15th 15th brigade sized formation served alongside british_empire forces world war originally called formed provided indian states provided regiment maximum regiments served brigade time states provided smaller detachments brigade times reinforced british_empire regiments artillery batteries operations october moved sea egypt force egypt defending suez_canal years war soldiers involved small scale battles connected offensive spent time patrolling west bank canal november involved battle following year brigade joined 15th played active role british victory turkish forces palestine total eighty men brigade killed action died wounds wounded memorials erected commemorate brigade middle_east india anniversary brigade famous victory celebrated today successors background proposed independent armies indian states provide british_empire troops service outside indian states forces recognised allies troops subject serving alongside field commander alongside serving recognised higher legal authority accordance act eliminate supply problems states armies field uniform weapons regular appointed staff officers designated military advisers assist independent states rulers training organisation forces commanded indian officers contrast units british officers senior command posts commissioned officers trained troop platoon level command included cavalry infantry artillery transport regiments battalions states contributing men equipment states provide troops active service expedition sent troops burma second anglo boer war boxer rebellion china british relief force contingent raised troops sent troops serve campaign start world war states provided cavalry regiments thirteen infantry battalions seven transport units companies corps regiments batteries mountain artillery totalling men brigade organisation october command brigadier general men gathered service world war brigade headquarters establishment seven officers seven men including brigade commander british officers brigade staff attached sir captain commandant commanded captain 4th rifles brigade headquarters establishment indian officer seven men ranks including riders brigade included commanded establishment indian officers british indians ranks fighting component brigade formed cavalry regiments squadrons 1st commanded seven officers british ranks including troops troop commanded thirty officers british ranks commanded colonel officers ranks formation remained transferred serve campaign brigade regained regiment commanded colonel serving western france arrived theatre final unit assigned brigade formed june cavalry regiment machine gun sections unit sources refer squadron 15th imperial service brigade machine gun squadron brigade unit cavalry regiments brigade headquarters included attached officers advisors cavalry regiments attached colonel commander chief accompanied observer joined brigade seven attached war establishment british officers assigned cavalry regiments gradually increased february regiment assigned complement british officers regiments reached service history waiting embark egypt brigade conducted regimental brigade training programmes ranks animals inspected found unfit service returned regimental depots october brigade moved bombay transport ships carrying brigade sailed november seventh ship carrying squadrons remained mechanical problems finally set sail fortnight later main body brigade arrived november travelled train days later started war time patrols banks brigade assigned higher formation time command general headquarters unit attached brigade administrative purposes operationally attached expand area brigade patrol squadrons detached crossing time brigade responsible patrolling length suez_canal british forces defending canal static infantry formations comprising 42nd east lancashire 10th 11th included brigades turkish opponents men region including 25th division end contact turkish forces january brigade informed large turkish force moved stations reinforced squadron involved small action brigade involvement combat end month small battles occurred night february turkish opponents tried cross canal force attempt failed february brigade moved infantry support seven miles east located turkish forces estimated brigades strength captured men ninety february turkish withdrawn east canal longer immediate danger brigade returned canal resumed normal patrolling routine end february ordered return destroy water sources turkish advance brigade action march squadrons included force sent assault turkish formation infantry cavalry supported artillery entrenched miles east short fight turkish withdrew intended cut retreat soft terrain prevented getting position time april patrols reported force men opened fire counter new threat canal brigade moved day advanced failed locate turkish troops returned april patrol attacked estimated men artillery support response brigade crossed canal night supported infantry egyptian artillery advanced turkish believed located guide reported lost brigade continued bypassing arriving midday discovered turkish withdrawing north setting pursuit caught turkish rearguard forced stop fight loss killed wounded brigade killed turkish soldiers captured thirteen april pursuit called brigade returned canal times following months brigade responded reports turkish incursions came november squadron located turkish force men miles east pursued turkish withdrew killed seven men captured wounded dead leader led turkish raids canal death attacks ceased january patrolling east suez_canal left british australian light horse formations concentrated patrolling railway line west canal restricted area non military personnel march assumed command region replaced brigade commander brigadier general brigade reduced cavalry regiments left brigade carried weapons signal training year ended involved contact turkish february brigade ordered relieve british 6th east bank canal moved brigade headquarters weeks brigade sent patrols april ordered relocate days later brigadier general took command help counter expected turkish attack early brigade ordered brigade marched miles days arrived april came command division army reserve orders counter attack turkish left flank expected attack came instead moving canal brigade lines communication troops based months brigade deployed rear area security patrolling duties cavalry regiments received vickers machine gun replace older ranks training courses vickers newer version lee rifle issued september cavalry regiments pack horses started replaced horse drawn wagons regiments issued hotchkiss machine guns troop battle september brigade moved line given responsibility patrolling area taking command october time brigade mounted formation direct command remaining british attack capture november plan infantry capture initial objectives brigade released advance mediterranean coastline turn right attack turkish rear headquarters battle started british infantry captured objectives brigade started turkish counter attack regained previous positions brigade advance called night november continued british attacks forced turkish withdraw brigade ordered forward pursue brigade north leading squadron located turkish rearguard included heavy machine gun position attacked rest brigade attacked approached objective came heavy artillery bombardment leaving squadron machine guns provide fire support rest attacked capturing line artillery fire held ordered withdraw rejoin rest brigade concentrated brigade came command november ordered west link advancing east moved east attached brigade came heavy machine gun artillery fire preventing brigade advancing turkish bombardment continued observed withdrawing ordered cut retreat dug turkish positions halted brigade advance day brigade eventually contact 4th completing link morning november spent trying water horses water hours brigade retreating turkish moving best speed brigade reached high ground east capturing artillery guns rifles ammunition route troops sent forward locate turkish rearguard found crossing plain early morning patrols sent locate turkish forces brigade unexpectedly ordered despite heavy fire brigade subjected casualties battle light officers ranks wounded sixteen horses killed wounded turkish casualties estimated dead taken prisoner artillery guns captured early january brigade trained equipped included issue april detached brigade coming command finally 60th division rest brigade moved jordan valley arriving april day brigade designated reserve concentrated miles west final day raid brigade new_zealand wellington mounted rifles regiment attached ordered cross jordan form defensive screen east bank cover withdrawal remained place reached crossed jordan safely brigade patrols following days brigade patrolled east resulting numerous contacts turkish defenders prisoners captured assigned brigade returned command parent new_zealand mounted rifles brigade brigade came command moved position miles north remaining australians june left newly raised month brigade involved training staff exercises time brigade machine gun squadron formed july brigade left jordan valley resume place line july brigade squadrons involved small battles area included charge turkish positions followed separate charge squadron retreating action day fighting resulted turkish dead seventy prisoners taken wounded 9th 11th cavalry regiments brigade casualties dead seven wounded missing battles mentioned army despatches july 2nd renamed brigade 15th early august brigade carried patrols crossing august turkish found withdrawn overnight small turkish force returned august withdrew brigade engage brigade remained area night august relieved weeks taken regimental brigade training september brigade started returning line detached brigade september escort prisoners september battery honourable artillery company attached brigade forthcoming operations september brigade leading left acre advance unopposed day reached village leading squadron shelled came small arms fire region village turkish artillery guns heights overlooking brigade line approach east supported machine gun posts infantry west main road brigade deployed forces squadron supported machine guns capture mount second squadron cover main road remainder regiment machine guns advance acre railway line deploy open wait orders brigade headquarters remainder machine gun squadron artillery battery north position supported covering fire artillery charge guns caught brigade squadron detached support mount attack scheduled start artillery battery reconnaissance patrols sent look turkish positions kept suppressing fire turkish responded counter battery fire attack commenced time advanced squadron columns face heavy turkish rifle machine gun fire charged railway line terrain forced left impassable forced left leading squadron crossed railway line captured machine gun positions cleared way remainder regiment charge town time regiment second squadron moved right capturing artillery guns machine guns remaining squadrons charged town virtually unopposed facing sporadic rifle fire reached town soon joined squadrons way outskirts capturing artillery guns route squadrons giving covering fire came heavy artillery machine gun fire mouth squadron mounted charged turkish positions capturing artillery guns machine guns prisoners town secure squadron charged turkish position capturing inch naval gun mountain artillery guns machine guns seventy prisoners charge joined squadron captured prisoners prisoners taken inside town german officers turkish officers ranks inch naval guns inch guns guns pound guns machine guns large quantity ammunition captured brigade casualties relatively light indian officer ranks killed indian officers ranks wounded horses killed eighty wounded advance brigade rested days rejoined september day resumed advance arriving lake sea september horses brigade advanced reaching halted night start early day wait right stopped turkish forces brigade resumed advance delay reach midnight september day brigade designated reserve responsible guarding transport columns day divisions held fourteen hours small placed turkish detachment september brigade ordered head round turkish october brigade miles north ordered new position miles east damascus division reserve responsible capture day october day british_empire forces officially entered damascus marked short period rest british forces brigade advance resume october objective reached unopposed october day lieutenant colonel allied officer enter arab revolt forces commanded arrived afternoon assumed control local government brigade continued advance capturing villages following days tell october october october october october reached midday october brigade rested days october headed orders repair bridge destroyed retreating turkish forces day assisted field squadron royal engineers spent repairing bridge brigade advanced reaching october brigade expected rest days ordered continue advance brigade preceded seven light armoured cars remainder division following day october armoured cars advance stopped turkish defences near turkish held strong defensive line ridge line south west brigade ordered occupy position road clear turkish trenches ridge west reached ridge line october position evacuated intelligence locals suggested force men small artillery guns heading north brigade set pursuit leading squadrons machine gun section reached position overlooking north came turkish small arms fire ordered immediate brigade attack east ridge charge village followed squadrons remainder brigade machine gun squadron ridge provide covering fire squadrons armoured cars light armoured motor battery arrived ordered main road support attack attack started leading armoured car developed fault returned start position misunderstanding rest battery followed taking attack started advance moved east position charge discovering turkish line longer expected taking range supporting machine guns charged turkish position killing men capturing fire support machine gun squadron unable penetrate turkish defences forced withdraw rear turkish position observation extent turkish position fully appreciated estimated held force infantry cavalry artillery guns thirty machine guns group turkish soldiers started position halted yards short started dig new defensive trenches unable progress larger force brigade kept position observation turkish seen withdrawing completely evacuated positions midnight 14th arrived setting observation lines daylight took 15th brigade positions day battle turkish casualties estimated men brigade lost british officers including attached indian officer sixteen ranks officers british ranks wounded ranks reported missing night turkish forces withdrew miles north west strong continue advance halted waiting catch october day unsuccessful charge brigade division reserve ordered events overtook noon october armistice agreed previous day war ottoman_empire ended disbandment armistice brigade remained palestine occupation forces began immediately brigade broken january suffer casualties associated western france units escape loss men killed action man died result wounds reported missing believed killed wounded men taken prisoner released end war men wounded men killed action died result wounds seven reported missing believed killed wounded casualties serving brigade seventeen men killed action died result wounds missing believed killed taken prisoner thirty wounded casualties recorded brigade history commonwealth war graves commission records attached brigade seven dead service men brigade given orders decorated brigade received order order british_empire order british india fourteen military crosses military medals mentioned despatches memorials main memorial brigade soldiers memorial stone bronze sculpture inscribed names members brigade killed action image box statues represent soldiers memorial site fighting inscribed date battle units involved details casualties port memorial erected canal commemorate indian officers soldiers killed palestine campaign known grave brigade capture september remembered present capture recognised british government awarded battle honour british army commander despatches commented contribution men brigade opportunity expressing appreciation valuable services high qualities following contingents respective ruling chiefs placed disposal formation commanders brigadier general october march brigadier general march april brigadier general april units assigned 1st october october october october 15th october 15th june units attached administration october november september battery honourable artillery company september
15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade