3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)

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3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)
First World War
Gallipoli 1915
Egypt 1915–16
Macedonia 1916–17
Palestine 1917–18
France and Flanders 1918

Second World War

North Africa 1941–43
Sicily 1943
Italy 1943
North-West Europe 1944–45
Commanders
Notable
commanders		William Onslow, 6th Earl of Onslow

The 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) was a

Egypt and Palestine, before being converted to machine gunners for service on the Western Front. 2nd and 3rd Line units remained in the United Kingdom
throughout.

Between the wars, it was converted to an

North African Campaign (notably at El Alamein), before moving on to Sicily (3rd CLY) and Italy. Both regiments returned to the United Kingdom in time to prepare for the opening of the Second Front
.

Due to losses, and a shortage of replacement personnel and equipment, the regiments were amalgamated in August 1944 as 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters). The regiment went on to serve throughout the North-West Europe Campaign, ending the war in Germany.

Post-war, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) reformed as a Territorial Army armoured regiment in 1947. In 1961 the regiment merged with the Kent Yeomanry to form the Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry.

Imperial Yeomanry

A typical Imperial Yeoman on campaign

On 13 December 1899, the decision to allow volunteer forces serve in the

Royal Warrant on 24 December 1899. This warrant officially created the Imperial Yeomanry.[1] The 18th Battalion was raised on 7 March 1900 by the Earl of Dunraven and designated as "Sharpshooters". Unlike most IY battalions, which were formed from the existing Yeomanry regiments providing service companies of approximately 115 men each, the Sharpshooters were selected from volunteers who could prove their skill with a rifle and their horsemanship. The 18th Battalion comprised 67th, 71st and 75th (Sharpshooters) Companies recruited in London and 70th (Scottish or HQ) Company recruited in Scotland.[2][3][4][5][6]

The experiment was considered a success, and in 1901 three further battalions were raised by the Sharpshooters Committee:[2][3][4]

  • 21st (2nd Sharpshooters) Battalion – raised 9 March
    • 80th–83rd (Sharpshooters) Companies
  • 23rd (3rd Sharpshooters) Battalion – raised 5 March
    • 90th–93rd (Sharpshooters) Companies
  • 25th (Sharpshooters) Battalion – raised 19 October
    • 115th–118th (Sharpshooters) Companies

On 23 July 1901, the 3rd County of London Imperial Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) was formed from South African War veterans to perpetuate the 18th, 21st and 23rd Battalions, IY:[2][6][7]

Territorial Force

On 1 April 1908, the regiment was renamed as the 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) and transferred to the

London Mounted Brigade.[9][10]

First World War

London Mounted Brigade
Organisation on 4 August 1914
Assigned units
HQ and 4 squadrons
HQ and 4 squadrons
HQ and 4 squadrons
  • Brigade troops
Ammunition Column, Armoury House, Finsbury
Transport and Supply Column, ASC,
Holborn
Training attachments
HQ and 4 squadrons

In accordance with the

7 Edw. 7, c.9) which brought the Territorial Force 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.[12]

1/3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)

The 1st Line regiment mobilized with its brigade and concentrated in Berkshire at the outbreak of war. It joined 2nd Mounted Division on 2 September and moved with the division to East Anglia in November 1914.[13]

On 14 April 1915, the regiment departed

Gallipoli Campaign.[17] It left a squadron headquarters and two troops (about 100 officers and men) in Egypt to look after the horses.[18]

The regiment landed at

Mudros on 2 November and, in December 1915, returned to Egypt, where it was reformed and remounted.[19]

The regiment (and its brigade) left the 2nd Mounted Division on 18 January 1916 and was sent to Abbassia.[16] It once again served as part of the Suez Canal Defences.[21] In March 1916, the brigade was redesignated as 8th Mounted Brigade. From November 1916 to June 1917, the regiment took part in the Salonika Campaign, serving as GHQ Troops with the British Salonika Army.[16]

The regiment arrived back in Egypt from Salonika with its brigade on 8 June 1917. It moved forward and joined the newly formed

Capture of Jerusalem.[23]

In March 1918, the

Q and U Batteries RHA) remained in France and the Indian elements were sent to Egypt.[24] By an Egyptian Expeditionary Force GHQ Order of 12 April 1918, the mounted troops of the EEF were reorganised when the Indian Army units arrived in theatre. On 24 April 1918, the Yeomanry Mounted Division was indianized[a] and its title was changed to 1st Mounted Division,[25] the third distinct division to bear this title.[b]

On 24 April 1918, the 8th Mounted Brigade was merged with elements of the

29th Lancers (Deccan Horse) and 36th Jacob's Horse from 8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade.[26]

E Battalion, MGC was posted to France, arriving on 1 June 1918. On 17 August 1918, it was renumbered

Armistice, it was serving as Army Troops with the First Army.[29]

2/3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)

The 2nd Line regiment was formed in London in August 1914. By March 1915, it was with

12th Mounted Brigade and the division as 3rd Mounted Division.[21]

In July 1916, the regiment was converted to a

2/1st County of London Yeomanry to form 6th (1st and 3rd County of London) Yeomanry Cyclist Regiment in 2nd Cyclist Brigade, probably at Reepham. In March 1917, it resumed its identity as 2/3rd County of London Yeomanry and was at Worstead near North Walsham. By July 1917, the regiment moved to Overstrand and in 1918 to Coltishall. In May 1918, the regiment moved to Ireland and was stationed at The Curragh and Athlone, still in 2nd Cyclist Brigade, until the end of the war.[21]

3/3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)

The 3rd Line regiment was formed in 1915 and in the summer it was affiliated to a

2nd Reserve Cavalry Regiment at The Curragh.[21]

Between the wars

Peerless armoured car

On 7 February 1920, the Regiment was reconstituted in the

Royal Tank Corps and on 30 April 1939 it was transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps.[7]

By 1939, it had become clear that a new European war was likely to break out, and the doubling of the Territorial Army was authorised, with each unit forming a duplicate.[34] The Sharpshooters was expanded to an armoured regiment and on 24 August 1939 regained its original title as the 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters). On 29 September, it provided a nucleus for its duplicate 4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).[7]

Second World War

3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)

The two regiments had very similar histories during the Second World War until September 1942.[35] In September 1939, the 3rd and 4th CLY were assigned to the 22nd Heavy Armoured Brigade – 22nd Armoured Brigade from April 1940 – along with the 2nd Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (2nd RGH).[36] Initially in Southern Command, the brigade joined the 2nd Armoured Division in January 1940 and the 1st Armoured Division in October 1940. The regiment remained in the United Kingdom until moving to North Africa in October 1941.[37]

Both regiments took part in Operation Crusader (18 November–30 December 1941), the Battle of Gazala (26 May – 21 June 1942), and the First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) as part of the 1st and 7th Armoured Divisions.[37] On 16 September 1942, the 3rd CLY left the 22nd Armoured Brigade and was placed under command of GHQ, British Troops in Egypt.[38] It was posted to Mareopolis and then Khatatba where it underwent training and was refitted.[39] The regiment spent the early part of 1943 in routine training and conversion to the Sherman tank.[40]

A Sherman tank of 3rd CLY negotiates a newly-laid road surface, constructed over soft ground by 1926 Basuto Company, Royal Pioneer Corps, in the advance towards the Sangro river, Italy, 21 November 1943.

The 3rd CLY joined the

invasion of Northern France.[42]

The regiment landed in Normandy on 7 June 1944, the day after the Normandy landings.[43] In the following two months, it took park in Operation Epsom (26 June – 2 July) and the Battle for Caen, the attempts by the British Second Army to seize the German-occupied city of Caen.[42]

Due to losses sustained, particularly by 4th CLY in the Battle of Villers-Bocage, the two Sharpshooters regiments were amalgamated on 1 August 1944 at Carpiquet to form 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).[7]

4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)

For an earlier 4th County of London Yeomanry, see King Edward's Horse.

The 4th CLY was formed on 27 September 1939 as a duplicate of – and from a nucleus of – the 3rd CLY. It shared its title with an earlier regiment, but was otherwise unconnected.[44]

On formation, it was assigned to the 22nd Armoured Brigade and its early actions mirrored that of the 3rd CLY, taking part in Operation Crusader, the Battle of Gazala, and the First Battle of El Alamein as part of the 1st and 7th Armoured Divisions. In September 1942, 3rd CLY and 2nd RGH left the brigade and were replaced by the 1st and 5th Royal Tank Regiments. 4th CLY remained with 22nd Armoured Brigade and 7th Armoured Division until amalgamation.[45]

The regiment particularly distinguished themselves[6] in the Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October–11 November 1942) and took part in the subsequent advance into Tunisia (17 November 1942 – 13 May 1943). It did not take part in the Sicilian campaign but landed in Italy in September 1943. It participated in the Italian campaign in the capture of Naples and the crossing of the Volturno.[37] In December 1943, the regiment left Italy for the United Kingdom where it prepared for the upcoming invasion of North West Europe.[46]

A Cromwell Mk IV tank of the 4th County of London Yeomanry with infantry aboard, comes ashore from an LST, Normandy, 7 June 1944.

The regiment landed in Normandy on 7 June 1944.

Panzer-Lehr-Division and 2nd Panzer Division, then counter-attacked the British in the town, but lost up to eight Tigers and two Panzer IVs before the British withdrew.[48] 4th CLY lost its commander, Lieutenant Colonel The Viscount Cranley, and second-in-command; "A" Squadron was destroyed. 4 CLY's losses for the day amounted to 20 Cromwells, four Sherman Fireflys, three Humber Scout Cars, three Stuart light tanks and a half track.[47]

The lost squadron was reformed within a week and the Regiment fought through to the amalgamation, taking part in Operation Goodwood.[47]

Due to losses sustained, particularly by 4th CLY at Villers-Bocage, the two Sharpshooters regiments were amalgamated on 1 August 1944 at Carpiquet to form 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).[44] The 4th CLY was replaced in 22nd Armoured Brigade by the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards[36] from the 28th Armoured Brigade in the United Kingdom.[50]

3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)

3rd/4th CLY was formed on 1 August 1944 at Carpiquet (near Caen) by the amalgamation of the existing Sharpshooters regiments – 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) and 4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).[35]

The combined regiment replaced 3rd CLY in

Mont Pincon) (30 July – 9 August), Operation Market Garden (battle honour "The Nederrijn") (17 – 27 September), Operation Veritable (8 February – 10 March 1945), and Operation Plunder (crossing the Rhine) (23 March – 1 April).[42]

Postwar

In September 1946, the regiment was placed in suspended animation in

Territorial Army with HQ and three squadrons in London. In 1956, B Squadron moved to Croydon and C Squadron to Harrow.[35]

The Sharpshooters initially served as an armoured regiment in the

1st Royal Dragoons became the parent regiment.[35]

In 1960, the number of Yeomanry Regiments was halved, and on 1 May 1961 the Sharpshooters was amalgamated with the Kent Yeomanry – descended from the Royal East Kent Yeomanry and the Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry – to form the Kent and County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).[51]

Heritage & ceremonial

Uniforms

On active service in South Africa the three battalions wore the standard khaki serge clothing and drab slouch hats. On reorganisation as a permanent unit in 1902, the Sharpshooters were authorised to wear a distinctive "bright dark green" full dress of

mess dress for evening functions. Even khaki field service dress was brightened by green facings piped in yellow and the full dress plumes transferred from busby to slouch hat.[53]

The colourful appearance of the regiment may have assisted recruiting but between 1902 and 1914 a number of modifications aimed at simplification and economy were adopted. These included the substitution of a more sombre shade of bluish green for dress uniforms

battle dress of the British Army, although traditional features such as the green and yellow cap (see illustration above), mess uniforms and patrol jackets were preserved where possible.[56]

Battle honours

The 3rd, 4th and 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) have been awarded the following

battle honours:[7][35]

Second Boer War

South Africa 1900–02

First World War

Palestine 1917–18

Second World War

Awarded to 3rd/4th CLY other than where designated: 3 awarded to 3rd CLY and 4 awarded to 4th CLY.

Italy 1943
3,4

See also

Notes

  1. ^ British divisions were converted to the British Indian Army standard whereby brigades only retained one British regiment or battalion and most support units were Indian (artillery excepted).
  2. ^ See 1st Mounted Division and 3rd Mounted Division.
  3. Royal Tank Corps (RTC) were:[33]

References

  1. ^ "Imperial Yeomanry". angloboerwar.com. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d Frederick 1984, pp. 33–34.
  3. ^ a b Frederick 1984, pp. 370–371.
  4. ^ a b "Imperial Yeomanry at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 29 May 2007. Retrieved 29 May 2007.
  5. ^ "Boer War Notes". roll-of-honour.com. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  6. ^ a b c Mileham 1994, p. 98
  7. ^ a b c d e f "3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 15 July 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  8. ^ Mileham 1994, p. 73
  9. ^ Chappell, Brad. "3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)". The Regimental Warpath. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  10. ^ 3rd CLY at Long, Long Trail.
  11. ^ Conrad, Mark (1996). "The British Army, 1914".
  12. ^ Rinaldi 2008, p. 35
  13. ^ Rinaldi 2008, p. 58
  14. ^ a b Westlake 1996, p. 268
  15. ^ Becke 2007, p. 16
  16. ^ a b c Becke 2007, p. 14
  17. ^ James 1998, p. 35
  18. ^ James 1998, p. 34
  19. ^ a b Becke 2007, p. 17
  20. ^ Becke 2007, p. 13
  21. ^ a b c d e James 1998, p. 24
  22. ^ Becke 2007, p. 33
  23. ^ Becke 2007, p. 34
  24. ^ Perry 1993, p. 16
  25. ^ Becke 2007, p. 24
  26. ^ Perry 1993, p. 22
  27. ^ CLY (Rough Riders) at Long, Long Trail.
  28. ^ BEF GHQ 1918, p. 104
  29. ^ BEF GHQ 1918, p. 10
  30. ^ James 1998, p. 36
  31. ^ Mileham 1994, p. 48
  32. ^ Mileham 1994, p. 50
  33. ^ "The Royal Tank Regiment at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 3 May 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2006.
  34. ^ "History of the Army Reserve". MOD. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  35. ^ a b c d e T.F.Mills. "3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)". regiments.org. Archived from the original on 15 July 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  36. ^ a b c Joslen 2003, p. 168
  37. ^ a b c Joslen 2003, p. 169
  38. ^ Bellis 1994, p. 16
  39. ^ "War Diaries For 3rd County of London Yeomanry (3rd Sharpshooters) 1942". warlinks.com. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  40. ^ "War Diaries For 3rd County of London Yeomanry (3rd Sharpshooters) 1943". warlinks.com. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  41. ^ a b Joslen 2003, p. 153
  42. ^ a b c Joslen 2003, p. 155
  43. ^ "War Diaries For 3rd County of London Yeomanry (3rd Sharpshooters) 1944". warlinks.com. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  44. ^ a b T.F.Mills. "4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) and King Edward's Horse". regiments.org. Archived from the original on 15 July 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  45. ^ Joslen 2003, pp. 168–169
  46. ^ "War Diaries For 4rd [sic] County of London Yeomanry 1943". warlinks.com. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  47. ^ a b c "War Diaries For 4th County of London Yeomanry 1944". warlinks.com. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  48. ^
    ISBN 187006707X
  49. ISBN 284048384X[page needed
    ] & 9782840483847
  50. ^ Joslen 2003, p. 179
  51. ^ "Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 15 July 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  52. ISBN 0-85936-286-8
    .
  53. ISBN 0-85936-286-8
    .
  54. ISBN 0-948251-26-3
    .
  55. ISBN 0-85936-286-8
    .
  56. ^ "Regiment. The Military Heritage Collection", page 55, Issue Five December 1994 "The Yeomanry 1794-1994"

Bibliography

External links
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