1/1st NOTTINGHAMSHIRE YEOMANRY
This is the original, 'first line' regiment
August 1914 : moved to Diss (Norfolk), brigade coming under orders of 1st Mounted Division. By the end of the month the brigade had moved to South Stoke and in November went on to Holt.
September 1914 : brigade transferred to 2nd Mounted Division.
April 1915 : sailed from Avonmouth for service in Egypt. On arrival was dismounted.
18 August 1915 : landed at Suvla Bay (Gallipoli).
((((December 1915 : evacuated from Gallipoli and returned to Egypt.))))
(Our man Henshaw arrived on 7th December 1915 )
Took part in the great cavalry advance against the Turks from Gaza to Aleppo.
January 1916 : 2nd Mounted Division broken up.
February 1916 : moved to Salonika, with brigade retitled as 7th Mounted Brigade.
June 1917 : brigade began to return to Egypt but ship carrying troops was torpedoed and the men returned to Mudros.
4 July 1917 : arrived in Egypt and brigade placed under orders of Desert Mounted Corps.
May 1918 : brigade placed under new 2nd Mounted Division.
July 1918 : brigade renamed as 14th Cavalry Brigade and division became 5th Cavalry Division.
The Regiment was mobilised and was sent to Egypt after a period of training. On 18th August 1915, it arrived in Gallipoli where it served dismounted for three months in the infantry role as part of the 2nd (Dismounted) Cavalry Division, the first time the Regiment had ever come into action as a whole. It was awarded a King’s Colour in recognition of its gallantry in the infantry role.
It returned to Egypt and, mounted again, was despatched to serve in Macedonia for some time. On returning once more to Egypt it was redeployed to Palestine, where it played a leading part in General Allenby’s great cavalry advance against the Turks from Gaza to Aleppo, being mentioned more often than any other unit in the Official History of that campaign.
Pte T. HENSHAW is seen on the 45 Sty Hospital El-Arish casualty roll after the Battle of Gaza on 4th November 1917 with GUN SHOT WOUND L.ARM.
Took part in Battle of Megiddo 19–25 September 1918
BATTLE OF ALEPPO 25th October 1918 ( Aleppo captured 26th)
the 5th Mounted Division and some detachments of the Arab Northern Army advanced north through Syria, capturing Aleppo on 26 October.
Thomas Henshaw was probably fatally wounded in the battle and died of his wounds 4th November 1918
The Battle of Aleppo was fought on 25 October 1918, when Prince Feisal's Sheifial Forces captured the city during the Pursuit to Haritan from Damascus, in the last days of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign in the First World War.
After the British Empire's victory at the Battle of Megiddo the remnants of the Ottoman Empire's Yildirim Army Group from Amman was pursued by Prince Feisal's Sherifial Force which captured Deraa on 27 September, on the right flank of the 4th Cavalry Division. Meanwhile the pursuit by the Australian Mounted Division followed by the 5th Cavalry Division of Yildirim Army Group remnants retreating from the Judean Hills, captured Damascus on 1 October 1918, many thousands of German and Ottoman prisoners and many miles of formerly Ottoman Empire territory. A remnant force of Yildirim Army Group managed to escape Damascus, to concentrate at Rayak before retreating back through Homs and Hama towards Aleppo. Huge losses in Desert Mounted Corps from sickness, delayed and depleted their pursuit from Damascus which was continued by 24 cars in three batteries of armoured cars, and three light car patrols armed with machine guns. They were supported by the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade of the 5th Cavalry Division with the remainder of the division following.
Having covered the right flank of the pursuit to Damascus, Prince Feisal's Sherifial Force continued north along the Hejaz railway to arrive outside Aleppo. After attacking a strong rearguard defence to the south of the city earlier in the day, under cover of darkness bypassed those entrenchments to enter Aleppo, where hand to hand fighting in the streets continued for most of the night. The city was captured by the Sherifial forces by morning.AN EXCELLENT & UNUSUAL CASUALTY TO A VERY RARELY SEEN UNIT.£495