77th (Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery
77th (Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Medium Regiment, RA | |
---|---|
Territorial Army | |
Role | Medium artillery |
Size | 2 Batteries |
Part of | 8th Army Group Royal Artillery |
Garrison/HQ | Manchester |
Engagements | Operation Epsom Operation Jupiter Operation Spring Operation Bluecoat Operation Constellation Operation Guildford Operation Plunder |
The 77th (Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Medium Regiment, was a
Mobilisation
The
The TA was embodied on 1 September 1939, just before the declaration of war, and the DLOY mobilised as a cavalry regiment in 42nd Divisional Area.[1][4] While most of the remaining mounted Yeomanry regiments formed 1st Cavalry Division and left for service in Palestine in January 1940, the DLOY was left behind. On 15 January 1940 at Ramsbottom, Manchester, it transferred to the Royal Artillery (RA). It did not receive a regimental number until 15 April when (as most other TA units had already done) it split into two:[1][2][3][5][6][7]
- 77th (Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery at Manchester, with A and C Sqns forming A and B Medium Batteries
- 78th (Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery at Haverfordwest, Wales, with B and D Sqns forming A and B Medium Btys
The two regiments were permitted to continue wearing the DLOY cap badge rather than the RA's 'gun' badge and a Rose of Lancaster collar badge rather than the RA 'bomb'. They also wore an embroidered shoulder title lettered 'DLO YEOMANRY'.[6]
On the outbreak of war medium regiments were equipped with
Training
By the end of 1940 77th Medium Rgt with its signal section was attached to
When
North West Europe
Operation Epsom
8 AGRA's units landed in Normandy after
Operation Jupiter
8 AGRA supported 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division of VIII Corps during the follow-up Operation Jupiter (the recapture of Hill 112 on 10 July). From positions around Cheux the AGRA fired heavy concentrations on all the known centres of enemy resistance, such as the farm of Les Duanes, first objective of 5th Battalion Dorset Regiment. 10th SS Panzer Division was shattered by the weight of artillery directed against it. When a company of 5th Bn Wiltshire Regiment got into difficulties later in the day, it was extricated with corps-level fire support including guns of the AGRAs.[20][21]
Operation Spring
Operation Bluecoat
Once 'Cobra' was under way, VIII Corps (including 8 AGRA) was sent from its positions east of the
Operation Guildford
Once the breakout from the beachhead was achieved, VIII Corps was 'grounded' at Vire to provide transport and fuel to 21st Army Group's pursuit force. It played a minor flanking role in
By 3 December 15 (S) Division (temporarily under XII Corps) was ready to take the Germans' last bridgehead west of the Maas, at Blerick, opposite Venlo. Operation Guildford was a textbook operation, employing 21st Army Group's superior resources in airpower, engineering and artillery to overcome the formidable minefields, anti-tank ditches and fortifications with low casualties. 8 AGRA was one of three AGRAs devoted to supporting this attack by a single infantry brigade (44th (Lowland) Bde). The operation was a complete success.[33][34][35]
Operation Plunder
Although held up by winter weather and the German Ardennes Offensive (the
Germany
Once the Rhine had been crossed 21st Army Group began a rapid advance across northern Germany. Apart from the crossing of the
Postwar
8 AGRA was disbanded at Lauenburg, Germany, on 20 November 1945 and 77th (DLOY) Medium Rgt and its batteries began entering 'suspended animation' in BAOR on 4 February 1946, completing the process by 25 February.[1][5][14]
When the TA was reconstituted on 1 January 1947, the Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry was reformed in the Royal Armoured Corps as the divisional armoured regiment of 42nd (Lancashire) Division.[1][2][3][5][6][7][44]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f Frederick, pp. 37–8.
- ^ a b c DLOY at Regiments.org.
- ^ a b c Mileham, pp. 93–4.
- ^ Western Command 3 September 1939 at Patriot Files.
- ^ a b c d Frederick, pp. 722, 739.
- ^ a b c Litchfield, pp. 135–6.
- ^ a b Farndale, Annex M.
- ^ Farndale, pp. 4, 9.
- ^ Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery, 26 December 1940, TNA files WO 212/4 and WO 33/2365.
- ^ Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery (Non-Divisional Units), 25 March 1941, TNA files WO 212/5 and WO 33/2323.
- ^ Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery (Non-Divisional Units), 14 August 1942, TNA files WO 212/7 and WO 33/1927.
- ^ Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery (Non-Divisional Units), 18 February 1943, TNA files WO 212/9 and WO 33/1987.
- ^ Order of Battle of the Forces in the United Kingdom, Part 2: 21 Army Group, 24 July 1943, with amendments, TNA file WO 212/238.
- ^ a b Frederick, p. 965.
- ^ Buckley, p. 41 & fn 60, p. 309.
- ^ a b Ellis, Normandy Appendix IV.
- ^ Saunders, Epsom, pp. 28, 170, 176, Appendix A.
- ^ Buckley, pp. 84–5.
- ^ Ellis, Normandy, pp. 275–86.
- ^ Ellis, Normandy, p. 317.
- ^ Saunders, Hill 112, pp. 52–60, 94–6, 189.
- ^ Buckley, p. 112.
- ^ Stacey, pp. 186–95.
- ^ Anon, Bluecoat, pp. 7–14, 26, 46, 65, 68.
- ^ Buckley, pp. 152–5, 160–3.
- ^ Daglish, pp. 23, 25–48.
- ^ Ellis, Normandy, pp. 386–92.
- ^ Martin, pp. 80–92.
- ^ Buckley, pp. 236–8.
- ^ Ellis, Normandy, p. 452.
- ^ Ellis, Germany, pp. 4, 29, 72, 79–80, 99, 159–60.
- ^ Martin, pp. 185–95.
- ^ Buckley, pp. 240–1.
- ^ Ellis, Germany, pp. 160–1.
- ^ Martin, pp. 214–20.
- ^ Ellis, Germany, p. 257; Appendix IV.
- ^ Saunders, Plunder, pp. 15–22.
- ^ Buckley, pp. 282–4.
- ^ Ellis, Germany, p. 285.
- ^ Martin, pp. 274–91.
- ^ Saunders, Plunder, pp. 147–80.
- ^ Ellis, Germany, pp. 337–45.
- ^ Martin, pp. 321–30, 338–43.
- ^ Watson, TA 1947.
References
- Anon, British Army of the Rhine Battlefield Tour: Operation Bluecoat, Germany: BAOR, 1947/Uckfield: Naval and Military Press, 2021, ISBN 978-1-78331-812-4.
- ISBN 978-0-300-13449-0.
- Ian Daglish, Battleground Europe: Normandy: Operation Bluecoat: The British Armoured Breakout, Barnsley: Leo Cooper, 2003, ISBN 0-85052-912-3.
- Maj ISBN 1-845740-58-0.
- Maj L.F. Ellis, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West, Vol II: The Defeat of Germany, London: HM Stationery Office, 1968/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-59-9.
- Gen Sir ISBN 1-85753-080-2.
- J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-007-3.
- J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol II, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-009-X.
- Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0.
- Lt-Gen H.G. Martin, The History of the Fifteenth Scottish Division 1939–1945, Edinburgh: Blackwood, 1948/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2014, ISBN 978-1-78331-085-2.
- Patrick Mileham, The Yeomanry Regiments: 200 Years of Tradition, 2nd Edn, Edinburgh: Canongate Academic, 1994, ISBN 1-898410-36-4.
- Tim Saunders, Battleground Europe: Operation Epsom: Normandy, June 1944, Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2003, ISBN 0-85052-954-9.
- Tim Saunders, Battleground Europe: Normandy: Hill 112, Battles of the Odon – 1944, Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2000, ISBN 978-0-85052-737-7.
- Tim Saunders, Battleground Europe: Operation Plunder: The British and Canadian Rhine Crossing, Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2006, ISBN 1-84415-221-9.
- Col