Denbighshire Hussars

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Denbighshire Hussars
Active	1794 - Present Day
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Yeomanry
Size	One Regiment
Battle honours	World War I Second Battle of Gaza Third Battle of Gaza Battle of Beersheba Battle of Epehy World War II No battle honours were awarded. It is tradition within artillery units that the Regiment's guns represent its colours and battle honours.[1]

The Denbighshire Hussars were formed in 1794, when King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger was the Prime Minister of Great Britain, and across the English Channel, Britain was faced by a French nation that had recently guillotined its King and possessed a revolutionary army numbering half a million men. The Prime Minister proposed that the English Counties form a force of Volunteer Yeoman Cavalry that could be called on by the King to defend the country against invasion or by the Lord Lieutenant to subdue any civil disorder within the country.^[2] The Denbighshire Yeomanry Cavalry became the Denbighshire Hussars in 1876. They trained at the High Town barracks for the Boer War and the two World Wars..^[3] In 1830 they were used to quell colliery workers in Rhos. The colliery workers were angered by the truck shop system that forced them to spend their wages in shops owned by their employers. They planned to destroy a truck shop owned by the British Ironworks Company. The Regiment was ordered out on patrol to 'terrify the mob.'^[4] An incident in Rhos was called the Battle of Cinder Hill when overzealous troops had to be brought under control after a demonstrator threw a firework at the soldiers.^[5] In 1911 the Regiment had the honour of being the escort to the Prince of Wales to his Investiture at Caernarvon Castle.^[6]

Contents 1 World War I 2 World War II 3 Post War 4 References

[edit] World War I

The Denbighshire Hussars like other Yeomanry Regiments formed second and third line regiments in September 1914 , the 2/1st Denbighshire Hussars remained in the United Kingdom throughout the war and were converted into a cyclist unit in 1916.The 3/1st Denbighshire Hussars was formed in 1915 and also remained in the United Kingdom before being disbanded in 1917.

The 1/1st Denbighshire Hussars in 1914 , were in the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade , which in September 1914 was attached to the 1st Mounted Division. In 1916 the 1/1st together with the rest of the Brigade and the South Wales Mounted Brigade , became a dismounted unit November 1915 : became a dismounted unit and moved to Egypt ,forming the 4th Dismounted Brigade. In February 1917 they went through another change this time they were re rolled as infantry to become the 24th (Denbighshire Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers , attached to the 231st Brigade , 74th (Yeomanry) Division. As part of the 74th (Yeomanry) Division , they were involved in the Second Battle of Gaza , Third Battle of Gaza ,Battle of Beersheba and the Battle of Epehy.

[edit] World War II

After World War I ,It had become clear that cavalry was obsolete and in 1922 it was announced that some Yeomanry Regiments were to become Royal Artillery regiments.^[7]The Denbighshire Yeomanry were one of these Regiments they were re rolled as artillery as a medium artillery formation becoming 61 Medium Regiment R.A. (Caernarvon and Denbigh Yeomanry) and 69 Medium Regiment R.A. (Caernarvon & Denbigh Yeomanry) ^[8] They would see serve in France during the phoney war , 1939-40 , after the Dunkirk evacuation , they would remain in the United Kingdom until returning to Europe in May 1944 with 21st Army Group.^[9]

[edit] Post War

After the second world war the regiment remained an artillery formation forming the The Flintshire and Denbighshire Yeomanry Royal Artillery (Territorials) on April 2, 1967 as TAVR III unit. The RHQ was at Prestayn , 'P' (Flntshire) Battery at Hollywell and 'Q' (Denbighshire and Caernarvonshire) Battery at Colwyn Bay. Then in April 1969 , they were reduced to a cadre The Flintshire and Denbighshire Yeomanry RA at Prestayn, under 119 Recovery Company REME (V) , some RHQ personnel were absorbed into a platoon at Prestayn of 'A' Company Welsh Volunteers and 119 Recovery Company REME (V) , part of 'Q' Battery formed a platoon of 'A' Company Welsh Volunteers at Colwyn Bay. On April 1, 1971 , the regiment was reformed and transferred to an infantry role as 'B' (Flintshire and Denbighshire Yeomanry) Company , 3rd (V) Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers , which lasted until July 1, 1999 when the Government carried out the Strategic Defence Review and decided the Battalion would be disbanded. The companies were then amagamated ,'HQ' Company and 'A' Company amalgamated and 'B' Company and 'D' Company amalgamated to form 'A' Company and 'D' Company The Royal Welsh Regiment respectively.^[10]

[edit] References