In March 1916 the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade and South Wales Mounted Brigade, comprising six yeomanry regiments, were
posted to Egypt.
| Welsh Border Mounted Brigade |
| |
South Wales Mounted Brigade |
- Shropshire Yeomanry
- Cheshire Yeomanry
- Denbighshire Yeomanry
|
|
- Pembroke Yeomanry
- Montgomery Yeomanry
- Glamorganshire Yeomanry
|
The
Brigades had been dismounted in November 1915, and their cavalry equipment handed in and changed for infantry. In Egypt the two Brigades were amalgamated to form the
4th Dismounted Brigade. Although trained as yeomanry they were to be utilised as infantry and served on Suez Canal defences, and in
operations against the Senussi throughout 1916.
By November 1916 Cheshire Yeomanry knew that it was to be formed into an infantry battalion. However, because the establishment of an infantry battalion was so much greater than that of a cavalry regiment it would be necessary for some amalgamations to create new battalions. Cheshire Yeomanry were to amalgamate with Shropshire Yeomanry to form a Battalion of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, and the yeomanry regiments undertook a period of infantry training in preparation for their new role.
