Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry
Encyclopedia
The Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry was founded as the Dorsetshire Regiment of Volunteer Yeomanry Cavalry in 1794. In response to the growing threat of invasion during the Napoleonic wars.
It gained its first royal association in 1833 as The Princess Victoria's Regiment of Dorset Yeomanry Cavalry, and its second in 1843 as the Queen's Own Regiment of Dorset Yeomanry Cavalry.
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. 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 officer
s, 10,371 men with 20 battalion
s and 4 companies
, which arrived in South Africa
between February and April, 1900. Upon arrival, the regiment was sent throughout the zone of operations.
The Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry provided troops for the 26th Company , 7th Battalion.
.
In September 1914, they were moved to the 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade , 2nd Mounted Division.
In 1915 they were deployed overseas to Egypt
then onwards to participate in the Dardanelles
campaign where they served as dismounted troops and were involved in the Battle of Gallipoli
the Battle of Sari Bair
and the Battle of Scimitar Hill
.
After the evacuation of Gallipoli they returned to Egypt in January 1916 and became part of the 6th Mounted Brigade an independent Brigade which was involved in the Battle of Aqqaqia in February 1916. At this battle the retreating Senussi
were attacked by the Dorset Yeomanry with drawn swords across open ground. Under fire, the Yeomanry lost half their horses, and about a third of their men and officers were casualties (58 of the 184 who took part).
This brigade later joined the Imperial Mounted Division in February 1917, and took part in the First Battle of Gaza
and the Second Battle of Gaza
, they later transferred to the Yeomanry Mounted Division in June 1917, for the Third Battle of Gaza
and the Battle of Beersheba.
In July 1918 the Brigade was redesignated the 10th Cavalry Brigade and the Division the 4th Cavalry Division.
The Regiment remained with them in Palestine
until the end of the war.
They remained in this role until November 1916 when they took over the horses of the 2/1st Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry
.
They again became a cyclist unit in September 1917 prior to moving to Ireland
Early in 1918.
They remained in Ireland until the end of the war and did not see any active service.
,It had become clear that cavalry was obsolete and in 1922 it was announced that some Yeomanry Regiments were to become Royal Artillery
regimentS.
The Queen's Own Dorset Yeomany was reformed in 1920 as a Artillery Brigade.
On re-organisation in 1927, two West Somerset Yeomanry
Batteries were brigaded with two Batteries of the Queens Own Dorset Yeomanry forming the 94th Brigade R.F.A.
and landed in Normandy on D plus 21, attached to the Guards Armoured Division.
On the June 29 , 1944 the Regiment took part in its first action of the Second World War at Pubot en Bassin it was involved in the divisions battles at Carpiquet Areodrome , Caen
and Miny Bocage.
They were also with the Guards Armoured from Falaise to Brussels
and the assault crossings of the Albert
and Escaut Canals.
Their last actions of the war were during the Battle of the Reichswald and to provided support for the Rhine crossing.
After the war the Regiment was in the area of Aachen
in an occupational role.
The final parade was held on Sunday 26 February. The salute was taken by the Lord Lieutenant
of Somerset
, Lord Hylton.
The Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry was reformed in 1971 as "A" Squadron of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry
, the other squadrons of the regiment are formed by other old yeomanry regiments now reduced to the strength of one squadron;
The Regiment has three roles: B,C and D Squadron provide replacement Challenger 2 turret crewmen to the Regular Army.
Regimental Headquarters and A Squadron (Dorset Yeomanry) Armour Replacement Squadron: to develop Armour Replacement doctrine and provide the infrastructure to support the Logistic brigades.
It gained its first royal association in 1833 as The Princess Victoria's Regiment of Dorset Yeomanry Cavalry, and its second in 1843 as the Queen's Own Regiment of Dorset Yeomanry Cavalry.
Boer War
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 WeekBlack Week
In one disastrous week, dubbed Black Week, from 10-17 December 1899, the British Army suffered three devastating defeats by the Boer Republics at the battles of Stormberg , Magersfontein and Colenso , with 2,776 men killed, wounded and captured...
in December, 1899, the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army, thus issuing a Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
on December 24, 1899. This warrant officially created 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...
.
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. 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 officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
s, 10,371 men with 20 battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s and 4 companies
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
, which arrived in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
between February and April, 1900. Upon arrival, the regiment was sent throughout the zone of operations.
The Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry provided troops for the 26th Company , 7th Battalion.
World War One
During World War One the Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry supplied three regiments for service the original regiment now known as the 1/1st Queen's Own Dorset Yeomany a second line regiment the 2/1st and a third line regiment the 3/1st.1/1st Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry
The 1/1st Queen's Own Doset Yeomanry was mobilised in August 1914 and assigned to the 1st South Western Mounted Brigade part of the 1st Mounted Division1st Mounted Division
The 1st Mounted Division was formed in August 1914 for the home defence of the United Kingdom. It was formed from existing mounted brigades of the Territorial Force, each of three regiments of Yeomanry....
.
In September 1914, they were moved to the 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade , 2nd Mounted Division.
In 1915 they were deployed overseas to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
then onwards to participate in the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
campaign where they served as dismounted troops and were involved in the Battle of Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
the Battle of Sari Bair
Battle of Sari Bair
The Battle of Sari Bair , also known as the August Offensive, was the final attempt made by the British in August 1915 to seize control of the Gallipoli peninsula from the Ottoman Empire during First World War.The Battle of Gallipoli had raged on two fronts, Anzac and Helles, for three months since...
and the Battle of Scimitar Hill
Battle of Scimitar Hill
The Battle of Scimitar Hill was the last offensive mounted by the British at Suvla during the Battle of Gallipoli in World War I. It was also the largest single-day attack ever mounted by the Allies at Gallipoli, involving three divisions...
.
After the evacuation of Gallipoli they returned to Egypt in January 1916 and became part of the 6th Mounted Brigade an independent Brigade which was involved in the Battle of Aqqaqia in February 1916. At this battle the retreating Senussi
Senussi
The Senussi or Sanussi refers to a Muslim political-religious order in Libya and the Sudan region founded in Mecca in 1837 by the Grand Senussi, Sayyid Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi. Senussi was concerned with both the decline of Islamic thought and spirituality and the weakening of Muslim political...
were attacked by the Dorset Yeomanry with drawn swords across open ground. Under fire, the Yeomanry lost half their horses, and about a third of their men and officers were casualties (58 of the 184 who took part).
This brigade later joined the Imperial Mounted Division in February 1917, and took part in the First Battle of Gaza
First Battle of Gaza
The First Battle of Gaza was fought in and around the town of Gaza on the Mediterranean coast in the southern region of Ottoman Palestine on 26 March 1917, during World War I...
and the Second Battle of Gaza
Second Battle of Gaza
The Second Battle of Gaza, fought in southern Palestine during the First World War, was another attempt mounted by British Empire forces to break Ottoman defences along the Gaza-Beersheba line...
, they later transferred to the Yeomanry Mounted Division in June 1917, for the Third Battle of Gaza
Third Battle of Gaza
The Third Battle of Gaza was fought in 1917 in southern Palestine during the First World War. The British Empire forces under the command of General Edmund Allenby successfully broke the Ottoman defensive Gaza-Beersheba line...
and the Battle of Beersheba.
In July 1918 the Brigade was redesignated the 10th Cavalry Brigade and the Division the 4th Cavalry Division.
The Regiment remained with them in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
until the end of the war.
2/1st Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry
The 2/1st Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry was formed in September 1914. They converted to a cyclist unit in July 1916 as part of 4th Mounted Division.They remained in this role until November 1916 when they took over the horses of the 2/1st Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry
Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry
The Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry can trace its origins to 1794 when local volunteer troops were raised to assist the civil powers. Each Troop was about 50 strong with three officers , they were required to provide their own uniforms and mounts while the government would supply their arms and...
.
They again became a cyclist unit in September 1917 prior to moving to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Early in 1918.
They remained in Ireland until the end of the war and did not see any active service.
3/1st Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry
The 3/1st Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry was formed in 1915, they remained in the United Kingdom until they were disbanded in early 1917.Between The Wars
After World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
,It had become clear that cavalry was obsolete and in 1922 it was announced that some Yeomanry Regiments were to become Royal Artillery
Royal 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:...
regimentS.
The Queen's Own Dorset Yeomany was reformed in 1920 as a Artillery Brigade.
On re-organisation in 1927, two West Somerset Yeomanry
West Somerset Yeomanry
The West Somerset Yeomanry was 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...
Batteries were brigaded with two Batteries of the Queens Own Dorset Yeomanry forming the 94th Brigade R.F.A.
World War two
The Regiment was moblised in September 1939. They remained in the United Kingdom until June 1944 when they sailed for FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and landed in Normandy on D plus 21, attached to the Guards Armoured Division.
On the June 29 , 1944 the Regiment took part in its first action of the Second World War at Pubot en Bassin it was involved in the divisions battles at Carpiquet Areodrome , Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
and Miny Bocage.
They were also with the Guards Armoured from Falaise to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and the assault crossings of the Albert
Albert Canal
The Albert Canal is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, named after King Albert I of Belgium. It connects the major cities Antwerp and Liège and the Meuse and Scheldt rivers. It has a depth of , a free height of and a total length of...
and Escaut Canals.
Their last actions of the war were during the Battle of the Reichswald and to provided support for the Rhine crossing.
After the war the Regiment was in the area of Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
in an occupational role.
Post war
In 1947 the Regiment was reformed with the sub title 55th Field Regiment RA until February 1967, until the reduction of the Territorial Army when it ceased to exist as a Regiment.The final parade was held on Sunday 26 February. The salute was taken by the Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
of Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, Lord Hylton.
The Queen's Own Dorset Yeomanry was reformed in 1971 as "A" Squadron of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry
Royal Wessex Yeomanry
The Royal Wessex Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the British Territorial Army consisting of four squadrons, each of which bears the cap badge of an old yeomanry regiment:*B Squadron*A Squadron...
, the other squadrons of the regiment are formed by other old yeomanry regiments now reduced to the strength of one squadron;
- Royal Wiltshire YeomanryRoyal Wiltshire YeomanryThe Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom established in 1794. It was disbanded as an independent Territorial Army unit in 1967, a time when the strength of the TA was greatly reduced...
(RWY) , B Squadron - Royal Gloucestershire HussarsRoyal Gloucestershire HussarsThe Royal Gloucestershire Hussars was a unit of the British Army.Raised in 1795 following William Pitt's 1794 order to raise volunteer bodies of men to defend Great Britain, through various re-organisations, the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars remain today on the establishment of the Territorial...
(RGH) , C Squadron - Royal Devon YeomanryRoyal Devon YeomanryThe Royal Devon Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794, it participated in the Boer War, World War I and World War II and now forms a squadron of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry.-History:...
(RDY) , D Squadron
The Regiment has three roles: B,C and D Squadron provide replacement Challenger 2 turret crewmen to the Regular Army.
Regimental Headquarters and A Squadron (Dorset Yeomanry) Armour Replacement Squadron: to develop Armour Replacement doctrine and provide the infrastructure to support the Logistic brigades.