Imperial Yeomanry
Encyclopedia
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 Ireland
120 men were recruited in February 1900. It was officially disbanded in 1908.
in December, 1899, the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army, thus issuing a Royal Warrant
on 24 December 1899. This warrant officially created the Imperial Yeomanry.
The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each. In addition to this, many British citizens (usually mid-upper class) volunteered to join the new regiment. Although there were strict requirements, many volunteers were accepted with substandard horsemanship/marksmanship; however, they had significant time to train while awaiting transport.
The first contingent of recruits contained 550 officer
s, 10,371 men with 20 battalion
s and four companies
, which arrived in South Africa
between February and April, 1900. Upon arrival, the regiment was sent throughout the zone of operations.
volunteers led by Frenchman
Count de Villebois-Mareuil
at Boshof
. After a series of tactical errors, the Boers were subsequently surrounded. The Count was killed, and the Imperial Yeomanry was victorious, suffering only three casualties.
The next action took place in Lindley
, a Boer held town. On 27 May 1900, due to a miscommunication, the 13th battalion (under Lieutenant Colonel
Basil Spragge) arrived at Lindley where they were ambushed by a group of Boers. Rather than retreat, Spragge decided to fight until aid arrived. Although a message for help did arrive, it didn’t describe the urgency of the situation, and no help came until it was too late. One officer and 16 men were killed (with another officer and three more men later dying of wounds), and 400 were captured.
Following the disaster at Lindley, the Yeoman rode hundreds of miles over the Veldt, but rarely encountered any Boers. With the rate of disease and death rising, morale
was falling. During the later part of 1900 they had a few small victories, but still nothing major. Finally, in September, 1900, the City Imperial Volunteers were returning to England, instead of the Imperial Yeoman. This plummeted the morale, and a high number of Yeoman volunteered to join police
forces to escape the monotony of regular duty. Due to this, only one-third of the original force was still serving. Eventually, in June or July 1901, all of the first recruits returned to England, except the ones who re-enlisted.
went on a recruiting spree, which occurred in early months of 1901. The recruits for the second contingent were usually working class, as opposed to the first contingent. They received extremely poor training and were shipped to South Africa (over 700 were shipped back to England because they were “medically unsuitable or unlikely to become efficient soldiers.”). In total, 16,597 men were recruited, including 655 who reenlisted.
The second contingents’ first battle was at Vlakfontein
in May, 1901. Brigadier General Dixon led a force of 230 men from the 7th battalion, as well as artillery
, some Scottish Horse
, and some men of the Derbyshires. Around 500 Boers attacked the rear party, and the Yeoman fled after suffering 70 casualties. Because of the hasty retreat of the Yeoman, the lone Derbyshires and artillerymen were subsequently gunned down. Only a counter-attack by the Scottish Horse and some King's Own Scottish Borderers
saved the artillery pieces. Due to the humiliating defeat, the Imperial Yeomanry’s reputation was destroyed and their suitability was questioned in Parliament.
By September 1901, the second contingent had improved immensely, as demonstrated by a skirmish near Rustenburg. The men of the 5th and 9th battalions fought off an attack on a column, receiving only 12 dead.
As the war progressed, the British government planned to reduce the number of Imperial Yeoman. However, recruits were being raised as early as December to have time for adequate training (although they arrived right before the war ended, and had little impact).
The worst disaster for the second contingent was at the Battle of Groenkop
(also known as Tweefontein) on 25 December 1901. The 11th battalion was caught off guard by Boers led by General De Wet
. The Boers, from a higher position, fired into the tents of sleeping Yeomen. 68 were killed, 121 were wounded and 600 taken prisoner.
On 25 February 1902 a small skirmish occurred when Boer General De la Rey
attacked and captured a convoy at Yzerspruit. The 5th battalion of Imperial Yeomanry was left with 28 dead and 34 wounded.
The last major battle was the Battle of Tweebosch
on 7 March 1902, when a column under the control of Methuen was attacked by 2000 Boers with artillery. The colonial mounted troops fled, taking most of the Imperial Yeomanry with them. The regular troops left with the convoy
had no chance, and ended up with 68 dead, 121 wounded and 600 taken prisoner.
On May 31, the Treaty of Vereeniging
was signed, effectively ended the Second Boer War. This happened just as a third contingent was arriving, although they stayed in South Africa long into 1903 to stabilize the country.
The "Imperial Yeomanry" lineage is carried on by the Yeomanry
Regiments from which the Imperial Yeomanry Companies were created and thus the IY companies earned the battle honour "South Africa" for their parent regiments.
A large number of veterans returned to serve part-time in Yeomanry
at home and were called again into service in World War I
.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
volunteer cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
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...
that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry
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:...
regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
volunteers. In Ireland
Ireland
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...
120 men were recruited in February 1900. It was officially disbanded in 1908.
Creation
On 13 December 1899, the decision to allow volunteer forces serve in the Second Boer War was made. Due to the string of defeats during Black WeekBlack Week
In one disastrous week, dubbed Black Week, from 10-17 December 1899, the British Army suffered three devastating defeats by the Boer Republics at the battles of Stormberg , Magersfontein and Colenso , with 2,776 men killed, wounded and captured...
in December, 1899, the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army, thus issuing a Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
on 24 December 1899. This warrant officially created the Imperial Yeomanry.
The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each. In addition to this, many British citizens (usually mid-upper class) volunteered to join the new regiment. Although there were strict requirements, many volunteers were accepted with substandard horsemanship/marksmanship; however, they had significant time to train while awaiting transport.
The first contingent of recruits contained 550 officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
s, 10,371 men with 20 battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s and four companies
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
, which arrived in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
between February and April, 1900. Upon arrival, the regiment was sent throughout the zone of operations.
The first contingent
The Imperial Yeomanry’s first action was on 5 April 1900, when members of 3rd and 10th battalions fought BoerBoer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
volunteers led by Frenchman
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...
Count de Villebois-Mareuil
George Henri Anne-Marie Victor de Villebois-Mareuil
George Henri Anne-Marie Victor de Villebois-Mareuil was a Colonel in the French Infantry, and French Nationalist who fought and died on the side of the Boers during the Second Anglo-Boer War.He was the first of only two Boer foreign volunteers to be handed the grade of Major-General in...
at Boshof
Boshof
Boshof is the administrative town in the goldfields region of the Free State province, South Africa. The town was formed in 1855 on the Vanwyksvlei farm. It was named after Jacobus Boshoff who became the 2nd President of the Orange Free State on the 27 August 1855.The local commando was involved in...
. After a series of tactical errors, the Boers were subsequently surrounded. The Count was killed, and the Imperial Yeomanry was victorious, suffering only three casualties.
The next action took place in Lindley
Lindley, Free State
Lindley is a small town situated on the banks of the Vals River in the eastern region of the Free State province of South Africa. It was established by an American Presbyterian missionary named Daniel Lindley, who was the first ordained minister to the Voortrekkers in Natal.The settlement of...
, a Boer held town. On 27 May 1900, due to a miscommunication, the 13th battalion (under Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Basil Spragge) arrived at Lindley where they were ambushed by a group of Boers. Rather than retreat, Spragge decided to fight until aid arrived. Although a message for help did arrive, it didn’t describe the urgency of the situation, and no help came until it was too late. One officer and 16 men were killed (with another officer and three more men later dying of wounds), and 400 were captured.
Following the disaster at Lindley, the Yeoman rode hundreds of miles over the Veldt, but rarely encountered any Boers. With the rate of disease and death rising, morale
Morale
Morale, also known as esprit de corps when discussing the morale of a group, is an intangible term used to describe the capacity of people to maintain belief in an institution or a goal, or even in oneself and others...
was falling. During the later part of 1900 they had a few small victories, but still nothing major. Finally, in September, 1900, the City Imperial Volunteers were returning to England, instead of the Imperial Yeoman. This plummeted the morale, and a high number of Yeoman volunteered to join police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
forces to escape the monotony of regular duty. Due to this, only one-third of the original force was still serving. Eventually, in June or July 1901, all of the first recruits returned to England, except the ones who re-enlisted.
The second contingent
Due to the lack of numbers for the Imperial Yeomanry, the War OfficeWar Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
went on a recruiting spree, which occurred in early months of 1901. The recruits for the second contingent were usually working class, as opposed to the first contingent. They received extremely poor training and were shipped to South Africa (over 700 were shipped back to England because they were “medically unsuitable or unlikely to become efficient soldiers.”). In total, 16,597 men were recruited, including 655 who reenlisted.
Vlakfontein
Vlakfontein is a small settlement in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. During the Second Boer War it was the site of a guerrilla action against the British forces where a Victoria Cross was awarded to William John English of the Scottish Horse for conspicuous gallantry....
in May, 1901. Brigadier General Dixon led a force of 230 men from the 7th battalion, as well as artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, some Scottish Horse
Scottish Horse
The Scottish Horse was a Yeomanry Regiment of the British Territorial Army from 1900 to 1956 when it was amalgamated with The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry....
, and some men of the Derbyshires. Around 500 Boers attacked the rear party, and the Yeoman fled after suffering 70 casualties. Because of the hasty retreat of the Yeoman, the lone Derbyshires and artillerymen were subsequently gunned down. Only a counter-attack by the Scottish Horse and some King's Own Scottish Borderers
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
saved the artillery pieces. Due to the humiliating defeat, the Imperial Yeomanry’s reputation was destroyed and their suitability was questioned in Parliament.
By September 1901, the second contingent had improved immensely, as demonstrated by a skirmish near Rustenburg. The men of the 5th and 9th battalions fought off an attack on a column, receiving only 12 dead.
As the war progressed, the British government planned to reduce the number of Imperial Yeoman. However, recruits were being raised as early as December to have time for adequate training (although they arrived right before the war ended, and had little impact).
The worst disaster for the second contingent was at the Battle of Groenkop
Battle of Groenkop
In the Battle of Groenkop on 25 December 1901, Head Commandant Christiaan de Wet's Boer commando surprised and defeated a force of Imperial Yeomanry under the command of Major Williams.-Background:...
(also known as Tweefontein) on 25 December 1901. The 11th battalion was caught off guard by Boers led by General De Wet
Christiaan De Wet
Christiaan Rudolf de Wet was a Boer general, rebel leader and politician.He was born on the Leeuwkop farm, in the district of Smithfield in the Boer Republic of the Orange Free State...
. The Boers, from a higher position, fired into the tents of sleeping Yeomen. 68 were killed, 121 were wounded and 600 taken prisoner.
On 25 February 1902 a small skirmish occurred when Boer General De la Rey
Koos de la Rey
General Jacobus Herculaas de la Rey , known as Koos de la Rey, was a Boer general during the Second Boer War and is widely regarded as being one of the strongest military leaders during that conflict....
attacked and captured a convoy at Yzerspruit. The 5th battalion of Imperial Yeomanry was left with 28 dead and 34 wounded.
The last major battle was the Battle of Tweebosch
Battle of Tweebosch
In the Battle of Tweebosch or De Klipdrift on 7 March 1902, a Boer commando led by Koos de la Rey defeated a British column under the command of Lieutenant General Lord Methuen during the final months of the Second Boer War.-Background:...
on 7 March 1902, when a column under the control of Methuen was attacked by 2000 Boers with artillery. The colonial mounted troops fled, taking most of the Imperial Yeomanry with them. The regular troops left with the convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
had no chance, and ended up with 68 dead, 121 wounded and 600 taken prisoner.
On May 31, the Treaty of Vereeniging
Treaty of Vereeniging
The Treaty of Vereeniging was the peace treaty, signed on 31 May 1902, that ended the South African War between the South African Republic and the Republic of the Orange Free State, on the one side, and the British Empire on the other.This settlement provided for the end of hostilities and...
was signed, effectively ended the Second Boer War. This happened just as a third contingent was arriving, although they stayed in South Africa long into 1903 to stabilize the country.
After the war
After the Second Boer War, the Imperial Yeomanry did not participate in any further conflicts. The individual Companies of the IY returned to their British based Yeomanry Regiments and the Imperial Yeomanry was officially disbanded in 1908.The "Imperial Yeomanry" lineage is carried on by the Yeomanry
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:...
Regiments from which the Imperial Yeomanry Companies were created and thus the IY companies earned the battle honour "South Africa" for their parent regiments.
A large number of veterans returned to serve part-time in Yeomanry
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:...
at home and were called again into service in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.