Yorkshire Hussars
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| Yorkshire Hussars | |
|---|---|
| Active | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Yeomanry |
| Size | One Regiment |
| Engagements | South Africa 1900-2 The Great War Arras 1918 Scarpe 1918 Drocourt-Queant<br<Hindenburg Line Canal du Nord Cambrai 1918 Selle Valenciennes Sambre France and Flanders 1915-18 |
The Yorkshire 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.[1]
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[edit] World War I
On the September 1, Lord Feversham formed a first line regiment of Yorkshire Hussars who volunteered to serve abroad, which was designated 1/1st Yorkshire Hussars. The 2/1st Yorkshire Hussars remained on coastal duties until being sent to Ireland in 1918 under the command of Lord Deramore , they were mainly 45 and 50 year old men. A third line regiment, 3/1st Yorkshire Hussars was formed to supply drafts.[2]
In February 1915 , the 1/1st Yorkshire Hussars split up to be employed as Divisional Cavalry
- B Squadron deployed to France in February 1915 with 46th (North Midland) Division.
- C Squadron deployed to France in April 1915 with 49th (West Riding) Division.
- A and HQ Squadrons deployed to France in April 1915 with 50th (Northumbrian) Division..[3]
A Squadron seeing action at the 2nd Battle of Ypres , B at the Battle of Loos and C at the Battle of Aubern Ridge.
On May 16, 1916, the 1/1st Yorkshire Hussars reassembled under Lieutenant Colonel W Pepys as Corps Cavalry to XVII Corps and were present at the Battle of Arras. The Regiment was reorganised and reroled in August 1917. After six weeks infantry training at Etaples , the bulk of the Yorkshire Hussars were drafted to the 9th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment.The Battalion was titled the "9th (Yorkshire Hussars) Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment".[4] and wore The Yorkshire Hussars cap-badge and West York collar-badges. The Battalion saw much hard fighting taking part in, the 3rd Battle of Ypres.
[edit] Between the Wars
On reforming the TA, the 14 senior Yeomanry Regiments remained horsed cavalry regiments (6 forming the 5th and 6th Cavalry Brigades). The Yorkshire Hussars and The Queen’s Own Yorkshire Dragoons being respectively 3rd and 9th in seniority formed together with The Sherwood Rangers 5th Cavalry Brigade (with its headquarters in York).
[edit] World War II
In World War II the Regiment was a part of the 6th Cavalry Brigade , 1st Cavalry Division , which later became the 10th Armoured Division which meant the Regiment had to convert to armour and started tank training with Stuart tanks as part of the 9th Armoured Brigade. In March 1942 the Regiment became the Armoured Striking Force in Cyprus with Cruiser and Valentine tanks, and from there to Egypt in January 1943, taking over Sherman and Crusader tanks, before returning to England at the end of the year. They then in 1944 converted to become an Infantry Division Recce Regiment being attached to 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division , then transfered to the 61st Infantry Divisionso the missed out on the D Day landings. From April to August the Regiment split up into Squadrons to take over and run "D" Day Embarkation Camps. In August the Regiment reunited and the drafting of all tank-trained personnel began in earnest , the Regiment becoming a ‘Recce Holding Unit’ for refresher training and drafting of returned wounded Recce personnel. In June 1945 , the Regiment reorganised as a Light Armoured Regiment (Churchills). It was placed in ‘suspended animation’ March 1946.[5]
[edit] Post war
After the second world war the yeomanry regiments in Yorkshire were amalgamated into The Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry, which was formed on April 1, 1967 as a TAVR III unit with the RHQ and 'A' Squadron at York, 'B' Squadron at Doncaster and 'C Squadron at Hull, then on April 1, 1969, they were reduced to cadre and finally reformed on April 1, 1971, as 'A' Squadron The Queen's Own Yeomanry.[6]
