Norfolk Yeomanry
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The Norfolk Yeomanry was a volunteer cavalry (
Yeomanry Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Army Reserve, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units serve in a variety of different military roles. History Origins In the 1790s, f ...
) regiment of Britain's Territorial Army accepted onto the establishment of the British Army in 1794. After seeing action in the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...
, it served dismounted at Gallipoli, in Palestine and on the Western Front during the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Between the wars it converted to the
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
(TA), and served as an anti-tank regiment in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, the Western Desert,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
and North West Europe during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
. After the war it served as a TA air defence unit and then as an
Army Air Corps Army Air Corps may refer to the following army aviation corps: * Army Air Corps (United Kingdom), the army aviation element of the British Army * Philippine Army Air Corps (1935–1941) * United States Army Air Corps (1926–1942), or its p ...
unit.


History


Formation and early history

A volunteer unit, the Norfolk Rangers, was raised as a home defence force in the county of
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
in 1782, during the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
, by the Hon George Townshend. Lord Ferrers of Chartley (later 2nd Marquess Townshend). It consisted of a troop of cavalry and an infantry company. The unit was accepted as Yeomanry Cavalry in 1794, and during the
Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
there were three regiments, the 1st West Norfolk, 2nd Mid Norfolk, and 3rd East Norfolk. Along with many other Yeomanry regiments, these were disbanded in 1828. A revived Norfolk Yeomanry Cavalry was formed in 1831 but disbanded in 1849.Mileham, pp. 100–1.Norfolk Yeomanry at Regiments.org.
/ref>


Second Boer War

The success of the
Imperial Yeomanry The Imperial Yeomanry was a volunteer mounted force of the British Army that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Created on 2 January 1900, the force was initially recruited from the middle classes and traditional yeomanry sources, but s ...
, raised as volunteer mounted infantry during the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...
, led to a number of new regiments joining the order of battle of the traditional yeomanry cavalry regiments in 1901. Among these was the Norfolk Imperial Yeomanry (King's Own), raised at the express wish of the newly crowned
King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria a ...
(who lived at
Sandringham House Sandringham House is a country house in the parish of Sandringham, Norfolk, England. It is one of the royal residences of Charles III, whose grandfather, George VI, and great-grandfather, George V, both died there. The house stands in a estat ...
in Norfolk). The regiment took the Royal cypher as its badge. The cadre for the new unit was provided by the Norfolk squadron of the Suffolk Yeomanry (the Duke of York's Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars), and it formed four squadrons and a
machine gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) ar ...
section.


Territorial Force

When the Yeomanry were subsumed into the new
Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry ...
(TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908, the regiment was renamed the Norfolk Yeomanry (King's Own Royal Regiment) (Dragoons) and was distributed as follows: * Regimental HQ at Cattle Market Street,
Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
* A Squadron HQ at Norwich, drill stations at Attleborough,
Long Stratton Long Stratton is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It historically consisted of two villages; the larger, Stratton St. Mary, is to the south, and the other, Stratton St. Michael, is to the north. It had a population of 4,424 in the ...
, Loddon, Diss and Harleston * B Squadron HQ at
North Walsham North Walsham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England, within the North Norfolk district. Demography The civil parish has an area of and in the 2011 census had a population of 12,634. For the purposes of local government, the pa ...
, drill stations at Brandiston,
Blofield Blofield is a village and civil parish in the Broadland district of Norfolk, England. The parish includes Blofield and the hamlets of Blofield Heath and Blofield Corner and, according to the 2001 census, had a population of 3,221, increasing to ...
,
Coltishall Coltishall is a village on the River Bure, west of Wroxham, in the English county of Norfolk. The village is located within the Norfolk Broads. History Coltishall's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for Cohhede's la ...
,
Cromer Cromer ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish on the north coast of the English county of Norfolk. It is north of Norwich, north-northeast of London and east of Sheringham on the North Sea coastline. The local government authorities are Nor ...
,
Hanworth Hanworth is a district of West London, England. Historically in Middlesex, it has been part of the London Borough of Hounslow since 1965. Hanworth adjoins Feltham to the northwest, Twickenham to the northeast and Hampton to the southeast, with ...
, Holt, Marsham, Reepham,
Stalham Stalham is a market town and civil parish on the River Ant in the English county of Norfolk, in East Anglia. It covers an area of and had a population of 2,951 in 1,333 households at the 2001 census, the population increasing to 3,149 at the 20 ...
and Great Yarmouth * C Squadron HQ at
Fakenham Fakenham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, about north west of Norwich. The town is the junction of several local roads, including the A148 from King's Lynn to Cromer, the A1067 to Norw ...
, drill stations at Barwick, Bircham, Brisley,
Dersingham Dersingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated some north of the town of King's Lynn and north-west of the city of Norwich, opening onto The Wash.Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 250 - Norfolk ...
, East Dereham, Fransham,
Hardingham Hardingham is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It covers an area of 4 square miles (9.78 km) with a population of 274 in 110 households at the 2001 census, decreasing to a population of 267 in 107 households at the 2011 Census. ...
, Hunstanton, Massingham, Quarles, Summerfield,
Swaffham Swaffham () is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District and English county of Norfolk. It is situated east of King's Lynn and west of Norwich. The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 6,9 ...
, Watton, Wells,
Wymondham Wymondham ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the South Norfolk district of Norfolk, England, south-west of Norwich off the A11 road to London. The River Tiffey runs through. The parish, one of Norfolk's largest, includes rural areas to ...
and Walsingham * D Squadron HQ at King's Lynn, drill stations at
Downham Market Downham Market, sometimes simply referred to as Downham, is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It lies on the edge of the Fens, on the River Great Ouse, approximately 11 miles south of King's Lynn, 39 miles west of Norwich and 30 ...
,
Thetford Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just east of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , in 2015 had a population of 24, ...
and
Wisbech Wisbech ( ) is a market town, inland port and civil parish in the Fenland district in Cambridgeshire, England. In 2011 it had a population of 31,573. The town lies in the far north-east of Cambridgeshire, bordering Norfolk and only 5 miles ...
. It formed part of the Eastern Mounted Brigade.


First World War


Mobilisation

In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 ('' 7 Edw. 7, c.9'') which brought the
Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry ...
into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service. Therefore, TF units were split in August and September 1914 into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. Later, a 3rd Line was formed to act as a reserve, providing trained replacements for the 1st and 2nd Line regiments.


1/1st Norfolk Yeomanry

On the outbreak of war in August 1914 the Eastern Mounted Brigade became part of the 1st Mounted Division and served with it in coastal defence at
Woodbridge, Suffolk Woodbridge is a port and market town in the East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England. It is up the River Deben from the sea. It lies north-east of Ipswich and forms part of the wider Ipswich built-up area. The town is close to some major a ...
, until September 1915, when it was sent to reinforce the Allied force at Gallipoli.Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 1–7.


=Gallipoli

= The Eastern Mounted Brigade left 1st Mounted Division and embarked without their horses at
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
on the , sailing on 25 September 1915 for
Lemnos Lemnos or Limnos ( el, Λήμνος; grc, Λῆμνος) is a Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Lemnos regional unit, which is part of the North Aegean region. The p ...
.The Norfolk Yeomanry, with 25 officers & 504 men, were under the command of Lt-Col A. F. Morse. Having arrived at
Mudros Moudros ( el, Μούδρος) is a town and a former municipality on the island of Lemnos, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lemnos, of which it is a municipal unit. It covers the entire eas ...
harbour on 1 October, the brigade had to remain on board until 8 October, when the Norfolk and Suffolk Yeomanry transhipped to the ''Abassieh'', but bad weather prevented them from landing at ANZAC Cove until 10 October.Westlake, p. 271. On arrival the brigade was attached to the 54th (East Anglian) Division, with the Norfolk Yeomanry joining the 1/8th
Hampshire Regiment The Hampshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot and the 67th (South Hampshire) Regiment of Foot. The regim ...
and the 1/4th
Essex Regiment The Essex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958. The regiment served in many conflicts such as the Second Boer War and both World War I and World War II, serving with distinction in all three. ...
on 14 October for instruction in trench warfare in the Hill 60 area. After a week they relieved the 1/6th Essex and took over the Norfolk Street sector until they were relieved in turn by the 1/4th
Norfolk Regiment The Royal Norfolk Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army until 1959. Its predecessor regiment was raised in 1685 as Henry Cornwall's Regiment of Foot. In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named ...
and returned to the New Bedford Road rest camp on 26 October. Throughout November the regiment took turns in the trenches to the right of Hill 60, suffering a trickle of casualties. By the end of the month casualties amounted to 200 out of 500 other ranks, mostly from sickness. The decision having been made to abandon the campaign, the first party of the Norfolk Yeomanry was evacuated to Mudros on 14 December, the remainder following five days later, these detachments being among the last to be evacuated from the
Suvla View of Suvla from Battleship Hill Suvla () is a bay on the Aegean coast of the Gallipoli peninsula in European Turkey, south of the Gulf of Saros. On 6 August 1915, it was the site for the Landing at Suvla Bay by the British IX Corps as pa ...
beachhead on 20 December.


=Egypt and Palestine

= The regiment landed in Egypt in February 1916, where the South-Eastern and Eastern Mounted Brigades were merged to form the 3rd Dismounted Brigade and were engaged on digging defences for the Suez Canal. In July they were moved to
Sollum Sallum ( ar, السلوم, translit=as-Sallūm various transliterations include ''El Salloum'', ''As Sallum'' or ''Sollum'') is a harbourside village or town in Egypt. It is along the Egypt/Libyan short north–south aligned coast of the Mediterra ...
and
Mersa Matruh Mersa Matruh ( ar, مرسى مطروح, translit=Marsā Maṭrūḥ, ), also transliterated as ''Marsa Matruh'', is a port in Egypt and the capital of Matrouh Governorate. It is located west of Alexandria and east of Sallum on the main highway ...
on the Egyptian coast as part of the
Western Frontier Force The Western Frontier Force was raised from British Empire troops during the Senussi Campaign from November 1915 to February 1917, under the command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF). Orders for the formation of the force were issued on ...
defending
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
against the Senussi. In early 1917 the dismounted brigades were moved from Western Egypt and organised into
74th (Yeomanry) Division The 74th (Yeomanry) Division was a Territorial Force infantry division formed in Palestine in early 1917 from three dismounted yeomanry brigades. It served in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War, mostly as part of XX Corps. ...
, with the Norfolk Yeomanry being redesigned from 7 February as the 12th (Norfolk Yeomanry) Battalion,
Norfolk Regiment The Royal Norfolk Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army until 1959. Its predecessor regiment was raised in 1685 as Henry Cornwall's Regiment of Foot. In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named ...
in 230th Infantry Brigade.Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 117–122. The 12th Norfolks went into the trenches at Deir el Balah on 12 April in preparation for the advance into Palestine. The 74th Division remained in reserve during the
Second Battle of Gaza The Second Battle of Gaza was fought on 17-19 April 1917, following the defeat of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) at the First Battle of Gaza in March, during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War. Gaza was defended by ...
(17–19 April), and afterwards 230th Bde held the line of Wadi Ghuzzee during May before moving into divisional reserve in June. The 74th Division began a period of intense infantry training in August. The
Third Battle of Gaza The Third Battle of Gaza was fought on the night of 1–2 November 1917 between British and Ottoman forces during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I and came after the British Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) victory at the ...
opened on the night of 30 October with the Yeomanry taking up positions on the far side of Wadi Ghuzzee. 230th Brigade supported the attack at 08.30, the Norfolks on the left. All the battalions came under
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fire and progress through the gullies was slow. The brigade came within 1000 yards of the Turkish position by 10.40, by which time the men were crawling beneath machine-gun fire. But covered by their own artillery and machine-gun barrage, they cleared the opposing trenches soon after 12.15. The Yeomanry began consolidating the position, but were still under long-range fire from the next Turkish position, so 230th Bde was sent forward to take this position as well. By now the objective of
Beersheba Beersheba or Beer Sheva, officially Be'er-Sheva ( he, בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע, ''Bəʾēr Ševaʿ'', ; ar, بئر السبع, Biʾr as-Sabʿ, Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven), is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. ...
had fallen to the
Australian Light Horse Australian Light Horse were mounted troops with characteristics of both cavalry and mounted infantry, who served in the Second Boer War and World War I. During the inter-war years, a number of regiments were raised as part of Australia's part-t ...
. The next phase of the battle, as far as 74th Division was concerned, came on 6 November, when it attacked towards the railway line. The advance had to be made over open country to the enemy position which was at least 4000 yards away, but the attack was remarkable for the speed at which the battalions advanced, taking several enemy gun positions. After the victory, the division was left to clear the battlefield, and only caught up with the rest of the army on 23 November, when it began attacking into the hill country. The division was relieved on 4/5 December and shifted round to attack towards
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
from the west. The night approach for the attack on 8 December was difficult and the troops were late in jumping off (at 05.35). They then had to descend into a steep wadi and climb the other side. The Norfolks on the left took 35 minutes to climb the slope, where they found the Turks had abandoned their trenches but were holding walls and rocks just behind the crest. The Yeomanry worked their way forward over a mile and a half of difficult country and reached the village of Beit Iksa by 11.30. Here they were held up by flanking fire from Nebi Samwil, and established an outpost line. The following morning the enemy had disappeared, and the advance was made with hardly a shot fired, while
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
fell into British hands. The offensive was renewed between 28 and 31 December, with the brigades alternating in the lead. After the
Capture of Jericho The Capture of Jericho occurred between 19 and 21 February 1918 to the east of Jerusalem beginning the Occupation of the Jordan Valley during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War. Fighting took place in an area bordered by the ...
the British forces continued the advance north until 8 March 1918, when the division attacked the Tell Azur position. The 12th Norfolks were in reserve as the brigade crossed the Nablus Road and advanced over broken ground. They then took over the advance, but did not arrive until the afternoon because of the difficult approach. Their task was to scramble down a rough slope before crossing a bridge and then climbing a formidable terraced hill, beyond the crest of which lay the objective (Hill K12), and it was decided to wait until dusk. The battalion lost formation in the dark and the descent was swept with machine gun fire, but the Norfolks found a single practicable path down the slope. At midnight the climb began, with the Turks throwing grenades down on them until they reached the crest. The advance towards K12 was resumed at 06.00 on 9 March but was halted by machine gun fire and exhaustion. Supporting troops continued the advance, but it ended on 12 March and the line achieved was consolidated. Colonel J.F. Barclay led a raid with two companies of his Norfolks on the night of 23/24 March, but the success of the German spring offensive on the Western Front meant that active operations in Palestine had to be shut down, and reinforcements sent to France.


=France and Flanders

= On arrival in France, the 74th Division conformed to the smaller establishment of divisions in the British Expeditionary Force, releasing three spare battalions, including the 12th Norfolks, which on 20 June were formed into 94th (Yeomanry) Brigade in the 31st Division.Becke, Pt 3b, pp. 11–9. The 12th Norfolks fought with 31st Division in the following actions of the Hundred Days Offensive: * La Becque (28 June) * Capture of Vieux Merquin (18 August) *
Fifth Battle of Ypres The Fifth Battle of Ypres, also called the Advance in Flanders and the Battle of the Peaks of Flanders (french: Bataille des Crêtes de Flandres) is an informal name used to identify a series of World War I battles in northern France and southe ...
(28 September–2 October) ittle bit in Edmonds* Tieghem (31 October).


2/1st Norfolk Yeomanry

The 2nd Line regiment was formed in 1914 and by January 1915 it was in the
2/1st Eastern Mounted Brigade E21 may refer to: * BMW E21, an automobile platform * HMS E21 * European route E21 * DRG series E 21, different locomotives of the German National Railroad * E21 - Code that it designates the Astronomical observatory of Norm Roses, Leyburn * E21 - ...
in the
Huntingdon Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there ...
area. On 31 March 1916, the remaining Mounted Brigades were ordered to be numbered in a single sequence; the brigade was numbered as
13th Mounted Brigade The 4th Mounted Division was a short-lived Yeomanry Division of the British Army active during World War I. It was formed on 20 March 1916, converted to 2nd Cyclist Division in July 1916 and broken up on 16 November 1916. It remained in England ...
and joined 4th Mounted Division in the
Wivenhoe Wivenhoe ( ) is a town and civil parish in north-eastern Essex, England, approximately south-east of Colchester. Historically Wivenhoe village, on the banks of the River Colne, and Wivenhoe Cross, on the higher ground to the north, were two ...
area. In July 1916, the regiment was converted to a
cyclist Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...
unit in 5th Cyclist Brigade, 2nd Cyclist Division, still in the Wivenhoe area. In November 1916, the division was broken up and regiment was merged with the 2/1st Suffolk Yeomanry to form 7th (Suffolk and Norfolk) Yeomanry Cyclist Regiment in 3rd Cyclist Brigade, in the
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line ...
area. In March 1917 it resumed its identity as 2/1st Norfolk Yeomanry, still at Ipswich in 3rd Cyclist Brigade. By July 1917 the regiment had moved to Woodbridge. In May 1918 the regiment moved to
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
and was stationed at
Castlerea Castlerea (; ) is the third largest town in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is located in the west of the county and had a population of 1,992 at the 2016 Census. Roughly translated from Irish, Castlerea is generally thought to mean 'brindled ca ...
gh and
Gort Gort ( or ) is a town of around 3,000 inhabitants in County Galway in the west of Ireland. Located near the border with County Clare, the town lies between the Burren and the Slieve Aughty and is served by the R458 and R460 regional roads, wh ...
, still in 3rd Cyclist Brigade, until the end of the war.


3/1st Norfolk Yeomanry

The 3rd Line regiment was formed in 1915 and in the summer it was affiliated to a Reserve Cavalry Regiment in Eastern Command. In the summer of 1916 it was attached to the 3rd Line Groups of the East Anglian Division. Early in 1917 the regiment was disbanded and its personnel were transferred to the 2nd Line regiment and the 4th (Reserve) Battalion of the
Norfolk Regiment The Royal Norfolk Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army until 1959. Its predecessor regiment was raised in 1685 as Henry Cornwall's Regiment of Foot. In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named ...
at Halton Park,
Tring Tring is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Dacorum, Hertfordshire, England. It is situated in a gap passing through the Chiltern Hills, classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, from Central London. Tring is linked to ...
.


Between the wars

On 31 January 1920 the
War Office The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...
announced that recruitment would begin for the reconstituted Territorial Army (as it was now known), but that only 16 out of the 55 existing Yeomanry regiments would be retained in their traditional mounted role. The remainder were converted to other roles, and in 1922 the Norfolk Yeomanry became 108th (Norfolk Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (RFA), with two batteries (429th and 430th) based at Swaffham.Litchfield, pp. 186–7.''Monthly Army List'', various dates. The Commanding Officer (CO) was Lieutenant-Colonel
Viscount Bury A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...
, MC. The following year the regiment was joined by two Suffolk Yeomanry batteries transferred from 103rd (Suffolk) Brigade, RFA, and after the RFA was merged into the
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
(RA) in 1924 the unit was constituted as follows:''Titles and Designations''. 108th (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Field Brigade, RA * HQ at Swaffham * 411 (Suffolk Yeomanry) Bty at Old Barracks, Bury St Edmunds * 412 (Suffolk Yeomanry) Bty at
Beccles Beccles ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Suffolk.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . The town is shown on the milestone as from London via the A145 and A12 roads, north-east of London as the crow fl ...
, later at the Drill Hall, St Peter's Street, Lowestoft * 429 (Norfolk Yeomanry) Bty at Swaffham, later at Cattle Market Barracks, Norwich * 430 (Norfolk Yeomanry) Bty (Howitzer) at Swaffham The unit was an 'Army' field brigade in 54th (East Anglian) Divisional Area. Lt-Col O. Birkbeck became CO on 24 October 1926, succeeded by Lt-Col B.M.M. Edwards, MC, on 24 October 1931 and by Lt-Col Sir Charles Rowley, Bt, on 24 October 1935. In 1938 the RA was reorganised, 'brigades' became 'regiments', and some field regiments were converted to the anti-tank (A/T) role. 108th Field Brigade became 55th (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, RA and the batteries were renumbered 217–220. The unit became the divisional A/T regiment of 54th (East Anglian) Division.


Second World War


Mobilisation

By 1939, it became clear that a new European war was likely to break out and, as a direct result of the German invasion of Czechoslovakia on 15 March, the doubling of the Territorial Army was authorised, with each unit and formation forming a duplicate. When the TA was mobilised on 1 September, the Norfolk and Suffolk Yeomanry 'Duplicate and Original Regiments' were on annual training at Chiseldon Camp, and the 'Norfolk Duplicate Batteries' and 'Lowestoft Contingent' returned to Swaffham. The following day, orders were issued to split the unit into 55th (Suffolk Yeomanry) A/T Rgt at Bury St Edmunds as part of 54th Division, and 65th (Norfolk Yeomanry) A/T Rgt at Swaffham as part of the duplicate 18th Infantry Division then in process of formation. Under the command of Lt-Col W.N. Arnold, the new regiment was organised as follows:65 (NY) A/T Rgt War Diary 1939–40, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 166/1637. This authoritative source contradicts the statement by Mileham (pp. 101, 112) and Regiments.org that the Suffolk and Norfolk batteries were not split until 1942 and the statement by Litchfield that the 65th did not regain its Norfolk Yeomanry title until that year.65 A/T Rgt at RA 1939–45.
/ref>


65th (Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment

* HQ at Swaffham * 257 Bty at Norwich and Wymondham * 258 Bty at Norwich * 259 Bty at Swaffham * 260 Bty at King's Lynn The unit was usually abbreviated as '65 (NY) A/T Rgt' or more familiarly (especially within 7th Armoured Division) as simply the Norfolk Yeomanry. At this date the standard British Army A/T gun was the 2-pounder on a scale of 12 guns per battery. The regiment left 18th Division in November 1939 to reinforce 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division, which was preparing to join the British Expeditionary Force in France.Joslen, pp. 81–1. After training around
Tewkesbury Tewkesbury ( ) is a medieval market town and civil parish in the north of Gloucestershire, England. The town has significant history in the Wars of the Roses and grew since the building of Tewkesbury Abbey. It stands at the confluence of the Ri ...
, the regiment embarked on the '' Ulster Monarch'' on 9 February 1940, and by the end of the month was concentrated at Crèvecœur-le-Grand.65 (NY) A/T Rgt War Diary 1940, TNA file WO 167/586.


Battle of France

When the Battle of France began on 10 May, the BEF started to advance north into Belgium in accordance with 'Plan D', but the German Army broke through the Ardennes, outflanking the BEF and forcing it to withdraw again. By 19 May the regiment was defending
Vimy Ridge The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras, in the Pas-de-Calais department of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the four divisions of the Canadian Corps in the First Army, against three divisions of ...
near Arras, with 257 Bty detached to 'Polforce' guarding the Canal Line.


=Arras

= On 21 May the BEF counter-attacked at Arras, striking south against the German forces cutting westwards towards the sea. Major-General G. Le Q. Martel of 50th Division attacked with two columns, each consisting of a tank regiment and an infantry battalion with artillery support. 260 Battery under Major Forrester accompanied the Right Column. The advance began at 14.30, without time for reconnaissance, but the column fought its way through Duisans successfully. Two A/T Troops and two companies of the 8th Bn
Durham Light Infantry The Durham Light Infantry (DLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1968. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) and t ...
were left to hold the village and deal with the prisoners, while the column pushed on. Warlus and then Berneville were cleared, but then the advance guard ran into troops of the 7th Panzer Division and
3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf The 3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf" (german: 3. SS-Panzerdivision "Totenkopf") was an elite division of the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II, formed from the Standarten of the SS-TV. Its name, ''Totenkopf'', is German for " ...
, came under heavy machine-gun and mortar fire, and were pushed back to the main body, which was subjected to a 20-minute attack by aircraft. This was followed by German tank attacks, which were driven off by 260 A/T Bty's guns. The divisional historian claimed that 'upwards of twenty tanks were knocked out and left burning n the ground'. Right Column could advance no further, and withdrew with French support in the evening. 2nd Lieutenant Spens distinguished himself in this action and was awarded the
Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC ...
(MC). 260 Battery withdrew to
Givenchy Givenchy (, ) is a French luxury fashion and perfume house. It hosts the brand of haute couture and ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics of Parfums Givenchy. The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de ...
, where it was badly bombed on 22 May.


=Dunkirk

= After the check at Arras, the German columns resumed their advance to the sea, cutting the BEF off from the bulk of French forces. The decision was made to withdraw to Dunkirk and try to evacuate the BEF from there (
Operation Dynamo Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
). Most of the regiment withdrew to Wattignies while 259 Bty remained in action on the
La Bassée La Bassée () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Population Heraldry Personalities La Bassée was the birthplace of the painter and draftsman Louis-Léopold Boilly (1761–1845). Another native was Ignace François ...
Béthune Béthune ( ; archaic and ''Bethwyn'' historically in English) is a city in northern France, sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department. Geography Béthune is located in the former province of Artois. It is situated south-east of Calais, ...
Canal, where Bombardier Pointer withdrew his gun and tractor under fire and was awarded the
Military Medal The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award ...
(MM). 50th Division was bombed all day on 25 May, 258 and 260 Btys suffering such losses in manpower and equipment as they fell back through
Poperinghe Poperinge (; french: Poperinghe, ; vls, Poperienge) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, Flemish Region, and has a history going back to medieval times. The municipality comprises the town of Poperinge pr ...
that they were amalgamated (as 260 Bty). The next day, while most of the regiment withdrew towards
Ypres Ypres ( , ; nl, Ieper ; vls, Yper; german: Ypern ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality c ...
, 259 Bty was sent with 1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers of 25th Brigade to form a defensive line facing south on the Canal de Lawe from
Lestrem Lestrem (; ; ) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography A small farming and light industrial town, situated some north of Béthune and west of Lille, on the D122, D178 and D975 roads, by ...
to Vieille-Chapelle to cover the BEF's withdrawal.Farndale, p. 84. By 29 May the Germans were closing up to the Dunkirk perimeter where the regiment acted as rearguard. The detached 259 Bty was evacuated on 29 and 30 May. The bulk of the regiment destroyed its equipment and got away in boats from Dunkirk on 31 May; 260 Bty followed on 2 June.


Home Defence

The regiment reformed at
Knutsford Knutsford () is a market town in the borough of Cheshire East, in Cheshire, England. Knutsford is south-west of Manchester, north-west of Macclesfield and 12.5 miles (20 km) south-east of Warrington. The population at the 2011 Census was ...
in Cheshire, and then manned coastal defences at
Bridport Bridport is a market town in Dorset, England, inland from the English Channel near the confluence of the River Brit and its tributary the Asker. Its origins are Saxon and it has a long history as a rope-making centre. On the coast and wit ...
in
Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset. Covering an area of , ...
, building pillboxes, laying wire entanglements and cooperating with the newly formed Local Defence Volunteers (later
Home Guard Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense. The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting w ...
). In mid-July the regiment was equipped with a collection of obsolete guns: * RHQ at Bridport, later at
Child Okeford Child Okeford (sometimes written Childe Okeford) is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England, east of the small town of Sturminster Newton in the North Dorset administrative district. Child Okeford lies downstre ...
* 257 Bty at Burton Bradstock, later at Durweston * 258 Bty at West Bay, later at Swanage * 259 Bty at Chideock, with detachments manning 3-pounders at
Lyme Regis Lyme Regis is a town in west Dorset, England, west of Dorchester and east of Exeter. Sometimes dubbed the "Pearl of Dorset", it lies by the English Channel at the Dorset–Devon border. It has noted fossils in cliffs and beaches on the Heri ...
and
Charmouth Charmouth is a village and civil parish in west Dorset, England. The village is situated on the mouth of the River Char, around north-east of Lyme Regis. Dorset County Council estimated that in 2013 the population of the civil parish was 1,31 ...
, 4-inch at Chesilton, and 12-pounder at
Fleet Fleet may refer to: Vehicles *Fishing fleet *Naval fleet *Fleet vehicles, a pool of motor vehicles *Fleet Aircraft, the aircraft manufacturing company Places Canada * Fleet, Alberta, Canada, a hamlet England * The Fleet Lagoon, at Chesil Beach ...
* 260 Bty at Bridport with detachments manning 4-inch guns at Burton Bradstock and East Bexington * Detachments of 63rd Medium Rgt manning four static 6-pounders As the month progressed, ten mobile 6-pounders were issued to the regiment, and at the end of the month 257 Bty at Durweston received its first eight replacement 2-pounder A/T guns. Training and reorganisation continued through the summer under the command of Lt-Col K.W. Hervey, despite air raids and false invasion alarms. Then on 8 November the regiment was ordered to leave 50th Division and begin mobilisation for overseas service. The last of its new guns having been delivered by 1 December, the regiment proceeded to Swansea Docks and sailed for the Middle East on 18 December.65 (NY) A/T Rgt War Diary 1940–1, TNA file WO 169/1521.


Western Desert

The regiment served in the Western Desert Campaign, joining the 7th Armoured Division ('The Desert Rats') with which it served in
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
and North West Europe until the end of the war in Europe.


Post war

When the TA was reconstituted in 1947, the regiment was reformed in the Anti-Aircraft (AA) role as 389th (The King's Own Regiment, Norfolk Yeomanry) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, with RHQ still at Swaffham. It formed part of 98th (AA) Army Group Royal Artillery in the field army, but this was disbanded in 1948.372–413 Rgts RA at British Army 1945 on.
/ref> The abolition of
Anti-Aircraft Command Anti-Aircraft Command (AA Command, or "Ack-Ack Command") was a British Army command of the Second World War that controlled the Territorial Army anti-aircraft artillery and searchlight formations and units defending the United Kingdom. Origin ...
in 1955 resulted in a large number of disbandments and mergers among TA AA units. The 389th LAA Rgt merged with 284th (1st East Anglian) (Mixed) Heavy AA Rgt, to form 284th (The King's Royal Regiment, Norfolk Yeomanry) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA, of which the old 284th formed RHQ (at Norwich) and Q Btys, and the Norfolk Yeomanry provided P and R Btys. In 1961 this regiment in turn later merged with 358th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Field Rgt, RA becoming 308th (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA, with RHQ moving to Ipswich. In 1967 this became 202 (The Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers), a battery within the newly raised 100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers). In 2006, 202 (The Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers) re-roled to become
No. 677 (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Squadron AAC 677 (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Squadron Army Air Corps, was formed on 2 July 2006, from the re-role of 202 (The Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers). It is part of 6 Regiment Army Air Corps Initially based on th ...
(Volunteers) and is part of
6 Regiment Army Air Corps 6 Regiment Army Air Corps is the sole Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Army Reserve regiment of the British Army Air Corps (United Kingdom), Army Air Corps (AAC) falling under the Combat Arm of the British Army. The regiment consists of five Squad ...
(Volunteers). Squadron Headquarters and A Flight are at Bury St Edmunds, B Flight at
Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
and C Flight at
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line ...
.


Insignia

The regimental badge was the Royal Cypher, and this was retained after the conversion to Royal Artillery. Before the Second World War, the regiment wore Norfolk Yeomanry buttons, cavalry shoulder chains and yellow
Gorget patches Gorget patches (collar tabs, collar patches) are an insignia in the form of paired patches of cloth or metal on the collar of a uniform (gorget), used in the military and civil service in some countries. Collar tabs sign the military rank (group o ...
on the blue patrol jacket. Royal Artillery collar badges were worn on service dress. The officers' field service cap was canary yellow over blue. After the war, other ranks wore the Norfolk Yeomanry badge with a yellow backing on khaki
Beret A beret ( or ; ; eu, txapela, ) is a soft, round, flat-crowned cap, usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, wool felt, or acrylic fibre. Mass production of berets began in 19th century France and Spain, and the beret rema ...
s. Combined Norfolk and Suffolk Yeomanry cap and collar badges were introduced in 1961.


Uniforms

The first uniform adopted for the Norfolk Yeomanry, in 1901, was a relatively simple combination of dark blue patrol jacket, khaki helmet and khaki or dark blue breeches.
Gorget patches Gorget patches (collar tabs, collar patches) are an insignia in the form of paired patches of cloth or metal on the collar of a uniform (gorget), used in the military and civil service in some countries. Collar tabs sign the military rank (group o ...
and other
facings A facing colour is a common tailoring technique for European military uniforms where the visible inside lining of a standard military jacket, coat or tunic is of a different colour to that of the garment itself.René Chartrand, William Younghusb ...
were canary yellow. In 1905 a black leather helmet was adopted for other ranks and an enameled aluminum one for officers. After this date all ranks wore a yellow horse-hair plume for parade. With King George as Colonel-in Chief and the King of Norway as Honorary Lt-Colonel, the Norfolk Yeomanry achieved a higher public profile than most yeomanry units and a special levee-dress uniform combining both dragoon and lancer features was authorized for officers. After 1914 the standard khaki service and (subsequently battledress) became normal wear, although the combination of blue and yellow survived in items such as the officer' field service cap.


Memorial

The regimental war memorial in
Norwich Cathedral Norwich Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Norwich, Norfolk, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. It is the cathedral church for the Church of England Diocese of Norwich and is one of the Norwich 12 heritage sites. The cathedra ...
bears the names of 196 officers and men of the Norfolk Yeomanry who died during the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. The Muckleburgh Collection at Weybourne in
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
, has displays of Norfolk Yeomanry memorabilia.


Battle honours

The Norfolk Yeomanry has been awarded the following
battle honours A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In European military t ...
: ;First World War Ypres 1918, France and Flanders 1918,
Gallipoli 1915 The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles ...
, Egypt 1915–17, Gaza,
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, Tell 'Asur, Palestine 1917–18 ;Second World War None awarded to artillery. The Royal Artillery was present in nearly all battles and would have earned most of the honours awarded to cavalry and infantry regiments. In 1833,
William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded h ...
awarded the motto ''Ubique'' (meaning "everywhere") in place of all battle honours.


Notable members

Among those who served in the K.O.R.R. were: * Viscount Coke, aristocrat *
W. E. Johns William Earl Johns (5 February 189321 June 1968) was an English First World War pilot, and writer of adventure stories, usually written under the pen name Capt. W. E. Johns: best known for creating the fictional air-adventurer ''Biggles''. Ea ...
author of the Biggles books * Frederick Duleep Singh (1868–1926), second son of Maharaja Duleep Singh (last ruler of the Sikhs) * George Townshend, 7th Marquess Townshend, commissioned into 430 Bty as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1936 and became an officer in the
Scots Guards The Scots Guards (SG) is one of the five Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. Its origins are as the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland. Its lineage can be traced back to 1642, although it was only placed on the E ...
during the Second World War. * The Hon. John Hare, (later 1st Viscount Blakenham), commissioned into RHQ as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1938, and served with 55 (SY) A/T Rgt during the Second World War. * Robert, 9th Lord Walpole, a 2nd Lieutenant in 65 (NY) A/T Rgt on the outbreak of the Second World War, transferring to 147th (
Essex Yeomanry The Essex Yeomanry was a Reserve unit of the British Army that originated in 1797 as local Yeomanry Cavalry Troops in Essex. Reformed after the experience gained in the Second Boer War, it saw active service as cavalry in World War I and as ar ...
) Rgt RHA in December 1939. * The Hon. Francis Crossley, MC, (later 2nd Baron Somerleyton) and his brother, the Hon. John De Bathe Crossley, served as Major and Captain respectively in the Suffolk Yeomanry batteries in the 1920s. * Sir Maurice Alberic Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, the industrialist, served as a Lieutenant at 108 Fd Bde HQ in the 1930s. * Arthur Guinness, Viscount Elveden (heir of the
Earl of Iveagh Earl of Iveagh (pronounced —especially in Dublin—or ) is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1919 for the businessman and philanthropist Edward Guinness, 1st Viscount Iveagh. He was the third son of Sir Benjamin Guin ...
), commissioned into 411 Bty as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1932, and was killed on active service as a Major with 55th (Suffolk Yeomanry) A/T Rgt in Holland in February 1945.55 A/T Rgt at RA Netherlands.
/ref>


Honorary Colonels and Commanding Officers


See also

*
Imperial Yeomanry The Imperial Yeomanry was a volunteer mounted force of the British Army that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Created on 2 January 1900, the force was initially recruited from the middle classes and traditional yeomanry sources, but s ...
* List of Yeomanry Regiments 1908 *
Yeomanry Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Army Reserve, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units serve in a variety of different military roles. History Origins In the 1790s, f ...
* Yeomanry order of precedence * British yeomanry during the First World War *
Second line yeomanry regiments of the British Army Yeomanry are part of the reserve for the British Army. At the start of First World War there were fifty-four yeomanry regiments in the British Army. Soon after the declaration of war, it was decided to increase the number of these volunteer mounte ...
* List of British Army Yeomanry Regiments converted to Royal Artillery


References


Bibliography

* Anon, ''Regimental Badges and Service Caps'', London: George Philip & Sons, 1941. * ''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage,'' 100th Edn, London, 1953. * Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2a: The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56)'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1935/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . * Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions,'' London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . * Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 3b: New Army Divisions (30–41) and 63rd (R.N.) Division'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1939/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . * Col John K. Dunlop, ''The Development of the British Army 1899–1914'', London: Methuen, 1938.
Major L.F. Ellis, ''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1954/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004.
* Gen Sir Martin Farndale, ''History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941'', Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988/London: Brasseys, 1996, . * * Joslen, Lt-Col H.F., ''Orders of Battle, United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2003, . * Norman E.H. Litchfield, ''The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges)'', Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, . * * * Lt-Col J.D. Sainsbury, ''The Hertfordshire Yeomanry Regiments, Royal Artillery, Part 1: The Field Regiments 1920-1946'', Welwyn: Hertfordshire Yeomanry and Artillery Trust/Hart Books, 1999, . * Edward M. Spiers, ''The Army and Society 1815–1914'', London: Longmans, 1980, . * ''Titles and Designations of Formations and Units of the Territorial Army'', London: War Office, 7 November 1927 (RA sections also summarised in Litchfield, Appendix IV). * Maj C.H. Dudley Ward, ''The 74th (Yeomanry) Division in Syria and France'', London: John Murray, 1922/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2004, . * Ray Westlake, ''British Regiments at Gallipoli'', Barnsley: Leo Cooper, 1996, .


External links


Chris Baker, ''The Long, Long Trail'', accessed 27 February 2017


* ttp://www.drillhalls.org/index.htm The Drill Hall Project accessed 27 February 2017
Great War Centenary Drill Halls, accessed 27 February 2017.


* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20100118221541/http://warpath.orbat.com/index.htm ''The Regimental Warpath 1914–1918'' (archive site) accessed 27 February 2017)
Royal Artillery 1939–1945

British Army units from 1945 on


{{British Cavalry Regiments World War I Yeomanry regiments of the British Army Yeomanry regiments of the British Army in World War I Military units and formations established in 1794 Military units and formations in Norfolk Military units and formations in Norwich 1794 establishments in Great Britain Regiments of the British Army in World War II