East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry
Encyclopedia
The East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army
from 1794–1956.
The regiment
was formed as volunteer cavalry in 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars
. It was converted to an armoured role in 1920. In 1956 it merged with two other Yorkshire yeomanry regiments to form the Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry
. Its lineage is continued today by the Queen's Own Yeomanry
.
. It was disbanded at the end of the war.
The 3/1st was raised in 1915, remaining in the East Riding until 1917 when it was absorbed by the 1st Cavalry Reserve Regiment
at the Curragh, in Ireland.
The 1/1st moved north in November 1914 as Divisional Cavalry for the Northumbrian Division. On May 20, the regiment formed part of a parade of some 40,000 men before H.M. The King and Lord Kitchener
. The regiment was then ordered south to Filey
and then to East Anglia
, to form part of the 1/1st North Midland Mounted Brigade. In October 1915 they set sail for Alexandria
.
In 1916, the regiment was part of the Western Frontier Force
, a dreary job, causing a number of NCOs and men to join the newly formed Imperial Camel Corps
and 120 officers and men to be detached for service under T. E. Lawrence
. In December 1916, the 22nd Mounted Brigade moved to the Suez Canal
Zone to form part of the ANZAC Mounted Division
. The regiment first saw action during the First Battle of Gaza
, a hard engagement for both the men and the horses, and in the Second Battle of Gaza
it was posted to the far right flank. In General Allenby's reorganisation 22nd Mounted Brigade transferred to the Yeomanry Mounted Division.
In October 1917, the regiment took part in the Third Battle of Gaza
, and on the 13th November at El Mughar, supported a charge by 6th Mounted Brigade. 'A' Squadron, commanded by Maj. J.F.M. Robinson M.C., led 22nd Mounted Brigade, having captured their objective they pressed on to Akir
and established a position on the far side of the village square, however they had to withdraw as they were unsupported by the rest of the brigade. Sadly it transpired that the village was the location of a Turkish Corps Headquarters, and had the success of the attack been exploited then a major dislocation of the enemy lines could have resulted. El Mughar was the last great cavalry charge of the British Army.
In December 1917, with the exception of the machine gun section, the regiment was dismounted and sent to France. Together with the Lincolnshire Yeomanry
, it formed 102 Bn, Machine Gun Corps
(Mobile). The battalion saw action several times in the closing months of the war in the area around Cambrai
supporting attacks by the 49th (West Riding) Division, 51st (Highland) Division and 56th (London) Infantry Divisions.
, the 1st Regiment joined the BEF
in France
as part of 1st Armoured Reconnaissance Brigade, initially the Corps Cavalry to 3 Corps. However, in May the Regiment passed under the command of 48th (South Midland) Division
, 44th (Home Counties) Division, Macforce, and finally back to 48th (South Midland) Division. The Regiment was first involved in fighting near Ath, south of Brussels, and then over the next fortnight fought seven rearguard actions before being finally surrounded at Cassel on the night of 29/30 May in the company of 145th Brigade. As rearguard to the Brigade’s breakout, the F echelon was fatally exposed.
The remnants of 1ERY (7 officers and 230 men) returned to Tidworth, where the Regiment was brought up to strength by drafts from the 2nd Regiment, prior to moving onto Bovington to rejoin 1st Armoured Reconnaissance Brigade. What was left of 2ERY formed 10th (East Riding Yeomanry) Bn Green Howards, which later converted to become the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion.
They next deployed to Essex for anti-invasion duties, where it was equipped with Beavettes. When new material became available in Spring 1942, the Regiment reequipped with Covenanter tanks and Honeys, and formed 27th Armoured Brigade, together with the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards
(replaced by the Staffordshire Yeomanry
, in January 1944) and the 13th/18th Royal Hussars. In April 1943, the Regiment again reequipped, this time with Sherman Duplex Drive tanks.
The training all came to fruition on June 6, 1944, when the Regiment landed on D Day supporting 9th Infantry Brigade
in 3rd Division, and for the following fifty days they took part in the bridgehead battles. During this period they also supported 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division.
Because of casualties, 27th Armoured Brigade was broken up on the July 29, and on August 16 the Regiment joined 33rd Armoured Brigade
, taking over the petrol MK1 & II Shermans of 148 Regt RAC. The Regiment was now attached to 51st (Highland) Division, for the final Falaise Pocket
Battles, the advance to the River Seine, its crossing and the taking of St Valery-en-Caux; after which the Regiment transferred to 49th (West Riding) Division for the Battle of Le Havre.
In October, the Regiment supported 53rd (Welsh) Division, in Holland fighting around 's-Hertogenbosch and the later crossing of the Maas. However, during the winter of 1944, it was hurried away to reinforce the pressure being put on the German "Bulge", and then in January returned to 79th Armoured Division
, and re-equipped with Buffalo, to carry the troops of 15th (Scottish) Division, on the assault crossing of the Rhine March 15.
For the last weeks of the war, the Regiment reconverted to Shermans, coming under the command of the Canadian Army clearing Holland. After the war the Regiment was stationed at Laboe (Kiel Estuary) until being placed in ‘suspended animation’ on the March 7, 1946.
Brigadier Carver (later Field Marshal Lord Carver) considered The East Riding Yeomanry to be one of the best, if not the best, armoured regiment that he had come across.
and the Yorkshire Dragoons
) as the Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry
, which was formed on April 1, 1967, as a TAVR III unit with the RHQ and 'A' Squadron at York
, 'B' Squadron at Doncaster
and 'C Squadron at Hull
, then on April 1, 1969, they were reduced to cadre and finally reformed on April 1, 1971, as 'A' Squadron The Queen's Own Yeomanry
.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
from 1794–1956.
The 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...
was formed as volunteer cavalry in 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
. It was converted to an armoured role in 1920. In 1956 it merged with two other Yorkshire yeomanry regiments to form the Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry
Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry
The Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army from 1956 to 1971. It was formed by the amalgamation of three Yorkshire Yeomanry regiments, the Yorkshire Hussars, the Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons and the East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry...
. Its lineage is continued today by the Queen's Own Yeomanry
Queen's Own Yeomanry
The Queen's Own Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the British Territorial Army. The Queen's Own Yeomanry is the only Yeomanry regiment that serves in the formation reconnaissance role, equipped with the CVR family of armoured reconnaissance vehicles, including Scimitar and Spartan.On...
.
World War I
During World War I a second and third regiment were raised and designated 2/1st and 3/1st East Riding Yeomanry. The 2/1st converted to a cyclist battalion in 1916, remaining in the East Riding until May 1918, when it transferred to IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It was disbanded at the end of the war.
The 3/1st was raised in 1915, remaining in the East Riding until 1917 when it was absorbed by the 1st Cavalry Reserve Regiment
Cavalry Reserve Regiments (United Kingdom)
Seventeen Cavalry Reserve Regiments were formed by the British Army on the outbreak of the Great War in August, 1914. These were affiliated with one or more active cavalry regiments, their purpose being to train replacement drafts for the active regiments. In 1915, the 3rd Seventeen Cavalry Reserve...
at the Curragh, in Ireland.
The 1/1st moved north in November 1914 as Divisional Cavalry for the Northumbrian Division. On May 20, the regiment formed part of a parade of some 40,000 men before H.M. The King and Lord Kitchener
Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener
Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, ADC, PC , was an Irish-born British Field Marshal and proconsul who won fame for his imperial campaigns and later played a central role in the early part of the First World War, although he died halfway...
. The regiment was then ordered south to Filey
Filey
Filey is a small town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the borough of Scarborough and is located between Scarborough and Bridlington on the North Sea coast. Although it started out as a fishing village, it has a large beach and is a popular tourist resort...
and then to East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
, to form part of the 1/1st North Midland Mounted Brigade. In October 1915 they set sail for Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
.
In 1916, the regiment was part of 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....
, a dreary job, causing a number of NCOs and men to join the newly formed Imperial Camel Corps
Imperial Camel Corps
The Imperial Camel Corps was a brigade-sized military formation which fought for the Allies in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign in World War I. Its personnel were infantry mounted on camels for movement across desert....
and 120 officers and men to be detached for service under T. E. Lawrence
T. E. Lawrence
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence, CB, DSO , known professionally as T. E. Lawrence, was a British Army officer renowned especially for his liaison role during the Arab Revolt against Ottoman Turkish rule of 1916–18...
. In December 1916, the 22nd Mounted Brigade moved to the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
Zone to form part of the ANZAC Mounted Division
Anzac Mounted Division
The ANZAC Mounted Division was a mounted infantry and mounted rifles division formed in March 1916 in Egypt during World War I following the Battle of Gallipoli when the Australian and New Zealand regiments returned from fighting dismounted as infantry...
. The regiment first saw action during the First Battle of Gaza
First Battle of Gaza
The First Battle of Gaza was fought in and around the town of Gaza on the Mediterranean coast in the southern region of Ottoman Palestine on 26 March 1917, during World War I...
, a hard engagement for both the men and the horses, and in the Second Battle of Gaza
Second Battle of Gaza
The Second Battle of Gaza, fought in southern Palestine during the First World War, was another attempt mounted by British Empire forces to break Ottoman defences along the Gaza-Beersheba line...
it was posted to the far right flank. In General Allenby's reorganisation 22nd Mounted Brigade transferred to the Yeomanry Mounted Division.
In October 1917, the regiment took part in the Third Battle of Gaza
Third Battle of Gaza
The Third Battle of Gaza was fought in 1917 in southern Palestine during the First World War. The British Empire forces under the command of General Edmund Allenby successfully broke the Ottoman defensive Gaza-Beersheba line...
, and on the 13th November at El Mughar, supported a charge by 6th Mounted Brigade. 'A' Squadron, commanded by Maj. J.F.M. Robinson M.C., led 22nd Mounted Brigade, having captured their objective they pressed on to Akir
Akir
Akir is an African-American hip hop artist, producer and songwriter known for his complex lyrics and social-political content. His name is an acronym for Always Keep It Real. He is also the co-founder of One Enterprises.- Biography :...
and established a position on the far side of the village square, however they had to withdraw as they were unsupported by the rest of the brigade. Sadly it transpired that the village was the location of a Turkish Corps Headquarters, and had the success of the attack been exploited then a major dislocation of the enemy lines could have resulted. El Mughar was the last great cavalry charge of the British Army.
In December 1917, with the exception of the machine gun section, the regiment was dismounted and sent to France. Together with the Lincolnshire Yeomanry
Lincolnshire Yeomanry
The Lincolnshire Yeomanry was a volunteer cavalry unit of the British Army from 1794–1920.-Boer War:On 13 December 1899, the decision to allow volunteer forces serve in the Second Boer War was made...
, it formed 102 Bn, Machine Gun Corps
Machine Gun Corps
The Machine Gun Corps was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tanks in combat, and the branch was subsequently turned into the Tank...
(Mobile). The battalion saw action several times in the closing months of the war in the area around Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
supporting attacks by the 49th (West Riding) Division, 51st (Highland) Division and 56th (London) Infantry Divisions.
Between the Wars
The East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry was one of the first cavalry regiments to be mechanised. It was one of the 8 Yeomanry Regiments that chose to reduce to squadron strength to form Armoured Car Companies in the Royal Tank Corps. The 26th (ER Yorks Yeomanry) Armoured Car Company Royal Tank Corps was initially equipped with Peerless armoured cars later to be followed by a mixture of Crossleys and Rolls Royces. In 1938, another reorganisation resulted in further change, the Regiment was reconstituted as The East Riding Yeomanry a Divisional Cavalry Regiment (Mechanised) equipped with 28 light tanks, 44 carriers and 41 motorcycles, and in 1939 a duplicate 2nd line regiment was raised.World War II
In March 1940, after training at TidworthTidworth
Tidworth is a town in south-east Wiltshire, England with a growing civilian population. Situated at the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain, it is approximately 10 miles west of Andover, 12 miles south of Marlborough, 24 miles south of Swindon, 15 miles north by north-east of Salisbury and 6 miles east...
, the 1st Regiment joined the BEF
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as part of 1st Armoured Reconnaissance Brigade, initially the Corps Cavalry to 3 Corps. However, in May the Regiment passed under the command of 48th (South Midland) Division
48th (South Midland) Division
The British 48th Division was a Territorial Force division. Originally called the 'South Midland Division', it was redesignated as the 48th Division in 1915.- 1914 - 1918 :...
, 44th (Home Counties) Division, Macforce, and finally back to 48th (South Midland) Division. The Regiment was first involved in fighting near Ath, south of Brussels, and then over the next fortnight fought seven rearguard actions before being finally surrounded at Cassel on the night of 29/30 May in the company of 145th Brigade. As rearguard to the Brigade’s breakout, the F echelon was fatally exposed.
The remnants of 1ERY (7 officers and 230 men) returned to Tidworth, where the Regiment was brought up to strength by drafts from the 2nd Regiment, prior to moving onto Bovington to rejoin 1st Armoured Reconnaissance Brigade. What was left of 2ERY formed 10th (East Riding Yeomanry) Bn Green Howards, which later converted to become the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion.
They next deployed to Essex for anti-invasion duties, where it was equipped with Beavettes. When new material became available in Spring 1942, the Regiment reequipped with Covenanter tanks and Honeys, and formed 27th Armoured Brigade, together with the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards
4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards
The 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1922 to 1992.It was formed in India in 1922 by the amalgamation of the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards and 7th Dragoon Guards , as the 4th/7th Dragoon Guards; it gained the distinction Royal in 1935...
(replaced by the Staffordshire Yeomanry
Staffordshire Yeomanry
The Staffordshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army.Raised in 1794 following Prime Minister William Pitt's order to raise volunteer bodies of men to defend Great Britain from foreign invasion, the Staffordshire Yeomanry began as volunteer cavalry regiment. It first served overseas at the...
, in January 1944) and the 13th/18th Royal Hussars. In April 1943, the Regiment again reequipped, this time with Sherman Duplex Drive tanks.
The training all came to fruition on June 6, 1944, when the Regiment landed on D Day supporting 9th Infantry Brigade
9th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
-History:The Brigade together with 8th Infantry Brigade and 185th Infantry Brigade formed the 3rd Infantry Division and participated in the ill-fated British Expeditionary Force, which evacuated from Dunkirk early in World War II....
in 3rd Division, and for the following fifty days they took part in the bridgehead battles. During this period they also supported 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division.
Because of casualties, 27th Armoured Brigade was broken up on the July 29, and on August 16 the Regiment joined 33rd Armoured Brigade
33rd Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 33rd Armoured Brigade was a British Army brigade active in 1944-45, in the 1970s, and in 1980-92.- Normandy :The brigade was formed in the UK on 17 March 1944 by re-designating of the 33rd Tank Brigade. The brigade took part in the Normandy campaign and landed on Gold Beach on 6 June 1944...
, taking over the petrol MK1 & II Shermans of 148 Regt RAC. The Regiment was now attached to 51st (Highland) Division, for the final Falaise Pocket
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
Battles, the advance to the River Seine, its crossing and the taking of St Valery-en-Caux; after which the Regiment transferred to 49th (West Riding) Division for the Battle of Le Havre.
In October, the Regiment supported 53rd (Welsh) Division, in Holland fighting around 's-Hertogenbosch and the later crossing of the Maas. However, during the winter of 1944, it was hurried away to reinforce the pressure being put on the German "Bulge", and then in January returned to 79th Armoured Division
79th Armoured Division
The 79th Armoured Division was a specialist British Army armoured formation created as part of the preparations for the Normandy invasion of 6 June 1944...
, and re-equipped with Buffalo, to carry the troops of 15th (Scottish) Division, on the assault crossing of the Rhine March 15.
For the last weeks of the war, the Regiment reconverted to Shermans, coming under the command of the Canadian Army clearing Holland. After the war the Regiment was stationed at Laboe (Kiel Estuary) until being placed in ‘suspended animation’ on the March 7, 1946.
Brigadier Carver (later Field Marshal Lord Carver) considered The East Riding Yeomanry to be one of the best, if not the best, armoured regiment that he had come across.
Post war
In 1956 the East Riding Yeomanry was merged with two other yeomanry regiments (Yorkshire HussarsYorkshire Hussars
The Yorkshire Hussars was a unit of the British Army from 1794 to 1956.The regiment was formed as volunteer cavalry in 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was converted to an armoured role during World War II. In 1956 it merged with two other Yorkshire yeomanry regiments to form the...
and the Yorkshire Dragoons
Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons
The Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons was a unit of the British Army from 1794–1956.The regiment was formed as volunteer cavalry in 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was converted to an armoured role during World War II. In 1956 it merged with two other Yorkshire yeomanry regiments...
) as the Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry
Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry
The Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army from 1956 to 1971. It was formed by the amalgamation of three Yorkshire Yeomanry regiments, the Yorkshire Hussars, the Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons and the East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry...
, which was formed on April 1, 1967, as a TAVR III unit with the RHQ and 'A' Squadron at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, 'B' Squadron at Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
and 'C Squadron at Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, then on April 1, 1969, they were reduced to cadre and finally reformed on April 1, 1971, as 'A' Squadron The Queen's Own Yeomanry
Queen's Own Yeomanry
The Queen's Own Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the British Territorial Army. The Queen's Own Yeomanry is the only Yeomanry regiment that serves in the formation reconnaissance role, equipped with the CVR family of armoured reconnaissance vehicles, including Scimitar and Spartan.On...
.