against minimal opposition the following day. Opposition stiffened at the River Schelde was approached, but this was crossed in early November.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War I, 2/I North Midland Brigade, Advance to Victory
The Armistice on 11 November found the division astride the Schelde north of Tournai. It moved to the coast to operate demobilisation centres at Dieppe, Dunkirk and Calais in early 1919, and to train drafts for continued service in Egypt and the Black Sea. 59th Divisional Artillery including CCXCV Brigade, was demobilised on 8 August 1919.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, Interwar years
After the war, the unit was reconstituted as the 1st North Midland Brigade RFA (TA) in the reformed Territorial Army, with two Lincolnshire Batteries and two from the former Leicestershire Royal Horse Artillery and Nottinghamshire Royal Horse Artillery, and the headquarters moved to Nottingham. Once more the unit formed part of the 46th (North) Midland Division. In 1921, the unit was designated 60th (North Midland) Brigade, RFA (TA), changing to 60th (North Midland) Field Brigade, RA (TA) in 1924 when the RFA was subsumed into the Royal Artillery (RA).


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, Interwar years
From then until 1938, the unit had the following organisation:


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, Interwar years
The bulk of 46th (North Midland) Division was converted into 2nd Anti - Aircraft Division in December 1935, and 60th (North Midland) left to become an Army Field Brigade in Northern Command. After the Munich Crisis in 1938, the TA was doubled in size and in October 1938 the RA adopted a new establishment for field regiments (as brigades were now termed). For the 60th (North Midland), this meant that the Leicester and Nottingham batteries left in early 1939 to form a separate unit, the 115th Field Regiment based in Leicester.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, Interwar years
60th (North Midland) Field Regiment now consisted of the two Lincolnshire batteries, 237 at Lincoln and 239 (later 238) at Grimsby, and the regimental headquarters (RHQ) moved to Lincoln. (For some reason, the new regiment initially took the battery numbers 237 and 239, while the 115th took 238 and 240, even though the original 238 had been a Lincolnshire battery based at Grimsby. The logical numbering was only restored by an order of the Adjutant-General's office on 11 August 1941.)


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, Interwar years
The establishment of a field regiment was now two batteries each of three troops of four guns, giving a total of 24 guns. These were still World War I 18-pounders re-equipped with pneumatic tyres and towed by motor tractors.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Battle of France
On the outbreak of war in September 1939, 60th (North Midland) Army Field Regiment mobilised at Lincoln and Grimsby, trained at Bordon Camp, and crossed to France to join the British Expeditionary Force on 7 January 1940 under the command of Lt-Col F.P. Hallifax. As an army regiment, it was assigned by GHQ to II Corps, which in turn assigned it to support 5th Division. The division was in GHQ Reserve when the 'Phoney War' ended with the German invasion of the Low Countries on 10 May.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Battle of France
The BEF followed the pre-arranged Plan D and advanced into Belgium to take up defences along the Dyle, with 5th Division moving up behind this line. However, the collapse of the Dutch forces and the German Army's rapid breakthrough in the Ardennes soon threatened the BEF's positions. The BEF began to withdraw to the Escaut, with 5th Division moving into GHQ Reserve at Seclin. Between 21 and 23 May, the BEF retired again to the canals along the Franco-Belgian frontier.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Battle of France
By now, it was cut off from the rest of France, and 5th Division was holding a dangerous salient around Arras and had passed to III Corps. 5th Division was due to counter-attack southwards, but on 25 May the BEF's Commander-in-Chief, Lord Gort, ordered it northwards instead, to plug a dangerous gap near Ypres. There it came under heavy attack for three days and was supported by all available corps artillery.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Battle of France
The decision to evacuate the BEF through Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo) was made on 26 May, and 5th Division's stand helped to maintain the north-eastern front of the shrinking 'pocket' as troops streamed towards the port. It withdrew to the inner perimeter of the bridgehead on the night of 29/30 May. Once inside the bridgehead, all remaining guns and equipment were destroyed, and the troops took their turn to wait for boats to take them back to Southern England. The bulk of II Corps was evacuated on 31 May/1 June.


1st Lincolnshire Artillery Volunteers, World War II, Battle of France
After reaching England, 60th Army Fd Rgt was assigned to XII Corps holding the vital area of South-East England, though equipment was very scarce, particularly field guns. Once the regiment had been re-equipped with modern 25-pounder field gun-howitzers, it was rostered for overseas service (together with its Signal Section of the Royal Corps of Signals) and left Home Forces in late February 1941. It reached Egypt in May, and immediately sent C troop of 237 Fd Bty to reinforce the garrison of Cyprus.