3rd Cavalry Machine Gun Squadron

A Cavalry Machine Gun Squadron was attached to each Cavalry Brigade. It was formed from the Machine Gun Sections of a Cavalry Regiment.

Brigade attached to: 3rd Cavalry Brigade
Division attached to: 2nd Cavalry Division
Formed from the: Machine Gun Section of 4th Hussars
Machine Gun Section of 5th Royal Irish Lancers
Machine Gun Section of 16th Lancers

The 3rd Cavalry MG Sqdn, MGC was formed on 29 February 1916.

As a unit of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, it will have taken part in the following battles and engagements.

1917
BATTLES OF ARRAS
09 to 12 April First Battle of the Scarpe [Cav. Corps, Third Army].
BATTLES OF CAMBRAI
20 and 21 November The Tank Attack [Cav. Corps, Third Army].
24 to 28 November Capture of Bourlon Wood [Cav. Corps, Third Army]
30 November to 03 December The German Counter-Attacks [Cav. Corps, Third Army].
1918
21 March to 03 April FIRST BATTLES OF THE SOMME
21 to 23 March Battle of St. Quentin [III. Corps, Fifth Army].
BATTLES OF THE LYS
14 and 15 April Battle of Hazebrouck [Cav. Corps, with Second Army].
THE ADVANCE TO VICTORY
08 to 11 April Battle of Amiens [Cav. Corps, Fourth Army].
SECOND BATTLES OF THE SOMME
21 to 23 April Battle of Albert [Third Army].
BATTLES OF THE HINDERBERG LINE
27 September to 01 October Battle of the Canal du Nord (3rd and 4th Cav. Bdes.) [With Third Army].
09 to 12 October Pursuit to the Selle (3rd Cav. Bde.) [With First Army].
THE FINAL ADVANCE
17 October to 11 November In Picardy [With First, Third and Fourth Armies].
11 November Capture of Mons (5th Royal Lancers and 1 Sec. “D” R.H.A. (3rd Cav. Bde.)) [With 3rd Cdn. Div., Cdn. Corps, First Army].

On the 11th November the brigades of the 2nd Cavalry Division reached the following line:- 5th Bde. (Fourth Army), Clairfayts (eight miles east of Avesnes); 4th Bde. (Third Army), Erquelinnes (eight miles east of Mauberge); and 3rd Bde. (First Army), Havre and St. Denis (four miles east and north-east of Mons).

On the 15th November the 2nd Cavalry Division was re-formed near Mauberge, and on the 16th orders were issued for the 2nd Cavalry Division to cover the front of the Fourth Army during the march into Germany. The advance was begun on the 17th November; Ciney and Rochefort were reached on the 22nd, and on the 1st December the 5th Bde. crossed the German Frontier (south of St. Vith). Between the 17th and 20th December the division moved to the area (south and south-east of Liege) which had been allocated to it for winter quarters. Here it remained until the 30th January, 1919, when orders were received for the exchange of certain regiments with the 1st and 3rd Cavalry Divisions. The reconstituted 2nd Cavalry Division was to be sent back gradually to England, to be available for eventual service overseas. Finally at midnight, 31st March / 1st April, the 2nd Cavalry Division ceased to exist.


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