Lanarkshire Yeomanry
Encyclopedia
The Lanarkshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry
regiment
of the British Army, first raised in 1819, which served as a dismounted infantry
regiment in the First World War and provided two field artillery
regiments in the Second World War, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry in 1956.
around Lanarkshire. The five existing troops were regimented in 1848 as the Upper Ward and Airdrie Corps of Lanarkshire Yeomanry Cavalry, later retitled as the Lanarkshire Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry. The regiment sponsored two companies of the Imperial Yeomanry
in 1900, for service in the South African War, and in 1901 was itself reorganized as mounted infantry
as the Lanarkshire Imperial Yeomanry. In 1908 it was transferred into the Territorial Force
, returning to a cavalry role and equipping as lancers, under the new title of the Lanarkshire Yeomanry.
in 74th (Yeomanry) Division, seeing service in the Palestine campaign before moving to the Western Front
in May 1918. Whilst on the Western Front, Sergeant Thomas Caldwell of the regiment was awarded a Victoria Cross
.
The regiment raised a second-line battalion, the 2/1st Lanarkshire Yeomanry, in September 1914; this remained in the United Kingdom and was converted into a cyclist unit in 1916. It moved to Ireland in May 1918, but did not see overseas service. A third-line battalion was formed in 1915, and remained in the United Kingdom until disbanded in 1917.
Following demobilisation after the War, the regiment was reconstituted in 1920 in the Territorial Army.
in February 1940 as 155th (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA; in April 1940, 156th (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA was formed as a second-line duplicate. Both served as field artillery
regiments.
The 155th moved to India in May 1941, and joined 9th Indian Division, equipped with 25 pounder guns; in August, it moved to Malaya with the division, leaving one battery behind to form the nucleus of 160th Field Regiment, RA. In September it re-equipped with 4.5" howitzers, and in October it was transferred into 11th Indian Division. It fought in the Battle of Malaya
and the Battle of Singapore
; with the surrender of Singapore, it was taken prisoner on 15 February 1942.
The 156th moved to North Africa in July 1942, and was attached to 5th Infantry Division in August; it remained with the division through the remainder of the war, fighting in the Invasion of Sicily, the Italian Campaign
and in North-Western Europe.
After the War, the regiment reconstituted in the Territorial Army as a yeomanry regiment, under its old title of The Lanarkshire Yeomanry, and transferred into the Royal Armoured Corps
. In 1956 it amalgamated with the Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
and the 1st/2nd Lothians and Border Horse to form The Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry.
Yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.-History:...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the British Army, first raised in 1819, which served as a dismounted infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment in the First World War and provided two field artillery
Field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
regiments in the Second World War, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry in 1956.
Early history
The units which would become the regiment were first raised in 1819, as independent troops of yeomanryYeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.-History:...
around Lanarkshire. The five existing troops were regimented in 1848 as the Upper Ward and Airdrie Corps of Lanarkshire Yeomanry Cavalry, later retitled as the Lanarkshire Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry. The regiment sponsored two companies of the Imperial Yeomanry
Imperial Yeomanry
The Imperial Yeomanry was a British volunteer cavalry regiment that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English volunteers. In...
in 1900, for service in the South African War, and in 1901 was itself reorganized as mounted infantry
Mounted infantry
Mounted infantry were soldiers who rode horses instead of marching, but actually fought on foot . The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry...
as the Lanarkshire Imperial Yeomanry. In 1908 it was transferred into the Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
, returning to a cavalry role and equipping as lancers, under the new title of the Lanarkshire Yeomanry.
First World War
The regiment mobilised in August 1914, but remained in England until 1915. They landed at Gallipoli in September 1915, serving as dismounted infantry, and were attached to 52nd (Lowland) Division in October; they were withdrawn in January 1916 and moved to Egypt. In early 1917 the regiment was amalgamated with The Ayrshire Yeomanry to form the 12th (Ayr and Lanark Yeomanry) Battalion of the Royal Scots FusiliersRoyal Scots Fusiliers
-The Earl of Mar's Regiment of Foot :The regiment was raised in Scotland in 1678 by Stuart loyalist Charles Erskine, de jure 5th Earl of Mar for service against the rebel covenanting forces during the Second Whig Revolt . They were used to keep the peace and put down brigands, mercenaries, and...
in 74th (Yeomanry) Division, seeing service in the Palestine campaign before moving to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
in May 1918. Whilst on the Western Front, Sergeant Thomas Caldwell of the regiment was awarded a Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
.
The regiment raised a second-line battalion, the 2/1st Lanarkshire Yeomanry, in September 1914; this remained in the United Kingdom and was converted into a cyclist unit in 1916. It moved to Ireland in May 1918, but did not see overseas service. A third-line battalion was formed in 1915, and remained in the United Kingdom until disbanded in 1917.
Following demobilisation after the War, the regiment was reconstituted in 1920 in the Territorial Army.
Second World War
The regiment apparently did not mechanise before the outbreak of the Second World War; after mobilisation, it was converted to the artillery role. It transferred into the Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in February 1940 as 155th (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA; in April 1940, 156th (Lanarkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA was formed as a second-line duplicate. Both served as field artillery
Field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
regiments.
The 155th moved to India in May 1941, and joined 9th Indian Division, equipped with 25 pounder guns; in August, it moved to Malaya with the division, leaving one battery behind to form the nucleus of 160th Field Regiment, RA. In September it re-equipped with 4.5" howitzers, and in October it was transferred into 11th Indian Division. It fought in the Battle of Malaya
Battle of Malaya
The Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
and the Battle of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
; with the surrender of Singapore, it was taken prisoner on 15 February 1942.
The 156th moved to North Africa in July 1942, and was attached to 5th Infantry Division in August; it remained with the division through the remainder of the war, fighting in the Invasion of Sicily, the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
and in North-Western Europe.
After the War, the regiment reconstituted in the Territorial Army as a yeomanry regiment, under its old title of The Lanarkshire Yeomanry, and transferred into the Royal Armoured Corps
Royal Armoured Corps
The Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army...
. In 1956 it amalgamated with the Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
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...
and the 1st/2nd Lothians and Border Horse to form The Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry.