Shropshire Yeomanry

The Shropshire Yeomanry was a

The Shropshire Yeomanry dates its origins to the French Revolutionary Wars, when volunteer cavalry units were raised throughout the country.^[2] These small units, which included the Wellington Troop formed in Shropshire in 1795, amalgamated into three larger units, the Shrewsbury Yeomanry Cavalry, the South Shropshire Yeomanry Cavalry and the North Shropshire Yeomanry Cavalry in 1815.^[2] These larger units consolidated into a single unit in 1872.^[2]

South Shropshire and Shrewsbury Yeomanry troops were also present during the 1821 Cinderloo Uprising which saw 3,000 colliers in present-day Telford go on strike to protest the lowering of their wages. Clashes between the Yeomanry and the workers resulted in the deaths of two strikers whilst another was arrested and later hanged.^[3]

Second Boer War

The Yeomanry was not intended to serve overseas, but due to the string of defeats during Black Week in December 1899, the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army. A Royal Warrant was issued on 24 December 1899 to allow volunteer forces to serve in the Second Boer War. The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each for the Imperial Yeomanry (IY).^[4] The regiment provided the 13th (Shropshire) Company for the 5th Battalion in 1900.^[5] The Imperial Yeomanry was equipped and trained as Mounted infantry. The experiment was considered a success and in 1901 all the existing yeomanry regiments were converted to IY: the regiment became the Shropshire Imperial Yeomanry. The 'Imperial' part of the title was dropped when the yeomanry were transferred to the Territorial Force (TF) in 1908. The regiment had its headquarters at Kingston House in St Alkmunds Place in Shrewsbury at that time.^[6]

First World War

In accordance with the

With the end of the war, the troops of 74th Division were engaged in railway repair work and education was undertaken while demobilisation began. The division and its subformations were disbanded on 10 July 1919.[17]

2/1st Shropshire Yeomanry

The 2nd Line regiment was formed in 1914 and joined the

In April 1916, it moved with its brigade to East Anglia where it joined the 1st Mounted Division; it replaced its 1st Line, which had departed (dismounted) for Egypt.^[10] By July, it had left with its brigade for the Morpeth, Northumberland area.^[18]

In July 1916, there was a major reorganization of 2nd Line yeomanry units in the United Kingdom. All but 12 regiments were converted to cyclists^[11] and as a consequence the regiment was dismounted and the brigade converted to 10th Cyclist Brigade. Further reorganization in October and November 1916 saw the brigade redesignated as 6th Cyclist Brigade in November, still in the Morpeth area.^[21] In March 1917, the regiment moved to Newbiggin, and later to Woodhorn near Morpeth.^[18]

Early in 1918, the Brigade moved to Ireland and was stationed at The Curragh.^[21] There were no further changes before the end of the war.^[22][14]

3/1st Shropshire Yeomanry

The 3rd Line regiment was formed in 1914 and in the summer of 1915 affiliated to a Reserve Cavalry Regiment in Ireland. In the summer of 1916, it was dismounted and attached to the 3rd Line Groups of the 55th (West Lancashire) Division at Oswestry as its 1st Line was serving as infantry. The regiment was disbanded in early 1917 with personnel transferring to the 2nd Line regiment or to the 4th (Reserve) Battalion of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry, probably at Tenby.^[18]

Between the wars

Post war, a commission was set up to consider the shape of the Territorial Force (

On 1 September 1939, the Shropshire Yeomanry was a Horsed Cavalry Regiment, but, in 1940, the Regiment lost its horses and converted to artillery.[27] H.Q. and "A" Squadrons formed 101 and 102 Batteries of the 75th Medium Regiment, R.A. On 20 December 1942, the Regiment, equipped with 4.5" howitzers, left Liverpool for Durban and Suez, arriving on 14 April 1943. 101 Battery was re-equipped with 5.5 howitzers, whilst 102 kept its 4.5s.^[27]

After intensive training, 101 battery moved through the desert to Tripoli, then went to Syracuse in Sicily and saw its first action. 102 Battery arrived in Sicily from Egypt on 7 August.^[27]

The Regiment served through the Italian campaign, sometimes in support of the

After the conversion from Horsed Cavalry to Gunners in 1940, "B" and "C" Squadrons formed the nucleus of the 76th Medium Regiment as 112 and 113 Batteries, and where equipped with Great War 60-pounders, although these were later replaced by 6-in. howitzers. From then, until 1942, the Regiment was occupied in intensive training.[27]

On 25 August 1942, now equipped with 5.5-in. howitzers, the unit sailed from Gourock-on-Clyde, also by way of Durban, to the Suez Area, arriving in November.

In May 1943, more guns arrived and combined operations with further intensive training were carried out in the Suez Canal area.[27] They left the Middle East in December 1943, and landed at Taranto, Italy, by 9 December 1943. 112 Battery had at this time 5.5-in. howitzers and 113 Battery 4.5s; but shortly after landing, 112 lost its guns to another Yeomanry Regiment, receiving 4.5s in exchange.^[27] On 15 December 1943, the Regiment moved up to the Sangro battle and took over from its sister-regiment in support of the 8th Army.^[27] In February 1944, the Regiment moved across to Cassino and took part in the battles of 16 February to 15 March and the successful capture and break-through of 11 May, and then on to the Hitler Line.^[27] The advance now went beyond Rome, with the Regiment supporting the 6th South African Armoured Division up to and including the fight for Florence, except for the Arezzo battle, with 6th Armoured Division.^[27]

In April 1945, the Regiment again moved across Italy to the east coast to join the final offensive with the 8th Army.

Having celebrated its 200th anniversary in 1995, the Shropshire Yeomanry now survives as D (Shropshire Yeomanry) Squadron of the Royal Yeomanry based in Dawley Bank, Telford. Following the latest defence review, the Squadron became 'light cavalry' and uses the Land Rover RWMIK.^[29]

Regimental museum

The Shropshire Regimental Museum, which includes the collections of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry and the Shropshire Yeomanry, is based at Shrewsbury Castle.^[30]

Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.^[31] The only Victoria Cross awarded to a member of Shropshire regiment in the First World War^[2] was won on 10 March 1918 by Private Harold Whitfield of the Shropshire Yeomanry (10th KSLI) for gallantry at Burj-el-Lisaneh during the Battle of Tell 'Asur in Palestine.^[32]

Battle honours

The Shropshire Yeomanry was awarded the following

Second Boer War	South Africa 1900–02
First World War	Palestine 1917–18
Second World War	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 awarded the motto Ubique (meaning "everywhere") in place of all battle honours.[34] Honorary Distinction: Badge of the Royal Regiment of Artillery with year-dates "1943–45" and two scrolls: "Sicily" and "Italy "

Uniforms

In 1872 the newly amalgamated Shropshire Yeomanry Cavalry adopted a heavy dragoon style dark-blue uniform with red facings plus silver and bronze spiked helmet. A white over scarlet plume was worn for parade. The features of the new uniform were drawn from those of the two former regiments following extended discussions between the officers of both.^[35] While many Yeomanry regiments simplified their dress uniforms following the South African War, the Shropshire Yeomanry retained the full blue and red review order for ceremonial dress.^[36][37] Khaki cavalry service dress was worn for most duties in the years preceding World War I, and the standard battle dress after the 1940 conversion to artillery.^[38]

See also

• Imperial Yeomanry
• List of Yeomanry Regiments 1908
• Yeomanry
• Yeomanry order of precedence
• British yeomanry during the First World War
• Second line yeomanry regiments of the British Army
• List of British Army Yeomanry Regiments converted to Royal Artillery

Notes

References

1. ^ "No. 63516". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 November 2021. p. 19473.
2. ^ ^{a b c d} "The Shropshire Yeomanry". Darwin Country. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
3. ^ Gladstone 1953, pp. 20–23
4. ^ Mileham 1994, p. 27
5. ^ "Imperial Yeomanry at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 29 May 2007. Retrieved 29 May 2007.
6. ^ "Shrewsbury". The Drill Hall Project. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
7. ^ Conrad, Mark (1996). "The British Army, 1914".
8. ^ Rinaldi 2008, p. 35
9. ^ Rinaldi 2008, p. 60
10. ^ ^{a b} Becke 1936, p. 6
11. ^ ^{a b c} James 1978, p. 36
12. ^ ^{a b c} Becke 1937, p. 121
13. ^ ^{a b} Becke 1937, p. 118
14. ^ ^{a b} Baker, Chris. "The Shropshire Yeomanry". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
15. ^ Baker, Chris. "The Cheshire Yeomanry". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
16. ^ Baker, Chris. "The King's (Shropshire Light Infantry)". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
17. ^ ^{a b c} Becke 1937, p. 122
18. ^ ^{a b c d} James 1978, p. 27
19. ^ James 1978, p. 17
20. ^ Becke 1937, p. 51
21. ^ ^{a b} James 1978, pp. 17, 27
22. ^ James 1978, pp. 17–19, 27
23. ^ "The Royal Artillery". Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom). Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
24. ^ Baker, Chris. "What was an artillery brigade?". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
25. ^ Mileham 1994, pp. 48–51
26. ^ Mileham 1994, p. 73
27. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r} "army.mod.uk, B Squadron The Shropshire Yeomanry 1795–2005". Archived from the original on 23 July 2007.
28. ^ "The Shropshire Royal Horse Artillery". Archived from the original on 31 March 2012.
29. ^ "D (Shropshire Yeomanry) Squadron". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
30. ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1246877)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 June 2008.
31. ^ "No. 56878". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2003. p. 3351.
32. ^ "No. 30675". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 May 1918. p. 5556.
33. ^ "The Shropshire Yeomanry at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 15 July 2007. Retrieved 8 April 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
34. ^ "Royal Regiment of Artillery at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2007.
35. ^ R.G. Harris, colour plate 23 and text, "50 Years of Yeomanry Uniforms", Frederick Muller Ltd 1972, SBN 584 10937 7
36. ISBN 0-948251-26-3
    .
37. ^ see 1911 photograph above
38. ^ "Shropshire Yeomanry". Uniformology. Retrieved 1 June 2018.

Bibliography

• Becke, Major A.F. (1936). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56). London: His Majesty's Stationery Office.
  ISBN 1-871167-12-4
  .
• Becke, Major A.F. (1937). 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: His Majesty's Stationery Office.
  ISBN 1-871167-00-0
  .
• Gladstone, E.W. (1953). The Shropshire Yeomanry, 1795-1945: The Story of a Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. Manchester: Whitethorn.
• James, Brigadier E.A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18. London: Samson Books Limited.
  ISBN 0-906304-03-2
  .
• Mileham, Patrick (1994). The Yeomanry Regiments; 200 Years of Tradition. Edinburgh: Canongate Academic.
  ISBN 1-898410-36-4
  .
• Rinaldi, Richard A (2008). Order of Battle of the British Army 1914. Ravi Rikhye.
  ISBN 978-0-97760728-0
  .

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shropshire Yeomanry.

• Baker, Chris. "The Shropshire Yeomanry". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
• The Shropshire Yeomanry at regiments.org by T.F.Mills at the Wayback Machine (archived 15 July 2007)
• Shropshire Yeomanry on The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918 by PB Chappell at the Wayback Machine (archived 2 February 2014)