World War I 1916-1918

In November 1916, after a period of training in Egypt, the Sharpshooters were sent as reinforcements for the British Army fighting the Bulgarians in Macedonia, Greece but again found themselves spending another six months in the trenches.

3rd CLY, officer in khaki drill, 1917

On their return to Egypt in May 1917, they were sent to join the Desert Mounted Corps under Allenby. They took part in the capture of Beersheba and led the advance through the hills through Judea on the approaches to Jerusalem.

In April 1918, the Sharpshooters were amalgamated with the Roughriders to form 103rd Machine Gun Battalion and sent to France where they were mechanised (motor cycles, sidecar combinations and 3-ton trucks). They went into the line in time to take part in the Pursuit to Mons which took them up to the armistice on 11 November 1918.

The 3rd CLY were awarded eleven battle honours >for World War I.

In 1920 they were re-formed as the 5th London Armoured Car Company