Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse

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Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse
Image:Ffysh1.gif
Cap badge of the FFY/SH
Active 1956-Present
Country United Kingdom
Branch Territorial Army
Type Yeomanry
Role Formation Reconnaissance
Size One squadron
Part of Royal Armoured Corps
Garrison/HQ HQ at Yeomanry House Cupar
Detachment in Forfar
Nickname The Highland Cavalry
Motto Pro Artis et Focis (For Hearth and Home)
March Quick - Wee Cooper of Fife (band); The Scottish Horse (pipes and drums)
Slow - The Garb of Old Gaul (band); Bonnie Dundee (pipes and drums)
Commanders
Honorary Colonel Colonel Sir John Gilmour 4th Bt DL
Notable
commanders		 Duke of Atholl
Sir John Gilmour 2nd Bt
Sir John Gilmour, 3rd Bt
Earl of Lindsay
Insignia
Tartan Murray of Atholl

The Fife & Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse (FFY/SH) is a Yeomanry Squadron of the Queen's Own Yeomanry part of the British Territorial Army. It is an amalgamation of both The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and The Scottish Horse Regiments.

The Squadron is part of 15 (North East) Brigade within the Army's 2nd Division. Because of the geographic spread of the regiment C Squadron is administered by 51st (Scottish) Brigade.

The Queen's Own Yeomanry is the only yeomanry regiment that serves in the formation reconnaissance role, equipped with the Scimitar and Spartan type armoured reconnaissance vehicles. On mobilisation, it provides squadrons to reinforce the regular formation reconnaissance regiments. It has provided personnel on Operation TELIC, who have served with their regular counterparts in the Royal Armoured Corps.

The FFY/SH and its antecedent Regiments have won numerous battle honours and one Victoria Cross.


Contents

[edit] Organisation

C Sqn QOY
(2006 - Present)
Parent unit Squadron Headquarters- Cupar
Components 1st Troop - Cupar
2nd (Scout) Troop - Cupar
3rd Troop - Forfar
Admin Troop - Cupar


The Squadron contains three Sabre Troops whose four CVR(T) Scimitars undertake various Reconnaissance tasks. They are supported by an SHQ, REME Detachment and SQMS Troop.





[edit] History

[edit] The Regiment 1956-1967

The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse
(1956-1967)
Parent unit Regimental HQ- Cupar
Components From The FFY
A Sqn- Cupar, Dundee & Leven
B Sqn- Kirkcaldy & Dunfermiline
From The SH
C Sqn- Aberdeen, Dunkeld, Invergowrie & Dunblane
HQ Sqn- Clackmannan & Falkirk

On the 1st of November 1956 The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse was formed by the amalgamation of two Royal Armoured Corps Regiments:

  • The Scottish Horse (SH) is unique in that it was originally raised, not in Scotland, but in South Africa in 1900.


The FFY/SH received all its staff instructors, RSM and Adjutants from the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards.


[edit] Training and Operations

The FFY/SH as an the only armoured Regiment in 51st (Highland) Division in this period and whilst not mobilised as a Regiment it did despatched some individuals as replacements on an operational tours with the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards during the Aden Emergency.

[edit] The Cadre 1967-1975

In 1967 the Regiment was put into suspended animation and dismounted (its armoured cars removed). By 1969 it was reduced to a cadre, under the title The Highland Yeomanry, with some personnel detached to form 239 (Highland Yeomanry) Squadron of 153rd (Highland) Transport Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport. [1]

The Highland Yeomanry cadre was disbanded in 1975.


[edit] Highland Yeomanry Squadron of RCT 1975-1992

With the cadre disbanded the RCT Squadron, wearing the Atholl Bonnet, continued on at Yeomanry House until the formation of The Scottish Yeomanry in 1992.


[edit] The Scottish Yeomanry 1992-1999

In 1992, the transport squadron was moved to Glenrothes and Yeomanry House was reclaimed by the Yeomanry with the remaining troops converted back to the reconnaissance role, becoming C (Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse) Squadron of The Scottish Yeomanry.


[edit] In The Queen's Own Yeomanry 1999-Present

In 1999 when the Scottish Yeomanry was disbanded, the Squadron were re-roled from stripped down landrovers to light armoured vehicles CVR(T) and joined The Queen's Own Yeomanry.


[edit] Memorials

  • Scottish National War Memorial - Built after a proposal in 1917 by the Duke of Atholl in Edinburgh Castle contains a memorial and book of remembrance to all Scottish Regiments.

[edit] Fife & Forfar Yeomanry

  • Cupar Old Parish Church- A FFY Memorial Font together with a book of remembrance is housed at Cupar Old Parish Church.


[edit] Scottish Horse

  • Dunkeld CathedralContains a memorial to the Scottish Horse and a book of remembrance along with the laid up guidons of the Scottish Horse.


[edit] Battle Honours of The FFY/SH

The combined battle honours of the FFY/SH. They are displayed on the FFY/SH guidon which is laid up at Dundee Parish Church (St Mary’s).

[edit] Boer War

[edit] Great War

[edit] World War II

[edit] Decorations and Awards

[edit] Victoria Cross

Lt Col W J English was awarded the Victoria Cross for his heroism in 1901 in South Africa whilst serving as a Lieutenant in The Scottish Horse.

Image:Victoria_Cross_Medal_Ribbon_&_Bar.png The citation read:

This officer, with five men, was holding the position at Vlakfontein on 3 July 1901 during an attack by the Boers. Two of his men were killed and two wounded, but the position was still held, largely owing to the lieutenant's personal pluck.

When the ammunition ran short, he went over to the next party and obtained more; to do so he had to cross some 15 yards of open ground, under a heavy fire at a range of from 20 to 30 yards.


[edit] Honorary Colonels and Commanding Officers

Honorary Colonels Commanding Officers/Officer Commanding
The FFY/SH Regiment
(1956-1967)		 Col (Brig) WCG Black OBE MC TD
Col Robert Appleby Bartram MC TD DL
Col RMTC Campbell-Preston OBE MC TD JP DL
Col Sir William Walker Kt. TD DL
Col Earl of Lindsay DL		 Lt Colonel HRS Stewart TD
Lt Colonel Neil Mathewson TD
Lt Colonel Michael Anstice MC
The Highland Yeomanry Cadre
(1967-1975)		 Col Sir William Walker, Kt TD DL
Col Sir John Gilmour Bt DSO TD JP DL MP		 Maj Iain S Taylor TD
The Highland Yeomanry
Squadron of The RCT
(1975-1992)		 No Honorary Colonels Appointed
C(FFY/SH) Squadron
of The Scottish Yeomanry
(1992-1999)		 Col Michael Anstice MC Maj Christopher Roads (1992-1994)
Maj Ian Thornton-Kemsley TD (1994-1996)
Maj WHR Wilson (1996-1999)
C(FFY/SH) Squadron
of The Queen's Own Yeomanry
(1999-Present)		 Col Sir John Gilmour, 4th Bt (-Present) Maj WHR Wilson (1999-2000)
Maj Neil WE Potter TD (2000-2002)
Maj Miles C Hutchinson TD (2002-2007)
Maj C Chayko (2007-Present)

[edit] Seniority in The Queen’s Own Yeomanry

The Squadron is currently recognised as the fourth of five Squadrons in The Queen's Own Yeomanry.

Preceded by:
D (Northumberland Hussars) Squadron
The Queen's Own Yeomanry
Order of Precedence
 Succeeded by:
B (North Irish Horse) Squadron



[edit] Accoutrements

[edit] FFY/SH Cap Badge

The cap badge of the FFY/SH is a mounted knight (The Thane of Fife) with a Cross of St Andrews behind. The cross contains both laurel and juniper leaves. It is worn on the collars of the officers and men of the Squadron and on the arms above the chevrons of all Senior Non- Commissioned Officers.


[edit] Crops

The Officers and Senior NCOs of the Squadron all carry a riding crop (or the longer schooling whip) when on parade without weapons.

[edit] Tartan

As shown above the Regiment's tartan is Murray of Atholl. However, the Pipers kilts and plaids are in Tullibardine Tartan


[edit] Warrant Officers's Dress

Unlike all other ranks the the Squadron Sergeant Major (and the SQMS) wear a brown leather cross belt with No 2 Dress, officers cap badges, brown shoes and brown gloves.


[edit] Head Dress

The FFY/SH regimental headdress is the Atholl Bonnet. A navy tam o’shanter type hat with red, white and green checked band and red tourrie (bobble) on top. Today this is only seen very rarely with the Atholl Grey mess kit of SNCOs and Officers.

The Officer's side hat is navy with silver piping.


[edit] Stable Belt Colours

The FFY/SH wore a stable belt with red border with one gold stripe on black background. This is still worn by serving soldiers of C Squadron QOY.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[edit] Bands of FFY/SH

The FFY/SH regiment had its own both its own brass band and Pipes and Drums.

Today one of the three Royal Armoured Corps bands provides music for parades.


[edit] Alliances

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] Fife & Forfar Yeomanry

[edit] 1780-1900

  • “A History of the Fife Light Horse” by Col Anstruther-Thomson
  • “Fife and Forfar IY” by Gerald Burgoyne

[edit] Boer War

  • “Clearly My Duty” by Capt John Gilmour
  • “The Fifes In Africa" by Cpl JP Sturrock (9176 IY)
  • “With the Scottish Yeomanry” by Thomas F Dewar MD BSc

[edit] Great War

  • “The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry” by Major DD Ogilvie

[edit] World War II


[edit] The Scottish Horse

  • “The Scottish Horse 1900-1956” by The Duchess of Atholl
  • “The Scottish Horse 1939-45” by R A S Barbour MC

[edit] External Links

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-scotland/vcav/FFY-SH.htm The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse], regiments.org