20th Hussars

The 20th Hussars was a Cavalry Regiment that would have had an MG Section as part of its Regimental Headquarters. Prior to the start of the Great War, Lieutenant WCM Beech of the regiment was one of the first members of the British Army to attend, and qualify from, a Vickers Gun course run – the 53rd Qualifying Machine Gun Course –  by the School of Musketry at Hythe between 29 January and 20 February 1914.

The Great War

20th Hussars

As a unit of the 5th Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, it will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.
1914
12 to 15 September BATTLE OF THE AISNE
12 October to 02 November Battle of Messine [Cav. Corps].
BATTLES OF YPRES
30 and 31 October Battle of Gheluvelt (3rd Cav. Bde. and part of 4th and 5th Cav. Bdes.) [I. Corps].
1915
10 to 12 March Battle of Neuve Chappelle (5th Cav. Bde.) [In Reserve to First Army].
BATTLES OF YPRES
26 April to 03 May Battle of St. Julien [Plumer’s Force, Second Army].
24 and 25 May Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge [V. Corps, Second Army].
The MG Section was brigaded into the 5th Cavalry MG Squadron on 26 February 1916.

The Inter-war Period

In 1922, the Machine Gun Corps was disbanded and the guns returned to the Cavalry Regiment as a Machine Gun Troop. In April 1922, the 14th Hussars (two squadrons) was amalgamated with the 20th Hussars (1 squadron) to form 14th/20th Hussars.

Sources

  • Becke, 1934
  • School of Musketry, Register of the School of Musketry 1911 to 1924 (Hythe: Corps of Small Arms and Machine Gun Schools; 1924).
  • The National Archives, WO 123/64 Army Orders 1922.