page_title: 2nd Light Horse Brigade
section_title: Sinai and Palestine campaign
hierarchical_section_title: 2nd Light Horse Brigade / History / World War I / Sinai and Palestine campaign
caption_attribution_description: English: Ottoman prisoners captured by the 2nd Light Horse Brigade on 29/30 September at Ziza. Reference: Bou, Jean. (2010). Australia's Palestine Campaign. p. 131.
context_page_description: The 2nd Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the Australian Imperial Force which served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. The brigade was initially formed as a part-time militia formation in the early 1900s in New South Wales. In 1914, the brigade was re-constituted as part of the AIF. The brigade first saw action while serving in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during the Gallipoli campaign. After being withdrawn to Egypt in February 1916 they served in the ANZAC Mounted Division from March 1916 as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign until the end of the war. After the war, the AIF light horse regiments were demobilised and disbanded; however, the brigade briefly existed as a part-time militia formation in New South Wales until 1921 when its regiments were reorganised into cavalry brigades.
context_section_description: After the evacuation from Gallipoli, the Australian and New Zealand forces in the Middle East were reorganised. There were a large number of reinforcements that had arrived in Egypt at this time, and while the infantry was to be deployed to the Western Front, the mounted units were to remain in the Middle East. This resulted in the establishment of the Anzac Mounted Division, which consisted of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Brigades, and the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade. At this time, the brigade provided a British Territorial horsed artillery battery, the Somerset Battery, which was detached from III Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery (T.F.). Until July 1916, the brigade was supported by a machine gun section, but this was expanded to a full squadron, equipped with 12 machine guns. A light horse training regiment was also established for each brigade, to provide trained reinforcements, while other supporting elements including signals, logistic, engineer, medical and veterinary support units were also assigned.
  In early 1916, the Australian light horse units were deployed to defend the Suez Canal from an Ottoman attack. After a series of raids by Ottoman forces on several oasis outposts during the Battle of Katia, the 2nd Light Horse Brigade was deployed from Kantara to pursue the withdrawing Ottomans. A short, but sharp fight followed, mainly involving the 5th Light Horse Regiment. Patrolling operations around  followed for several months, to defend avenues of approach towards northern Egypt around Katia and Romani. During this time, the brigade gained useful experience operating in desert conditions, which would stand them in good stead for their later involvement in the Sinai and Palestine campaign.
  The brigade fought its first major action of this campaign in early August 1916 during the Battle of Romani, which took place 35 kilometres (22 mi) to the east of the canal. Ryrie was absent during the battle, attending an imperial parliamentary conference in London, and in Colonel John Royston temporarily commanded the brigade during this time. Prior to the battle, the 1st Light Horse occupied several outposts, the 2nd Light Horse Brigade was deployed to carry out reconnaissance after the advanced elements of the Ottoman advance on Romani was detected by patrolling aircraft. The weight of the initial attack on 3 August fell on the 1st Light Horse, which was threatened with being outflanked until the 2nd Light Horse Brigade secured their right flank. They were pushed back further as the Ottomans secured several high features, but held the centre while other units launched a counter-attack. Early on 5 August, the 1st and 2nd Light Horse Brigades launched an attack with bayonets around Wellington Ridge. As the tide of the fighting turned, in the following days, the brigade was committed to the pursuit that followed as the Ottoman forces began to withdraw, taking part in another action around Katia.
  After a period of rest out of the line, throughout the remainder of 1916 and into early 1917, the brigade undertook patrol work and minor raids as the British Empire forces pushed into Palestine, after reducing Ottoman garrisons throughout the Sinai. By March, they were preparing to capture Gaza, 32 kilometres (20 mi) from the border. On 26 March 1917, the Anzac Mounted Division took part in the failed First Battle of Gaza, assigned the role of attacking from the north and east while British infantry attacked from the south.  During the crossing of the Wadi Ghuzze,  the 7th Light Horse Regiment formed the advance guard. The light horsemen then skirted around the town towards the coast while a cavalry screen was established prior to the attack. The attacking infantrymen were delayed by fog, while the light horsemen captured some of the high ground to the north. The 2nd Light Horse Brigade and New Zealand Mounted Brigade were committed late in the day. As they advanced, they were held up by thick hedges, which had to be cleared by hand, while the troopers also dealt with defending Ottoman troops. Although the northern and east
caption: Ottoman prisoners taken by the 2nd Light Horse Brigade at Ziza, 29/30 September 1918
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