Derbyshire Yeomanry
Encyclopedia
The Derbyshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry
regiment
of the British Army, first raised in 1794, which served as a cavalry regiment
and dismounted infantry
regiment in the First World War and provided two reconnaissance
regiments in the Second World War, before being amalgamated into The Leicestershire and Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry in 1957.
regiment, and was dispersed in individual troops. In 1834, the troops were regimented as the Derbyshire Yeomanry Cavalry. sponsored two companies of the Imperial Yeomanry
in 1900, for service in the South African War, and in 1901 was itself reorganized as mounted infantry
as the Derbyshire Imperial Yeomanry. In 1908 it was transferred into the Territorial Force
, returning to a cavalry role and equipping as dragoons, under the new title of The Derbyshire Yeomanry.
, serving as dismounted infantry, and took heavy losses. Returning to Egypt in December, the regiment was employed with the Western Frontier Force
in the Senussi Campaign, before moving to Salonika in February 1916. One squadron served with the 27th Division from March to June 1916, whilst the regiment remained as GHQ reserve in Macedonia
until the end of the war.
The regiment raised a second-line battalion, the 2/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry, in September 1914; this remained in the United Kingdom as part of 2/2nd Mounted Division
, did not see service, and was converted into a cyclist unit in 1916. Some 165 men and four officers from this battalion were drafted to France to reinforce the 14th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in October 1916. A third-line battalion was formed in 1915, and remained in the United Kingdom until absorbed into the 4th Reserve Cavalry Regiment in 1917.
Following demobilisation after the War, the regiment was reconstituted in 1920 in the Territorial Army. In 1921 it was reorganised as the 24th (Derbyshire Yeomanry) Armoured Car Company of the Tank Corps
, and April 1939 returned to full regimental status as the Derbyshire Yeomanry, being mechanised and transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps
.
Both regiments saw service in the North African Campaign
; in 1942, the 2nd Derbyshire fought at the Battle of Alam el Halfa and the Second Battle of El Alamein
(as part of 7th Armoured Division). The 1st Derbyshire, meanwhile, had landed in Tunisia in late 1942 as the reconnaissance regiment of the 6th Armoured Division, fighting at Medjez el Bab; during the race to the Tunisian coast, it fought at Kasserine Pass and Foundouk, finally reaching Tunis
in March 1943. The 1st Derbyshire then moved to Italy with the 6th Armoured, where it saw heavy fighting during May 1944, including action at the Battle of Monte Cassino
. Through July and August it fought in the advance to Florence, and in April 1945 saw action at the Argenta Gap and Fossa Cembalina.
Returning to the United Kingdom in 1943, the 2nd was assigned to 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, where it served as the divisional reconnaissance regiment until the end of the war. It received battle honours for action in August, fighting at Dives Crossing, La Vie Crossing and Lisieux during the crossing of the Seine; in September and October, it received honours for fighting on the Lower Maas, and in January 1945 for fighting at Ourthe during the Battle of the Bulge
. They received battle honours for fighting in the Rhineland and the Reichswald in February, and crossed the Rhine in March in Operation Plunder
.
After the War, the regiment reconstituted in the Territorial Army. In 1957 it amalgamated with The Leicestershire Yeomanry (Prince Albert's Own), forming The Leicestershire and Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry.
Amalgamated with the Leicestershire (P.A.O) Yeomanry, RAC (TA), to form The Leicestershire & Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry.
1967
Reduced to cadre strength.
April 1971
Re-established as Leicestershire & Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry Squadron, 7th Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment.
Successors (1985)
The Leicestershire & Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Company, 7th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, and B (Leicestershire & Derbyshire Yeomanry) Company, 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Forestors Regiment.
March 1992 B (Leicestershire & Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry) Squadron, The Royal Yeomanry, RAC (TA).
Yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.-History:...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the British Army, first raised in 1794, which served as a cavalry regiment
Cavalry regiments of the British Army
There are currently nine regular cavalry regiments of the British Army, with two tank regiments provided by the Royal Tank Regiment, traditionally classed alongside the cavalry, for a total of eleven regiments. Of these, five serve as armoured regiments, and five as formation reconnaissance...
and dismounted infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment in the First World War and provided two reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
regiments in the Second World War, before being amalgamated into The Leicestershire and Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry in 1957.
Early history
The regiment was first formed as the Derbyshire Corps of Fencible Cavalry in 1794, as a regiment of full-time fencible soldiers for home defence. The regiment changed shortly thereafter to the Derbyshire Corps of Yeomanry Cavalry, a part-time yeomanryYeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.-History:...
regiment, and was dispersed in individual troops. In 1834, the troops were regimented as the Derbyshire Yeomanry Cavalry. sponsored two companies of the Imperial Yeomanry
Imperial Yeomanry
The Imperial Yeomanry was a British volunteer cavalry regiment that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English volunteers. In...
in 1900, for service in the South African War, and in 1901 was itself reorganized as mounted infantry
Mounted infantry
Mounted infantry were soldiers who rode horses instead of marching, but actually fought on foot . The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry...
as the Derbyshire Imperial Yeomanry. In 1908 it was transferred into the Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
, returning to a cavalry role and equipping as dragoons, under the new title of The Derbyshire Yeomanry.
First World War
The regiment mobilised in August 1914, but remained in England until 1915, when they moved to Egypt with 2nd Mounted Division. They then sailed for Gallipoli, where they saw action at the Battle of Scimitar HillBattle of Scimitar Hill
The Battle of Scimitar Hill was the last offensive mounted by the British at Suvla during the Battle of Gallipoli in World War I. It was also the largest single-day attack ever mounted by the Allies at Gallipoli, involving three divisions...
, serving as dismounted infantry, and took heavy losses. Returning to Egypt in December, the regiment was employed with the Western Frontier Force
Western Frontier Force
The Western Frontier Force was a force of British Empire troops formed in response to the Senussi Uprising and coming under the command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force....
in the Senussi Campaign, before moving to Salonika in February 1916. One squadron served with the 27th Division from March to June 1916, whilst the regiment remained as GHQ reserve in Macedonia
Macedonian front (World War I)
The Macedonian Front resulted from an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. The expedition came too late and in insufficient force to prevent the fall of Serbia, and was complicated by the internal...
until the end of the war.
The regiment raised a second-line battalion, the 2/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry, in September 1914; this remained in the United Kingdom as part of 2/2nd Mounted Division
2/2nd Mounted Division
The 2/2nd Mounted Division was a British cavalry division composed of Yeomanry and Territorial Force units active during World War I.It was formed on 6 March 1915 as a replacement/depot formation for the 2nd Mounted Division which was being sent abroad on active service...
, did not see service, and was converted into a cyclist unit in 1916. Some 165 men and four officers from this battalion were drafted to France to reinforce the 14th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in October 1916. A third-line battalion was formed in 1915, and remained in the United Kingdom until absorbed into the 4th Reserve Cavalry Regiment in 1917.
Following demobilisation after the War, the regiment was reconstituted in 1920 in the Territorial Army. In 1921 it was reorganised as the 24th (Derbyshire Yeomanry) Armoured Car Company of the Tank Corps
Tank Corps
Tank Corps may refer to:* Tank Corps, later Royal Tank Corps, early name of the Royal Tank Regiment* Tank Corps , a type of Red Army formation used up to World War II...
, and April 1939 returned to full regimental status as the Derbyshire Yeomanry, being mechanised and transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps
Royal Armoured Corps
The Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army...
.
Second World War
In August 1939, the regiment was duplicated, producing the 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry and 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry, both of which mobilised along with the Territorial Army on the outbreak of war in September. They were equipped with armoured cars, serving as reconnaissance units.Both regiments saw service in the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
; in 1942, the 2nd Derbyshire fought at the Battle of Alam el Halfa and the Second Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
(as part of 7th Armoured Division). The 1st Derbyshire, meanwhile, had landed in Tunisia in late 1942 as the reconnaissance regiment of the 6th Armoured Division, fighting at Medjez el Bab; during the race to the Tunisian coast, it fought at Kasserine Pass and Foundouk, finally reaching Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
in March 1943. The 1st Derbyshire then moved to Italy with the 6th Armoured, where it saw heavy fighting during May 1944, including action at the Battle of Monte Cassino
Battle of Monte Cassino
The Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
. Through July and August it fought in the advance to Florence, and in April 1945 saw action at the Argenta Gap and Fossa Cembalina.
Returning to the United Kingdom in 1943, the 2nd was assigned to 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, where it served as the divisional reconnaissance regiment until the end of the war. It received battle honours for action in August, fighting at Dives Crossing, La Vie Crossing and Lisieux during the crossing of the Seine; in September and October, it received honours for fighting on the Lower Maas, and in January 1945 for fighting at Ourthe during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. They received battle honours for fighting in the Rhineland and the Reichswald in February, and crossed the Rhine in March in Operation Plunder
Operation Plunder
Commencing on the night of 23 March 1945 during World War II, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the River Rhine at Rees, Wesel, and south of the Lippe River by the British 2nd Army, under Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Dempsey , and the U.S. Ninth Army , under Lieutenant General William Simpson...
.
After the War, the regiment reconstituted in the Territorial Army. In 1957 it amalgamated with The Leicestershire Yeomanry (Prince Albert's Own), forming The Leicestershire and Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry.
Timeline
Feb 1957Amalgamated with the Leicestershire (P.A.O) Yeomanry, RAC (TA), to form The Leicestershire & Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry.
1967
Reduced to cadre strength.
April 1971
Re-established as Leicestershire & Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry Squadron, 7th Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment.
Successors (1985)
The Leicestershire & Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Company, 7th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, and B (Leicestershire & Derbyshire Yeomanry) Company, 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Forestors Regiment.
March 1992 B (Leicestershire & Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry) Squadron, The Royal Yeomanry, RAC (TA).