North Irish Horse - The Great War

The Great War

The declaration of war against Germany in August 1914 found the North Irish Horse at summer camp, as was its sister regiment the South Irish Horse. The Expeditionary Force squadron (designated A Squadron) under the command of Major Lord Cole, consisting of 6 officers and 154 other ranks, along with its counterpart in the South Irish Horse (designated B Squadron) was assigned to the British Expeditionary Force. Both squadrons sailed from Dublin on the SS Architect on 17 August 1914. They were the first non-regular troops to land in France and be in action in the First World War. They were joined shortly afterwards by C Squadron of the North Irish Horse under the command of Major Lord Massereene and Ferrard DSO. Three more squadrons of the 'Horse' were to join the regiment in France landing on 2 May 1915, 17 November 1915 and 11 January 1916. A total of 70 officers and 1,931 men of the regiment went to war between 1914 and 1916.

The regiment did not stay together as a unit but squadrons were attached to different formations in the BEF as and when required.

• A Sqn - attached to GHQ until 4 January 1916, transferred to 55th Division. On 10 May 1916 it was attached to VII Corps, forming the 1st North Irish Horse along with D and E Squadrons. 1 NIH was transferred to XIX Corps in July 1917, and then to V Corps, September 1917. In March 1918, they were reroled as the 5th (North Irish Horse) Cyclist Battalion until the end of the war.
• B Sqn - was attached to the 59th (2nd North Midland) Division, August 1915. In June 1916 they formed, along with C Squadron and the Service Squadron of the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, the 2nd North Irish Horse. This battalion was attached to X Corps until August 1917, then disbanded. The men were sent to be trained as infantry more than 300 of them joined the 9th (Service) (North Irish Horse) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers. Fifty of those who transferred were later killed in action.
• C Sqn - moved to France on 22 August 1914, and was attached to GHQ before being detached to 5th Division as divisional cavalry squadron to replace A Sqn of the 19th Hussars. On 14 April 1915 it was transferred to the 3rd Division, and in June 1916 was sent to join B Sqn in the 2nd North Irish Horse which was later disbanded.
• D Sqn - attached to the 51st (Highland) Division in early 1915, but in June 1916 joined A Sqn in the 1st North Irish Horse.
• E Sqn - was attached to 34th Division as part of the divisional mounted contingent from early 1915, and in June 1916 joined A Sqn in the 1st North Irish Horse.
• F Squadron - was attached to the 33rd Division from early 1915 until April 1916 before being briefly attached to 1st Cavalry Division, 49th (West Riding) Division, and 32nd Division, before joining X Corps in June 1916. It was redesignated B Squadron 1 North Irish Horse in May 1916.

On 25 May 1916 2nd North Irish Horse was formed which included, as A Sqn, the Service Squadron 6th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. This squadron had been formed on 2 October 1914 from volunteers of the Inniskilling Horse of the Ulster Volunteer Force. This squadron did not welcome the change and maintained their Inniskilling identity and were allowed to keep their precedence in the line, coming just after the Dragoons until 1919.

Records indicate that a third regiment was being formed at the depot in Antrim and it has been speculated that they had unofficially adopted the title "3rd North Irish Horse" but no official records exist to support this.