South Nottinghamshire Hussars
| South Nottinghamshire Hussars | |
|---|---|
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Badge of the South Nottinghamshire Hussars | |
| Active | 1798–present |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch |
 British Army |
| Type | Yeomanry |
| Size | Regiment |
| Part of | Royal Artillery |
| Battle honours |
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 South Nottinghamshire Hussars were a unit of the British Army formed as volunteer cavalry in 1794. Converted to artillery in 1922, it now forms a battery of a Territorial Army regiment.
History
World War I
| Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade |
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Organisation on 4 August 1914 |
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Assigned units
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In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw.7, c.9) which brought the Territorial Force into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service. Therefore, TF units were split in August and September 1914 into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. Later, a 3rd Line was formed to act as a reserve, providing trained replacements for the 1st and 2nd Line regiments.[2]
1/1st South Nottinghamshire Hussars
The 1st was formed in Nottingham in April 1908 at the creation of the new Territorial Force and became part of the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade which was a component of the 1st Mounted Division.[3] It became the 1/1st in 1914 when the TF created its second-line units. The Brigade was transferred to serve with the 2nd Mounted Division, and saw service in the Gallipoli Campaign, In 1916 the Division was broken up and the Brigade was re designated the 7th Mounted Brigade and moved to Salonika in 1917.[3]
They returned to Egypt in June 1917 where they were attached to the Desert Mounted Corps, until April 1918, when they left the Brigade, and were dismounted to form B Battalion, Machine Gun Corps with the 1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry.[3]
They left Egypt for France, arriving in June 1918.[3] It was later numbered as 100th (Warwickshire and South Nottinghamshire Yeomanry) Battalion, Machine Gun Corps.[4] At the Armistice, it was serving as Army Troops with the Fourth Army.[5]
2/1st South Nottinghamshire Hussars
The 2/1st was formed in September 1914 and converted in July 1916 into a cyclist unit.[3] It remained in Britain throughout the war as part of 2/2nd Mounted Division.
3/1st South Nottinghamshire Hussars
The 3/1st was formed in May 1915. They remained in United Kingdom until October 1916, when moved to Ireland. In February 1917 they were absorbed into the 2nd Cavalry Reserve Regiment.[3]
World War II
During World War II the regiment again saw service and consisted of the 107 Royal Horse Artillery (South Notts Hussars Yeomanry)[6] and the 150 Royal Horse Artillery (South Notts Hussars Yeomanry).[7]
107th (South Nottinghamshire Hussars) Regiment, RHA
The 107 Royal Horse Artillery (South Notts Hussars Yeomanry) consisted of three batteries the 425th, the 426th and the 520th it was at the start of the war part of Northern Command and then under the command of the 1st Cavalry Division and served in Palestine, Mersa Matruh, Egypt, Suez Canal, Tobruk, Tmini, Nile Delta, Sidi Bishr (Alexandria), Beni Yusef.[6]
Equipment
The 107th was equipped with the following during the course of the war:
- 16 x 18 pdr Mk IV & Lorries
- Ordnance QF 18 pounderMk II
- 18 pdr Mk IIPA , 425 Bty
- 4.5-inch howitzer , 426 Bty
- 25 pdr & Quads, Bren Carrier OP[6]
150th (South Nottinghamshire Hussars) Regiment, RHA
The 150th was also part of Northern Command at the start of the war but only had two batteries the 434th and the 435th. As the war progressed, 510th Battery was formed.[7] During the war it was at various times part of the 148th Infantry Brigade, 79th Armoured Division and 4th AGRA. It was equipped with 25pdr field guns for the first time in November 1940, whilst stationed in Ireland. It was the first TA Artillery Unit to be equipped with the brand new MKII 25pdr, on MKII Chassis. Half of the Regiment landed ah 1500hrs on D-Day, 6th June 1944. The other half on D+3. 3 members of the unit landed with 9 PARA at H-Hour -9 to act as "gunner liaison" to Major General "Windy" Gale.
150th (SNH Yeo) Regt RHA was disbanded in November 1944, owing to a lack of Infantry in the British Army, but an excess of gunners without guns.[8]
Postwar
The two regiments were reconstituted in the TA in 1947, the 107th as 307th (RHA) (South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA, the 150th becoming 350th (South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry) Heavy Regiment, RA. The 350th later merged into 350 (Robin Hood Foresters) Light Regiment, RA, while the 307th continues as a battery in the present day Reserve Force.[9] 307th Battery is in 100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery but is due to be placed in suspended animation under Army 2020 plans.[10]
Present day
Today the regiment is perpetuated in the 100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery which is a British Territorial Army Royal Artillery Regiment that has three gun batteries, all equipped with the L118 Light Gun.
The Batteries are:
- 201 (Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Battery.
- 266 (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Battery.
- 307 (South Nottinghamshire Hussars) Battery.
The regimental cap badge continues to be worn by members of C Battery (SNH) Nottinghamshire Army Cadet Force.
See also
References
- ↑ "mod.uk".
- ↑ Rinaldi 2008, p. 35
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "1914-1918".
- ↑ BEF GHQ 1918, p. 104
- ↑ BEF GHQ 1918, p. 22
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Barton, Derek. "107 RHA (South Notts Hussars Yeomanry)(TA)". The Royal Artillery 1939-45. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Barton, Derek. "150 RHA (South Notts Hussars Yeomanry)(TA)". The Royal Artillery 1939-45. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
- ↑ Dobson 1948
- ↑ Regiments.org
- ↑ "Summary of Army 2020 Reserve Structure and Basing Changes" (PDF). 3 July 2013. p. 3. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
Bibliography
- Dobson, Eric B. (1948). History of the South Nottinghamshire Hussars 1924-1948. York and London: Herald Printing Works.
- Fellows, George; Freeman, Benson (1928). Historical Records of the South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry, 1794 to 1924. Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- Hart, Peter. To the Last Round. Pen & Sword Books.
- James, Brigadier E.A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18. London: Samson Books Limited. ISBN 0-906304-03-2.
- 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.
- Order of Battle of the British Armies in France, November 11th, 1918. France: General Staff, GHQ. 1918.
External links
- Baker, Chris. "The Nottinghamshire Yeomanry". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- South Nottinghamshire Hussars at Regiments.org by T.F. Mills at the Wayback Machine (archived 5 January 2006)
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