Royal Yeomanry

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The Royal Yeomanry
Tactical Recognition Flash
Brigade Insignia
Paired unit1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards

The Royal Yeomanry (RY) is the senior reserve cavalry regiment of the British Army. Equipped with Supacat Jackal variants, their role is to conduct mounted and dismounted formation reconnaissance. The Regimental Headquarters is located in Leicester, with squadrons in Fulham, Nottingham, Dudley, Croydon (with an outstation in Windsor), Telford (with an outstation in Cardiff), and Leicester.[1] The regiment is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is only reserve cavalry regiment to resubordinate into regular brigade as part of the Future Soldier Programme, which in turn arose from the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy ("Global Britain in a Competitive Age") published in March 2021.[2]

The Royal Yeomanry is the only British Army reserve unit to have been awarded a battle honour since the Second World War.[3]

History

Formation and succession

The Royal Yeomanry Regiment (Volunteers) was raised on 1 April 1967, after the Territorial Army was disbanded the previous day under the Reserve Forces Act 1966 and replaced by a newly constituted organisation, the TAVR (Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve).[4]

The Royal Yeomanry Regiment (Volunteers) was in TAVR II.[5] For four years, it was the only Royal Armoured Corps yeomanry reserve regiment: hence its generic name. In 1971, three new RAC Yeomanry regiments (the Queen's Own Yeomanry, the Mercian Yeomanry and the Wessex Yeomanry) were raised and the Royal Yeomanry's name was shortened to its current one; the opportunity to give it a more distinctive name was missed. The Queen's Own Yeomanry was given the same NATO role as the Royal Yeomanry, while the other two were Home Defence light reconnaissance.[6]

The Cold War

The Royal Yeomanry's role during the Cold War was medium armoured reconnaissance. Its primary task was to operate as a mobile force to protect the massive, widespread logistic assets of the Corps, and certain key bridges against covert attacks and airborne descents by Soviet special forces. In addition it trained to perform the full range of medium armoured reconnaissance tasks for general war. The Royal Yeomanry was equipped with armoured cars,[1] first Saladin, Saracen and Ferret, then Fox, Spartan and Sultan.[7] Each squadron had an establishment (maximum number of personnel) of around 120, operated 30 armoured vehicles and around 15 soft-skinned vehicles and was supported by a team of 11 regular army instructors and five local civilian staff.[7]

Nineties

The ‘peace dividend’ review of the Armed Forces (‘Options for Change’) which followed the end of the Cold War saw substantial changes to the Royal Yeomanry's role, equipment and establishment. These were justified by the then Secretary of State for Defence on the basis of a perceived "need to adapt [the Territorial Army's] roles to support and complement the new roles of the regular army. Under the previous strategy, it had important roles defending positions close to the previous West German border in support of the substantial British stationed forces. Clearly this task is no longer relevant in a unified Germany and under the new NATO strategy of greater flexibility and mobility. Instead, new opportunities arise to be part of the Rapid Reaction Corps and in national defence, and it is for these new roles and responsibilities that the Territorial Army units must now be structured and trained."[8]

As a result, in 1992 the Royal Yeomanry was reduced in status and function to align with what were by then four other RAC yeomanry regiments and become national defence light reconnaissance, converting from armour to the Scout Land Rover and reducing in establishment by half, to between 50 and 60 personnel per squadron.[9] At this time, the Royal Yeomanry lost two squadrons to the Queen's Own Yeomanry (one in Nottingham, which later returned to the regiment, and the other in Northern Ireland) and gained one (in Leicester).[10]

Fuchs CBRN Reconnaissance Vehicle

The Royal Yeomanry's national defence role encompassed a wide spectrum of possible operational uses. They included NATO, United Nations and national operations worldwide, as well as military aid to the civil authorities in the United Kingdom and military home defence.[8] However, the role was perceived to be ill-defined and too broad a set of potential outputs to train against using limited resources. At a time when the Territorial Army was under continuing pressure to reduce in size and capabilities, this was regarded as potentially imperilling the regiment's existence. A more definite role that would address a clear Defence requirement was needed. Consequently, in 1996[11] the Royal Yeomanry accepted the role of being the British Army's only[12] specialist nuclear, biological and chemical defence regiment,[11][1] taking on the 11 Fuchs CBRN reconnaissance vehicles which had been acquired by the British Army during the 1990 Gulf War.[13]

The Royal Yeomanry served exclusively in the CBRN (or NBC) role from 1996 until 1999. During this time, its first operational deployments began. On 1 April 1999, on the recommendation of the

Challenger 2 to serve as reserves for armoured regiments. The establishment of each squadron was increased to 80–90. The regiment lost D (Berkshire Yeomanry) Squadron in Slough to disbandment but regained S (Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry) Squadron in Nottingham from the Queen's Own Yeomanry.[17]

2000s to Present

In 2006, as a result of the changes to the Territorial Army triggered by the Future Army Structure unveiled by the Ministry of Defence in 2004,[18] the Royal Yeomanry's role ceased to be split between CBRN and Challenger 2 reserves. It was consolidated into a single role: 'formation CBRN reconnaissance'. In practice, this meant continuing to train as CBRN specialists and as RAC crew using the Scout Land Rover as a surrogate training platform, while also training as CVR(T) crew. This change paved the way for the uplift of each squadron's vehicle fleet to include two CVR(T) Spartan armoured fighting vehicles for training purposes.[19] Soldiers and officers of the Royal Yeomanry then began to deploy to Afghanistan on Operation HERRICK as Scimitar, Spartan and Samaritan gunners, drivers and loaders.[20]

Since 2013 the Royal Yeomanry has been a reserve light cavalry regiment. In that year, under the Reserves in the Future Force 2020 White Paper

7th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters East within 1st (United Kingdom) Division as the brigade switched from its armour role into that of an infantry brigade and regional point of command.[23][24] The regiment gained two squadrons (in Telford and Dudley)[25] of the disbanded Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry but lost a squadron (in Swindon) to the Royal Wessex Yeomanry under the Army 2020 reforms.[26][27]

Under Army 2020 (Refine), it was confirmed that the Royal Yeomanry would (exceptionally) retain all six of its squadrons, two of which had been under threat of deletion under the 2013 plan. It was also confirmed that the squadron which the regiment had lost to the Royal Wessex Yeomanry would also be retained at squadron size.[28] Furthermore as a result of the ongoing 2021 Future Soldier (British Army) reforms, the Royal Yeomanry was resubordinated to the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division under the newly raised 1st Deep Recce Strike Brigade Combat Team with the restructure due to be complete by October 2023.[29]

The Royal Yeomanry's current light cavalry role is to provide a rapidly deployable force with fast mobility and substantial firepower as part of the British Army's combat arm. Its soldiers provide reconnaissance, reassurance, security and, if the situation demands it, decisive tactical effects by raiding and attacking the enemy.[1]

Operational Deployments

Y Squadron at the Duke of York's HQ, Chelsea, January 2003

The Royal Yeomanry's first operational deployment was in 1998 as CBRN/NBC specialists, to Kuwait.

Operation PALATINE) and Kosovo (Operation AGRICOLA).[11]

In January 2003, A (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) and W (Westminster Dragoons) Squadrons were mobilised together with the Regimental Headquarters for

During the warfighting phase, formed complete troops (an officer and 12 soldiers) of the Royal Yeomanry were attached to

16 Air Assault Brigade,[30] 7 Armoured Brigade (the Desert Rats) and 3 Commando Brigade for the invasion as NBC specialists. The remainder of the squadron had responsibility for NBC support to 1st (United Kingdom) Armoured Division's rear area. The Regimental Headquarters was detached from 1st (United Kingdom) Armoured Division to the US 75th Exploitation Task Force and Coalition Force Land Component Command to act as the liaison between the UK and US NBC efforts throughout the theatre of operations. Once the war-fighting phase was over, Y Sqn reverted to being under the operational command of Commanding Officer Royal Yeomanry and undertook peace support operations to the north of Al-Qurnah following a relief-in-place with elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade.[3]

The Royal Yeomanry maintained a constant presence in Iraq from March 2003 until the end of Operation TELIC, including a substantial deployment on Op TELIC 4 of 53 members of the non-NBC squadrons to augment the

Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment, serving principally as infantry but also in the armoured role.[31]

From 2007 to 2014, the Royal Yeomanry also provided officers and soldiers for

Operation HERRICK in Afghanistan,[20][32] including a deployment of seven soldiers on Operation HERRICK 7 (one of whom, Corporal James Dunsby, served as gunner in HRH Prince Harry's armoured fighting vehicle).[33]

In 2018, the Royal Yeomanry undertook its first operational deployments with its paired regular regiment, the

Recruitment

The Royal Yeomanry mainly recruits from Greater London, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Kent, Shropshire and Worcestershire.[34]

Training

Army Reserve soldiers with no previous military service complete the Common Military Syllabus (Reserves) course, also known as Phase 1 training. After completing Phase 1, soldiers in the Royal Yeomanry move on to "special-to-arm" (Phase 2) training as light cavalry soldiers. This consists of courses in gunnery (Heavy Machine Gun and General Purpose Machine Gun), signals (Bowman communication system), and driving (Land Rover RWMIK and Supacat Jackal) delivered by the Royal Yeomanry by Army Reserve soldiers and also by Regular Army instructors in centres such as the Armour Centre.[35] In addition, field training exercises develop tactics and situational awareness, as well as the ability to operate away from base for long periods. Royal Yeomanry soldiers also undertake training in dismounted close combat (which includes rifle marksmanship and physical fitness training).[35]

The training commitment for the Army Reserve Light Cavalry is around 40 reserve service days per year. This normally consists of a 16-day consolidated training period plus (typically) at least four 2.5-day weekends throughout the year, as well as one weekday evening (0.25 days) per week. The light cavalry role is physically arduous and members of the Royal Yeomanry are required to meet the Army Reserve Ground Close Combat fitness standards,[36] so Royal Yeomanry officers and soldiers are required to undertake physical fitness training in their own time in addition to what is provided to them by physical training instructors.[35]

Equipment

A static British Army WMIK on display.
Supacat Jackal

The regiment's main equipment is the Supacat Jackal, a light armoured vehicle equipped with the

Browning M2 .50 Heavy Machine Gun (HMG).[1][37]

Organisation

The Royal Yeomanry is one of the two light cavalry regiments in

Queen's Dragoon Guards, the regiment's paired unit.[38][39]

The regiment's current organisation (following 2021 changes) is as follows:[40]

Band

The Inns of Court and City Yeomanry provides the regimental band, a tradition dating back to the late 60s. It was formed was in 1961 following the amalgamation of two regiments.[41] It one of only two Army Reserve Bands in London with the honoured status of "State Band".[42] The band is currently based at Holderness House in London. The band undertakes many activities overseas, including providing musical support to regimental celebrations in France and Belgium, and training to musicians of the Military Band Institute of the Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia.[43]

Battle Honours

The Regimental guidon of the Royal Yeomanry (face)
The Regimental guidon of the Royal Yeomanry (obverse)

As a result of the Regiment's initial service during the Iraq war, in 2005 the Royal Yeomanry was awarded the battle honour "Iraq 2003".

guidon. The guidon, presented to the regiment on 7 May 2016, additionally bears 40 of the battle honours won by its antecedent regiments. As well as these, the guidon also carries an artillery badge as a distinction, and four theatre honours awarded to those of its antecedents that were converted to artillery during the Second World War.[45]

Battle Honours:

Second Boer War
South Africa 1900–01
First World War
Second World War
NW Europe 1944-45, Rhine, Roer
Iraq War Iraq 2003

Lineage

1908 Haldane Reforms 1922 Amalgamations 1956 Defence White Paper 1966 Defence White Paper 1971 TA

Reforms

1992 Options for Change 1998 Strategic Defence Review 2013 Army 2020 2021 Future Soldier
2nd County of London Yeomanry (Westminster Dragoons) Berkshire and Westminster Dragoons, RAC HQ Squadron, Royal Yeomanry W Squadron, Royal Yeomanry HQ (Command & Support) Squadron, Royal Yeomanry F Squadron, Royal Yeomanry
Berkshire Yeomanry
Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry B Squadron, Royal Yeomanry B Squadron, Queen's Own Yeomanry S Squadron, Royal Yeomanry A Squadron, Royal Yeomanry
Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Royal Regiment) B Squadron, Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry A Squadron, Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry B Squadron, Royal Yeomanry
Warwickshire Yeomanry Queen's Own Warwickshire and Worcestershire Yeomanry A Squadron, Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry
Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars
Royal East Kent Yeomanry (Duke of Connaught's Own) Kent Yeomanry Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry C Squadron, Royal Yeomanry
Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry
3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) [a]
Shropshire Yeomanry C Squadron, Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry B Squadron, Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry D Squadron, Royal Yeomanry
Leicestershire Yeomanry (Prince Albert's Own)
Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry B Company, 3rd (V) Battalion,
Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters[b]
B Squadron, Royal Yeomanry E Squadron, Royal Yeomanry E (HQ) Squadron, Royal Yeomanry
Derbyshire Yeomanry
City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders)
Inns of Court and City Yeomanry[c]
Royal Yeomanry Band
Inns of Court Regiment

Commanding Officers

Honours board showing the Commanding Officers of the Royal Yeomanry, displayed at Regimental Headquarters Royal Yeomanry

Commanding officers have been as follows:

Lt Col DHG Rice QDG 1 Apr 1967 – 18 Sep 1969
Lt Col DP Rowat 5 INNIS DG 19 Sep 1969 – 13 Dec 1971
Lt Col DC Part OBE TD RY 14 Dec 1971 – 30 Jun 1974
Lt Col The Hon MJH Allenby RH 1 Jul 1974 – 30 Oct 1977
Lt Col RNC Bingley RH 31 Oct 1977 – 1 Dec 1979
Lt Col JCV Hunt TD RY 2 Dec 1979 – 16 Nov 1982
Lt Col JR Clifton-Bligh 14/20H 7 Dec 1982 – 6 May 1985
Lt Col SJM Jenkins 4/7DG 7 May 1985 – 22 Nov 1987
Lt Col IC Brooking-Thomas TD RY 23 Nov 1987 – 31 Dec 1990
Lt Col CJR Day 5 INNIS DG 1 Jan 1991 – 26 Jun 1993
Lt Col JR Arkell TD RY 28 Jun 1993 – 27 Jul 1995
Lt Col DRL Bone RDG 28 Jul 1995 – 15 Jun 1997
Lt Col RWH Sutcliffe RY 16 Jun 1997 – 14 Jan 2000
Lt Col MWE Wade MBE KRH 15 Jan 2000 – 1 Jul 2002
Lt Col SH Brooks-Ward LVO TD RY 1 Jul 2002 – 30 Jan 2005
Lt Col ANR Brown RDG 30 Jan 2005 – 1 Aug 2007
Lt Col DEM Guinness MBE RY 1 Aug 2007 – 31 Jan 2010
Lt Col NRW Astbury RY 1 Feb 2010 – 15 Sep 2012
Lt Col KDM Donaldson RTR 15 Sep 2012 – 26 Oct 2014
Lt Col SJ McMenemy RY 27 Oct 2014 – 18 Feb 2017
Lt Col CJS MacEvilly RY 18 Feb 2017 – 27 Jul 2019
Lt Col TWH Bragg RY 28 Jul 2019 – 17 Jan 2022
Lt Col CED Field RY 17 Jan 2022 – Present

Order of precedence

For the purposes of parading, the Regiments of the British Army are listed according to an order of precedence. This is the order in which the various corps of the army parade, from right to left, with the unit at the extreme right being the most senior.

Preceded by
British Army
Order of Precedence
Succeeded by

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Merged with 4th County of London Yeomanry during World War II to form 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)
  2. Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters
    . The latter company then converted back to armour and became B Squadron of the Royal Yeomanry in 1992.
  3. ^ Served as an armoured car regiment 1961-1967, then re-roled as infantry, but a cadre was retained in the Royal Armoured Corps and formed the band of the Royal Yeomanry

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "The Royal Yeomanry". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Future Soldier" (PDF). The British Army. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d "Future Reserves 2020 Study (FR20)" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. p. 12. Retrieved 1 December 2018. This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v1.0. © Crown copyright.
  4. ^ "Reorganisation of London Units 1967-1968". The Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Association for Greater London. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  5. ^ "House of Commons debate 15 May 1968, speech of the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Army (Mr. James Boyden), column 1239". Hansard. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  6. ^ Mileham, p. 68.
  7. ^ a b "Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry History - the Cold War". Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry Regimental Association. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  8. ^ a b "House of Commons debate 10 December 1991, speech of the Secretary of State for Defence, column 733". Hansard. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  9. ^ "The Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured Corps - Organisation - Future Army Structure (FAS)". ArmedForces.co.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  10. ^ "Royal Yeomanry". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  11. ^ a b c d "The History of the Royal Yeomanry Regiment". The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  12. ^ "Strategy and Force Structure". House of Commons Defence Select Committee. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  13. ^ "Kent & Sharpshooters Yeomanry About Us". Kent & Sharpshooters Yeomanry Museum. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  14. ^ "Biological and Chemical Weapons". Hansard. 7 March 2000. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  15. ^ "Letter to the Chairman from the Secretary of State for Defence on Strategic Defence Review: Joint Initiatives". Hansard. 30 March 1999. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Select Committee on Defence First Report dated 27 January 1999". House of Commons Defence Select Committee. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  17. .
  18. ^ "House of Commons Debates 21 July 2004, column 343". Hansard. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  19. ^ "Swindon TA centre welcomes new tanks for training". SwindonWeb. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  20. ^ a b "Report to Council" (PDF). London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
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  22. ^ "Defence Select Committee Ninth Report dated 29 January 2014". Hansard. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
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  24. ^ "7th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters East". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  25. ^ "Summary of Army 2020 Reserve Structure and Basing Changes" (PDF). Yorkshire Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Association. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  26. ^ "Summary of Army 2020 Reserve Structure and Basing Changes in the SW" (PDF). Wessex Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Association. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  27. ^ "Army 2020 Report, page 9, 11" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2014.
  28. ^ "Army 2020 Refine exercise" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  29. ^ "Future Soldier-Transforming the British Army". Ministry of Defence Policy Paper. 25 November 2021.
  30. ^ "Iraq War stories: Lieutenant Colonel Andy Phipps: 'I thought to myself 'welcome to Iraq'". Daily Telegraph, London. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  31. ^ "Honour for Territorial Army unit". BBC. 18 January 2004. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  32. ^ "Freedom of the Borough for Royal Yeomanry". The Cowan Report. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  33. ^ "Friend of Prince Harry 'died of multiple organ failure' after SAS test". Daily Telegraph, London. Archived from the original on 12 August 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  34. ^ "Royal Yeomanry". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  35. ^ a b c "Westminster Dragoons - About Us". Westminster Dragoons Regimental Association. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  36. ^ "New Physical Employment Standards". British Army. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  37. ^ "First Jackal Delivered To Royal Yeomanry". Forces Network. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  38. ^ Ministry, of Defence (July 2013). "Transforming the British Army an Update" (PDF). Parliamentary Publishments. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  39. ^ "Royal Yeomanry". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  40. ^ "Royal Yeomanry". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  41. ^ "Band of The Royal Yeomanry recruiting clarinet and sax players". www.cassgb.org.
  42. ^ "Band". ICCY Association.
  43. ^ "The Band of the Royal Yeomanry | National Army Museum". www.nam.ac.uk.
  44. ^ "Written Ministerial Statement by the Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Mr. Adam Ingram) dated 10 November 2005". Hansard. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  45. ^ Administrator. "Royal Guidon Parade Buckingham Palace and Cavalry Memorial Parade". www.wmrfca.org. Retrieved 9 May 2017.

Bibliography

External links