| Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1979 - 1992 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Yeomanry |
| Role | Boer War Imperial Yeomanry World War I Yeomanry Infantry World War II Royal Artillery Post War Royal Armoured Corps |
| Size | World War I Three Regiments World War II Two Regiments Post War One Squadron |
| Part of | Territorial Force |
| Engagements | World War I Battle of Gallipoli 'World War II Operation Ariel Operation Vitality Operation Infatuate Operation Blacklock Operation Torch Longstop Hill Battle of Centuripe the Viktor Line (Battle of Termoli) Barbara Line River Sangro (Gustav Line) Battle of Monte Cassino Gothic Line battle of Argenta gap |
The Queen's Own Glasgow can trace their formation back to the late 18th century, when King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 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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The regiment was first raised in 1796 as " The Glasgow Light Horse". It was subsequently disbanded in 1822 but re-raised as "The Glasgow and Lower Ward of Lanarkshire Yeomanry Cavalry" in 1848. The additional title of "Queen's Own Royal" was conferred by Queen Victoria the following year.
On December 13, 1899, the decision to allow volunteer forces serve in the Second Boer War was made. 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, thus issuing a Royal Warrant on December 24, 1899. This warrant officially created the Imperial Yeomanry.
The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each. In addition to this, many British citizens (usually mid-upper class) volunteered to join the new regiment.[2] Although there were strict requirements, many volunteers were accepted with substandard horsemanship/marksmanship, however they had significant time to train while awaiting transport.
The first contingent of recruits contained 550 officers, 10,371 men with 20 battalions and 4 companies[3], which arrived in South Africa between February and April, 1900.[4] Upon arrival, the regiment was sent throughout the zone of operations.
The Queen's Own Glasgow Yeomanry provided troops for the 9th (Scottish) Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry; the companies were:
The Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry formed three regiments for service during World War I but only the original Territorial Force regiment would see any active service overseas.
On mobilisation in August 1914 the 1/1st Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was attached to the Lowland Mounted Brigade. In 1915 the Regiment was split up with RHQ and C Squadron moving to Egypt in June 1915. Later that year in October they joined the British 52nd Division as dismounted troops for the Dardanelles campaign and participated in the Battle of Gallipoli. In May 1916 RHQ left the Division and moved to Fance joining the V Corps as their Cavalry Regiment. C Squadron left the Division in August 1917, joining XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment and later deployed as Line of Communication troops. A Squadron had joined the 11th (Northern) Division in June 1915 and moving to the British 24th Division after few days later joining V Corps Cavalry Regiment in May 1916. B Squadron had joined the 9th (Scottish) Division in France in May 1915 leaving them a year later in May 1916 for V Corps Cavalry Regiment. In August 1917 the Corps Cavalry Regiment squadrons were re-reoled as infantry and sent for infantry training at Etaples the Regiment would form the majority of the 18th Battalion the Highland Light Infantry.
The second line regiment the 2/1st Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was formed in September 1914. In March 1916, RHQ, A and B Squadrons joined the 65th Division prior to being drafted into the 1st Reserve Cavalry Regiment in February 1918 and being sent to Ireland. The regiments C Squadron has joined the 64th Division until 1917 when they were disbanded.
The 3/1st Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was formed in 1915 and remained in the United Kingdom until being drafted into the 4th Reserve Cavalry Regiment in early 1917.
On the reforming of the TA, the 14 senior Yeomanry Regiments remained as horsed cavalry regiments (6 forming the 5th and 6th Cavalry Brigades) the remaining Yeomanry Regiments would be re roled as Artillery. The Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was one of the regiments now re-designated and formed part of the Royal Artillery.
Mobilised in 1939 and attached to the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division, they moved to france as a part of the 'Second B.E.F' in June 1940. After being evacuated from France during Operation Ariel together with the rest of the division they trained in mountain warfare.In August 1944, it became part of the First Allied Airborne Army. (As a mountain formation, it had little heavy equipment and transport, and could therefore operate as an air-transportable formation).
They returned to France in October 1944, and were assigned to the First Canadian Army to help open the vital port of Antwerp and were involved in the Scheldt Estuary of Belgium and the Netherlands. Operation Vitality, Operation Infatuate and the capture of the island of Walcheren to open the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. In January 1945 they participated in Operation Blackcock, the clearing of the Roer Triangle between the rivers Meuse and Roer.[6]
Mobilised in September 1939 they remained in the United Kingdom as part of the 15th (Scottish) Division until March 1942 when they moved to North Africa with the 78th Division. The 78th was formed specifically for Operation Torch from regular British Army units, landing at Algiers in 1942. Thereafter it continued in Tunisia, then through to the Sicily, up the length of Italy, arriving in Austria for the end of the war. Units also saw action in Greece, Palestine, and Egypt. Notable engagements include in Tunisia Longstop Hill, in Sicily the Battle of Centuripe and in Italy the assaults on the Viktor Line (Battle of Termoli), the Barbara Line and the River Sangro (Gustav Line) as well as the Battle of Monte Cassino, the Gothic Line and battle of Argenta gap.[6]
After the War, the regiment reconstituted in the Territorial Army as a yeomanry regiment, under its old title of the Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry, and transferred into the Royal Armoured Corps. In 1956 it amalgamated with the Lanarkshire Yeomanry and the 1st/2nd Lothian and Border Horse to form The Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry.[7] In November 1992 they formed the Scottish Yeomanry, with the amalgamation of the Queen's Own Yeomanry and elements 153 (Highland) Regiment Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers) and 154 (Lowland) Regiment Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers). The Squadrons were;
On July 1, 1999 the Regiment was disbanded as a result of the Strategic Defence Review. [8]
Prior to 1902 the Regiment wore a dragoon style uniform of dark blue with red facings, which had not altered a great deal since its establishment in 1848. A silver spiked helmet with black plumes was worn by all ranks in full dress[9]. Following the Boer War khaki was introduced for home service but the full dress uniform described above was retained for wear by officers in review order, with the addition of a gold lace covered shoulder and waist belt, gold cord shoulder knots and gold trouser stripes. Other ranks wore a simpler dark bue uniform with peaked cap, chain shoulder-straps, red collar and trouser stripes for walking out dress[10].
After World War I khaki service dress was the normal uniform for the Regiment, although by the 1930s officers attending the King's Levee at St James' or Buckingham Palace wore the former blue, red and gold full dress. Mess uniforms and blue "patrol" uniforms were also reintroduced between the Wars for officers only.