Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry
Encyclopedia
The Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry was formed in 1794, when King George III was on the throne and William Pitt the Younger
was the Prime Minister
, of Great Britain
. Across the English Channel
, Britain was faced by a French nation which had recently guillotine
d its King and which possessed a revolutionary army numbering half a million men. The Prime Minister proposed that the Counties
form a force of Volunteer Yeoman Cavalry which could be called on by the King to defend the country against invasion, or by the Lord Lieutenant
to subdue any civil disorder within his county.
By 1803 there were three Yeomanry Regiments in the Buckinghamshire
area collectively known as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd regiments of the Buckinghamshire Yeomanry. This lasted until 1827, when the 1st and 3rd Regiments were disbanded, and the 2nd Regiment was only kept in existence by being privately funded by the Duke of Buckingham
. In 1845, Queen Victoria conferred the title "Royal" on the Regiment, changing the unit's name to The 2nd Royal Bucks Regiment of Yeomanry. Then in 1889 there was another change in name this time to the Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry.
(1900 to 1901), men of the Regiment formed the 37th (Buckinghamshire) Company 10th Battalion the Imperial Yeomanry
under the command of The Lord Chesham, and the battle honour 'South Africa' was awarded.
formed a second and a third line units known as the 2/1st and the 3/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry.
.
In September 1914 the Brigade was transferred to the 2nd Mounted Division and moved with them to Egypt
, until August 1915 when they were dismounted and sent to Gallipoli
. After the evacuation from Gallipoli, in December 1915, they returned to Egypt and in 1916 they and the Brigade became an independent command and were redesignated as the 6th Mounted Brigade.
This Brigade joined the Imperial Mounted Division in February 1917 and they were once again moved in June 1917, this time to the Yeomanry Mounted Division. This last move lasted until April 1918, when they were amalgamated with the Berkshire Yeomanry
, to form C Battalion, the Machine Gun Corps
.
This new Battalion moved to France
in June 1918. They were then renumbered as 101 Battalion, the Machine Gun Corps.
and 6th Cavalry Brigades) and the remaining Yeomanry Regiments would be re-roled as Artillery. In 1921 the Buckinghamshire Yeomanry was amalgamated with the Berkshire Yeomanry
and re-formed as the 99th (Bucks and Berks Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
.
The two Batteries were 393 Battery with 18 pounders and 394 Battery.
They were sent to France
, as part of the BEF
, seeing active service in France
and Belgium
.
Following the Dunkirk evacuation the Regiment was based in Yorkshire
, until in 1942 they were sent out to the Far East and attached to the 2nd Division
, seeing service in India
and Burma, including the Battle of the Arakan. In 1944, they were involved in the Allied advance and involved in the Battles of Kohima
, Imphal
, Rangoon and Mandalay
.
In 1945 after the end of the war they returned to Calcutta in India for demobilisation.
In 1950 they were once again amalgamated, this time with the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
, to form the 299th (Bucks and Oxfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, R.A. In 1954 on the formation of the T.A.V.R., the Regiment became P Battery (Royal Bucks Yeomanry) The Buckinghamshire Regiment, R.A. (T) and following a further amalgamation, the title changed again to the 299th (Royal Bucks Yeomanry, Berkshire Yeomanry and Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars) Field Regiment RA (TA).
The Regiment went through a number of changes over the following years. In 1961 299th (Royal Bucks Yeomanry, Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars and Berkshire) Field Regiment, RA (TA) then in 1967, 99 Field Regiment RA (RBY) (TA) was disbanded. In 1971 a new role emerged, this time as infantry, becoming the 2nd Battalion, The Wessex Regiment
. On the disbandment of that Battalion the Royal Buckinghamshire title was adopted by the present day army unit 1 Signal Squadron (Special Communications)
The 1 (Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry) Signal Squadron (Special Communications) is the only British Army Special Communications Unit. They provide operational specialist communications in locations around the world. The unit is made up of Regular and TA soldiers, and has a total strength of approximately 100.
The squadron was formed in 1995, by the amalgamation of 602 Signal Troop (Special Communications) and 1 Squadron 39th Signal Regiment (Special Communications) (Volunteers). The Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry title was adopted by 1 Signal Squadron (Special Communications) in 1996.
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
was the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. Across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, Britain was faced by a French nation which had recently guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
d its King and which possessed a revolutionary army numbering half a million men. The Prime Minister proposed that the Counties
Counties of the United Kingdom
The counties of the United Kingdom are subnational divisions of the United Kingdom, used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. By the Middle Ages counties had become established as a unit of local government, at least in England. By the early 17th century all...
form a force of Volunteer Yeoman Cavalry which could be called on by the King to defend the country against invasion, or by the Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
to subdue any civil disorder within his county.
By 1803 there were three Yeomanry Regiments in the Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
area collectively known as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd regiments of the Buckinghamshire Yeomanry. This lasted until 1827, when the 1st and 3rd Regiments were disbanded, and the 2nd Regiment was only kept in existence by being privately funded by the Duke of Buckingham
Duke of Buckingham
The titles Marquess and Duke of Buckingham, referring to Buckingham, have been created several times in the peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. There have also been Earls of Buckingham.-1444 creation:...
. In 1845, Queen Victoria conferred the title "Royal" on the Regiment, changing the unit's name to The 2nd Royal Bucks Regiment of Yeomanry. Then in 1889 there was another change in name this time to the Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry.
Boer War
During the Boer WarBoer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
(1900 to 1901), men of the Regiment formed the 37th (Buckinghamshire) Company 10th Battalion 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...
under the command of The Lord Chesham, and the battle honour 'South Africa' was awarded.
World War I
The Regiment in World War IWorld 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...
formed a second and a third line units known as the 2/1st and the 3/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry.
1/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry
The 1/1st were mobilised in August 1914 and attached to the 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade of the 1st Mounted Division1st Mounted Division
The 1st Mounted Division was formed in August 1914 for the home defence of the United Kingdom. It was formed from existing mounted brigades of the Territorial Force, each of three regiments of Yeomanry....
.
In September 1914 the Brigade was transferred to the 2nd Mounted Division and moved with them to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, until August 1915 when they were dismounted and sent to Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
. After the evacuation from Gallipoli, in December 1915, they returned to Egypt and in 1916 they and the Brigade became an independent command and were redesignated as the 6th Mounted Brigade.
This Brigade joined the Imperial Mounted Division in February 1917 and they were once again moved in June 1917, this time to the Yeomanry Mounted Division. This last move lasted until April 1918, when they were amalgamated with the Berkshire Yeomanry
Berkshire Yeomanry
94 Signal Squadron forms part of 39 Signal Regiment. They are currently based in three locations in the Home Counties...
, to form C Battalion, the 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...
.
This new Battalion moved to 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...
in June 1918. They were then renumbered as 101 Battalion, the Machine Gun Corps.
2/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry
The 2/1st Regiment was formed in September 1914, and would remain in the United Kingdom throughout the war. In August 1917, they were converted into a Cyclist unit.3/1st Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry
The 3/1st were formed in 1915. They also remained in United Kingdom until early in 1917, when they were absorbed into the 3rd Reserve Cavalry Regiment.Between the wars
On the reforming of the TA, the 14 senior Yeomanry Regiments remained as horsed cavalry regiments (6 forming the 5th5th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 5th Cavalry Brigade, was a part of the British Army, it served in both world wars in World War One it was part of the 2nd Cavalry Division, and during the Second World War it was formed in 1939 from Yeomanry Regiments and part of the 1st Cavalry Division....
and 6th Cavalry Brigades) and the remaining Yeomanry Regiments would be re-roled as Artillery. In 1921 the Buckinghamshire Yeomanry was amalgamated with the Berkshire Yeomanry
Berkshire Yeomanry
94 Signal Squadron forms part of 39 Signal Regiment. They are currently based in three locations in the Home Counties...
and re-formed as the 99th (Bucks and Berks Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
.
The two Batteries were 393 Battery with 18 pounders and 394 Battery.
World War II
In 1939 the Regiment was known as the 99th (Bucks. and Berks. Yeomanry) Field Regiment Royal Artillery. By May 1939 the 99th (Royal Bucks. Yeomanry) Field Regiment. R.A. had become an independent unit.They were sent to 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 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....
, seeing active service 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...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Following the Dunkirk evacuation the Regiment was based in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, until in 1942 they were sent out to the Far East and attached to the 2nd Division
British 2nd Infantry Division
The 2nd Division is a regular division of the British army, with a long history. It dates its existence as a permanently embodied formation from 1809, when it was established by Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Wellesley , as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, for service in the Peninsular War...
, seeing service in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Burma, including the Battle of the Arakan. In 1944, they were involved in the Allied advance and involved in the Battles of Kohima
Kohima
Kohima is the hilly capital of India's north eastern border state of Nagaland which shares its borders with Burma. It lies in Kohima District and is also one of the three Nagaland towns with Municipal council status along with Dimapur and Mokokchung....
, Imphal
Imphal
Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Kangla Fort used to be the home of the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force and on November 2004 it was handed over to state of Manipur by Prime minister Dr....
, Rangoon and Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
.
In 1945 after the end of the war they returned to Calcutta in India for demobilisation.
Post war
The Regiment was reformed in 1947 as the 299th (Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment R.A.In 1950 they were once again amalgamated, this time with the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars
The Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars was the designated name of a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army between 1888 and 1922. In response a call by the government for troops of volunteers to be formed in the shires, meeting of “Nobility, Gentry, Freeholders and Yeomanry” was called at the Star Inn...
, to form the 299th (Bucks and Oxfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, R.A. In 1954 on the formation of the T.A.V.R., the Regiment became P Battery (Royal Bucks Yeomanry) The Buckinghamshire Regiment, R.A. (T) and following a further amalgamation, the title changed again to the 299th (Royal Bucks Yeomanry, Berkshire Yeomanry and Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars) Field Regiment RA (TA).
The Regiment went through a number of changes over the following years. In 1961 299th (Royal Bucks Yeomanry, Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars and Berkshire) Field Regiment, RA (TA) then in 1967, 99 Field Regiment RA (RBY) (TA) was disbanded. In 1971 a new role emerged, this time as infantry, becoming the 2nd Battalion, The Wessex Regiment
Wessex Regiment
The Wessex Regiment was a Territorial Army infantry regiment of the British Army between 1971 and 1995. It had two battalions: The 1st Bn with its headquarters at Le Marchant Barracks in Devizes and the 2nd Bn which was headquartered at Brock Barracks in Reading...
. On the disbandment of that Battalion the Royal Buckinghamshire title was adopted by the present day army unit 1 Signal Squadron (Special Communications)
The 1 (Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry) Signal Squadron (Special Communications) is the only British Army Special Communications Unit. They provide operational specialist communications in locations around the world. The unit is made up of Regular and TA soldiers, and has a total strength of approximately 100.
The squadron was formed in 1995, by the amalgamation of 602 Signal Troop (Special Communications) and 1 Squadron 39th Signal Regiment (Special Communications) (Volunteers). The Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry title was adopted by 1 Signal Squadron (Special Communications) in 1996.