Suffolk Yeomanry
Duke of York's Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars | |
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Brigadier-General Ned Baird |
The Duke of York's Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars was a
French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
After Britain was drawn into the
19th Century
The regiment was formally disbanded in 1827 but revived in 1831 as the Suffolk (1st Loyal Suffolk) Troop of Yeomanry Cavalry, trained as
Captain Richard Colvin raised a new Troop of the regiment in the neighbouring County of Essex in 1889.[6][7] By 1899 the regimental headquarters (RHQ) was at King's Road drill hall, Bury St Edmunds[8] and the regiment together with the Hertfordshire Yeomanry constituted the 7th Yeomanry Brigade.[5]
Imperial Yeomanry
Following a string of defeats during
In May and June the 12th Bn IY was serving as Corps Troops with Lord Roberts' main army north of the Orange River.[16] The First Contingent of the Imperial Yeomanry completed their year's term of service in 1901, the two Suffolk companies having earned the regiment its first Battle honour: South Africa 1900–01.[2][5][17]
The Imperial Yeomanry were trained and equipped as mounted infantry. The concept was considered a success and before the war ended the existing Yeomanry regiments at home were converted into Imperial Yeomanry, with an establishment of HQ and four squadrons with a machine gun section. This included the Loyal Suffolk Hussars. A new regiment of Essex Yeomanry was also formed on the basis of the Suffolk Hussars' Essex Troop, and commanded by Lt-Col Colvin.[2][5][7]
World War I
Eastern Mounted Brigade |
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Organisation on 4 August 1914 |
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Mobilisation
At the start of the First World War, 'A' squadron was at Cambridge, 'B' squadron and 'HQ' was at Bury St Edmunds, 'C' squadron was at Ipswich and 'D' squadron was at Beccles.[19]
In accordance with the
As of August 1914 two local MPs were serving as officers, Frank Goldsmith[21] and Walter Guinness.[22]
1/1st Duke of Yorks Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars
The 1/1st was embodied in August 1914 at
In September 1915, they were dismounted and moved to the
In January 1917, they were converted to an infantry battalion and formed the 15th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment in the 74th (Yeomanry) Division, which moved to France in May 1918.[23]
2/1st Duke of Yorks Owns Loyal Suffolk Hussars
The 2nd Line regiment was formed in 1914 and by January 1915 it was in the
In July 1916, the regiment was converted to a
3/1st Duke of Yorks Own Loyal Sufolk Hussars
The 3rd Line regiment was formed in 1915 and in the summer it was affiliated to a
Interwar years
On 31 January 1920 the
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, 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
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.[30][28][34] The unit became the divisional A/T regiment of 54th (East Anglian) Division.[35]
World War II
Mobilisation
By 1939 it became clear that a new European war was likely to break out and, as a direct result of the
55th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment
- HQ at Bury St Edmunds
- 217 Bty at Bury St Edmunds
- 218 Bty at Lowestoft
- 219 Bty at Bury St Edmunds and Brandon
- 220 Bty at Beccles
The Regiment was attached to various Divisions during the war:[40]
- 54th (East Anglian) Infantry Division, September 1939
- 79th Armoured Division, September 1942 – April 1943
- 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division, July 1943 – August 1945
From July 1943 until after the end of the war, the regiment served with the 49th (West Riding) Division and fought in the North-Western Europe from June 1944 to May 1945.[40]
Postwar
After the war the regiment was reconstituted as 308th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, RA with headquarters at Bury St Edmunds.[3] It amalgamated with 358th (Suffolk) Medium Regiment, RA, to form 358th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Medium Regiment, RA in 1958[3] and it amalgamated with 284th (King's Own Royal Regiment, Norfolk Yeomanry) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA to form 308th (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA in 1961.[3]
During the major reorganisation of the Territorial Army that took place in 1967, the unit was reduced to battery size as 202 (The Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Battery, RA, part of 100 (Medium) Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers).[2] The battery, which had been equipped with the 105mm light gun, re-roled as an air defence unit and transferred to 106th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery in July 1999.[2] It re-roled again and became No. 677 (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Squadron AAC, part of 6 Regiment Army Air Corps in July 2006.[2] Squadron Headquarters and A Flight are at Bury St Edmunds, B Flight at Norwich and C Flight at Ipswich.[41]
Uniforms and insignia
A county meeting at Stowmarket on 28 May 1794 decided that the uniform for the troops of Yeomanry Cavalry being raised in Suffolk would be 'a dark blue coat faced with yellow, cape [collar] and cuffs, yellow shoulder-straps white waistcoat, leather breeches, high topt [sic] boots, round hat, white feather and cockade, white [metal] buttons, with the letters S.Y. (Suffolk Yeomanry)'. However, the Yeomanry did not approve of the pattern and another meeting on 12 June ordered a uniform of 'Scarlet coat, lined white, with dark blue military cape and cuffs, scarlet and blue chain epaulets, white waistcoat, leather breeches, high topt boots, round hat, with bearskin, feather and cockade, white plated button, with the Crown and Garter of the Order, the words "Loyal Suffolk Yeomanry" inscribed on the Garter'. A great-coat of dark blue, lined white, with uniform buttons was also prescribed. The first troop raised was to bear 'No. 1' on the button and the other troops similarly numbered in order of acceptance by the Lord-lieutenant.[42]
Until 1868 the several independent troops that made up The Loyal Suffolk Hussars wore a variety of different cavalry uniforms. In 1850 these included green with gold lace for the 1st Loyal Suffolk Troop; a scarlet light
After 1914 the standard khaki service and (subsequently battledress) became normal wear, although the combination of green and red survived in items such as the officer' field service cap.[45]
Up until the 1961 amalgamation the Suffolk Yeomanry batteries of the RA continued to wear the Loyal Suffolk Hussars cap badge (in gilt or bronze for officers, bimetal for other ranks). During World War II the officers wore the badge embroidered on their side caps.[34][46]
Battle honours
The Suffolk Yeomanry has been awarded the following
- Second Boer War
- First World War
- 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,
Commanders
- Lieutenants-Colonel Commandant
- Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred George Lucas (until 1900)
- Honorary Colonel Fletcher H. G. Cruickshank (14 March 1900-)[48]
Prominent members
- 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.[5][49]
- Arthur Guinness, Viscount Elveden (heir of the Earl of Iveagh) was 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.[5][49][50][51]
- Sir Charles Rowley, 6th Baronet, formerly an officer in the Grenadier Guards, commanded 411 Bty from 1925 and became CO of 108th Fd Rgt in 1935.[5][49]
- The Hon. John Hare, (later 1st Viscount Blakenham) was commissioned into RHQ as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1938, and served with 55th (Suffolk Yeomanry) A/T Rgt during World War II.[5][49]
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
Footnotes
References
- ^ ISBN 9781781501870.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Suffolk Yeomanry at Regiments.org.
- ^ a b c d e f Mileham, p. 112.
- ^ Rogers, p. 145.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Army List, various dates.
- ^ Mileham, pp. 84–5.
- ^ a b c Foakes & Mckenzie-Bell, p. 8.
- ^ "Bury St Edmunds". Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ Rogers, p. 228.
- ^ Spiers, p. 239.
- ^ Dunlop, pp. 104–18.
- ^ a b IY at Anglo-Boer War.
- ^ "The War - The Auxiliary Forces, Departure of Yeomanry from Southampton". The Times. No. 36054. London. 1 February 1900. p. 10.
- ^ IY Companies at Roll of Honour.
- ^ Imperial Yeomanry at Regiments.org.
- ^ Amery (1909), Appendix to Chapters I-XIV, pp. 503–14.
- ^ a b Leslie.
- ^ Conrad, Mark (1996). "The British Army, 1914".
- ^ Lt-Col Louis Tebbutt (1914). Cambs & Isle of Ely Territorial Recruiting Week Souvenir. Cambridge Chronicle.
- ^ Rinaldi 2008, p. 35
- ^ "Loyal Suffolk Hussars history and photos". Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ Wilson (1998), pp. 172–173.
- ^ a b c d Suffolk Yeomanry at Regimental Warpath.
- ^ Suffolk Yeomanry at Long, Long Trail.
- ^ a b c d James 1978, p. 28
- ^ James 1978, p. 36
- ^ Sainsbury, p. 31.
- ^ a b c Litchfield, p. 185–7.
- ^ Litchfield, p. Appendix VII.
- ^ a b c Monthly Army List, various dates.
- ^ Mileham 1994, p. 101
- ^ Mileham 1994, p. 112
- ^ a b Titles and Designations.
- ^ a b c Litchfield, pp. 218–20.
- ^ Joslen, p. 89.
- ^ Mileham 1994, p. 51
- ^ "History of the Army Reserve". MOD. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
- ^ 65 A/T Rgt at RA 1939–45.
- ^ a b 65 (NY) A/T Rgt War Diary 1939–40, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 166/1637.
- ^ a b "Orders of battle".
- ^ "677 Sqn AAC (V)". Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
- ^ G.O. Rickword, 'Suffolk Yeomanry Cavalry: Uniform, 1794', Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, Vol 22, No 90 (Summer 1944), pp. 259–260.
- ^ R.G. Harris, colour plate 24 and text, "50 Years of Yeomanry Uniforms", Frederick Muller Ltd 1972, SBN 584 10937 7
- ISBN 0-948251-26-3.
- ^ See illustration above
- ^ Anon, Badges.
- ^ RA at Regiments.org.
- ^ "No. 27173". The London Gazette. 13 March 1900. p. 1717.
- ^ a b c d Burke's Peerage.
- ^ Parliament War Memorial List.
- ^ 55 A/T Rgt at RA Netherlands.
Bibliography
- L.S. Amery (ed), The Times History of the War in South Africa 1899-1902, London: Sampson Low, Marston, 6 Vols 1900–09; Appendix to Chapters I-XIV, pp. 503–14.
- Anon, Regimental Badges and Service Caps, London: George Philip & Sons, 1941.
- Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 100th Edn, London, 1953.
- Col John K. Dunlop, The Development of the British Army 1899–1914, London: Methuen, 1938.
- Col S.P. Foakes & Maj M. McKenzie-Bell (eds), Essex Yeomanry: A Short History, Essex: Temperley Media/Essex Yeomanry Association, d, ISBN 978-0-9572333-0-0.
- James, Brigadier E.A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18. London: Samson Books Limited. ISBN 0-906304-03-2.
- Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1960]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84342-474-1.
- Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0.
- N.B. Leslie, Battle Honours of the British and Indian Armies 1695–1914, London: Leo Cooper, 1970, ISBN 0-85052-004-5.
- 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.
- Col H.C.B. Rogers, The Mounted Troops of the British Army 1066–1945, London: Seeley Service, 1959.
- 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, ISBN 0-948527-05-6.
- Edward M. Spiers, The Army and Society 1815–1914, London: Longmans, 1980, ISBN 0-582-48565-7.
- 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).
- Wilson, Derek A. (1998). Dark and Light: The Story of the Guinness Family. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 0-297-81718-3.