Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry
Encyclopedia
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 (Captain
, Lieutenant
, Cornet
), they were required to provide their own uniforms and mounts while the government would supply their arms and ammunition.
In 1827 the government decided to disband the Yeomanry Regiments in those districts where they had not been mobilised in the previous 10 years. The Kent Regiment was stood down and their equipment, returned to the regular army. But for this gap in service, the Kent Yeomanry formations would have been the most senior Yeomanry Regiments in the country in terms of the date of acceptance of its senior troop - the Cinque Ports
Cavalry.
In 1830 the West Kent Yeomanry was reformed and in 1864 the West Kent Yeomanry was awarded the title Queen's Own and became known as the Queen's Own West Kent Yeomany.
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 West Kent Yeomanry provided troops for the 36th Company , 9th Battalion.
area where they contributed to the Kent coastal defences..
In September 1915 they sailed for Gallipoli
and the Dardanelles
Campaign against Turkey
, here they were dismounted and served as infantry. In March 1917 they were ammalgamated with the 1/1st Royal East Kent Yeomanry
and formed the 10th (Yeomanry) Battalion, The Buffs. The 10th Buffs was attached to the 74th (Yeomanry) Division , and participated in General Allenby's successful Palastine offensive against the Turkish Army and took part in the Second Battle of Gaza
and the Battle of Beersheba on 31 October 1917. In December 1917 the 10th Buffs played a major part in the capture of Jerusalem. In July 1918 they were moved to France
and took part in the action at Merville on the Somme. After the War the 10th (Yeomanry) Battalion, The Buffs was disbanded.
and 6th Cavalry Brigades) the remaining Yeomanry Regiments would be re roled as Artillery. The Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry was one of the regiments now re-designated and formed part of the Royal Artillery
. Together with the other Yeomanry regiment in Kent The Royal East Kent Yeomanry
), they formed the 6th (Kent) Army Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, in 1920. In 1921 it became the 97th (Kent Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, consisting of the Canterbury based 385th, and 386th Ashford based (Duke of Connaught’s Own Yeomanry) Batteries, and the Bromley based 387th and the Maidstone based 388th (Queen’s Own Yeomanry) Batteries. In 1938 the unit was re-designated as the 97th (Kent Yeomanry) Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery,
.
The regiment then moved to the Middle east and served in the 10th Army as part of the 10th Indian Division
in Iraq
during 1941. It later joined the 7th Armoured Division
the Desert Rats in July 1942, being involved in the Battle of Alam el Halfa the First and Second Battle of El Alamein
, until October 1943 when it rejoined the 10th Indian Division, serving in North Africa
, Palestine
and Italy
, where it ended the war on the Adriatic coast near Trieste
.
The Second Line regiment spent the first two years of the war in Iceland. On its return to the UK in 1941 the regiment joined the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division they were involved in the D Day actions giving support to the forces attacking Caen
. They were also in action around Le Havre
and at the Turnhout Canal.
The winter of 1944-45 was spent on the Dutch - German border along the River Maas
. Their final action was at Arnhem
in April 1945.
In 1961 the Kent Yeomanry was amalgamated with the Sharpshooters to form a reconnaissance regiment. Six years later the Kent and County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) was reduced to squadron strength to form C Squadron of the Royal Yeomanry
More recently members of the Squadron have been deployed on operational tours in support of the regular army to Kosovo
, Bosnia
and Kuwait
.
In 2003 nine members of the Squadron were mobilised to form part of a Royal Yeomanry Squadron for the Joint NBC Regiment deploying on Operation TELIC
.
Further deployments have been to the southern province of Basra
and Al Amarah , in Iraq
.
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
, Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, Cornet
Cornet (military rank)
Cornet was originally the third and lowest grade of commissioned officer in a British cavalry troop, after captain and lieutenant. A cornet is a new and junior officer.- Traditional duties :The cornet carried the troop standard, also known as a "cornet"....
), they were required to provide their own uniforms and mounts while the government would supply their arms and ammunition.
In 1827 the government decided to disband the Yeomanry Regiments in those districts where they had not been mobilised in the previous 10 years. The Kent Regiment was stood down and their equipment, returned to the regular army. But for this gap in service, the Kent Yeomanry formations would have been the most senior Yeomanry Regiments in the country in terms of the date of acceptance of its senior troop - the Cinque Ports
Cinque Ports
The Confederation of Cinque Ports is a historic series of coastal towns in Kent and Sussex. It was originally formed for military and trade purposes, but is now entirely ceremonial. It lies at the eastern end of the English Channel, where the crossing to the continent is narrowest...
Cavalry.
In 1830 the West Kent Yeomanry was reformed and in 1864 the West Kent Yeomanry was awarded the title Queen's Own and became known as the Queen's Own West Kent Yeomany.
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 West Kent Yeomanry provided troops for the 36th Company , 9th Battalion.
World War I
During World War One the Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry supplied three regiments for service the original regiment became known as the 1/1st Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry, the second line regiment was the 2/1st and the third line regiment the 3/1st1/1st Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry
The 1/1st Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry was placed in the South East Mounted Brigade. On the outbreak of war in August 1914 they were sent to the CanterburyCanterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
area where they contributed to the Kent coastal defences..
In September 1915 they sailed for Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
and 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 against Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, here they were dismounted and served as infantry. In March 1917 they were ammalgamated with the 1/1st Royal East Kent Yeomanry
Royal East Kent Yeomanry
The Royal East Kent Yeomanry were formed in 1794, originally as a series of independent troops based in the important towns of Kent, England.In the latter part of the 19th century they frequently provided escorts for the Queen and members of the Royal Family, and as a result, in 1856 the East Kent...
and formed the 10th (Yeomanry) Battalion, The Buffs. The 10th Buffs was attached to the 74th (Yeomanry) Division , and participated in General Allenby's successful Palastine offensive against the Turkish Army and took part in 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...
and the Battle of Beersheba on 31 October 1917. In December 1917 the 10th Buffs played a major part in the capture of Jerusalem. In July 1918 they were moved to France
France
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 took part in the action at Merville on the Somme. After the War the 10th (Yeomanry) Battalion, The Buffs was disbanded.
2/1st Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry
The 2/1st Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry was formed in September 1914, they converted to a cyclist unit in October 1916 they remained in the United Kingdom until April 1918 when they were moved to Ireland. They ended the war in Ireland and did not see any active service.3/1st Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry
The 3/1st Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry was formed in late 1914, they also remained in the United Kingdom until being disbanded in February 1917.Between the Wars
On the reforming of the TA, the 14 senior Yeomanry Regiments remained as horsed cavalry regiments (6 forming the 5th5th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 5th Cavalry Brigade, was a part of the British Army, it served in both world wars in World War One it was part of the 2nd Cavalry Division, and during the Second World War it was formed in 1939 from Yeomanry Regiments and part of the 1st Cavalry Division....
and 6th Cavalry Brigades) the remaining Yeomanry Regiments would be re roled as Artillery. The Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry was one of the regiments now re-designated and formed part of the 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:...
. Together with the other Yeomanry regiment in Kent The Royal East Kent Yeomanry
Royal East Kent Yeomanry
The Royal East Kent Yeomanry were formed in 1794, originally as a series of independent troops based in the important towns of Kent, England.In the latter part of the 19th century they frequently provided escorts for the Queen and members of the Royal Family, and as a result, in 1856 the East Kent...
), they formed the 6th (Kent) Army Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, in 1920. In 1921 it became the 97th (Kent Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, consisting of the Canterbury based 385th, and 386th Ashford based (Duke of Connaught’s Own Yeomanry) Batteries, and the Bromley based 387th and the Maidstone based 388th (Queen’s Own Yeomanry) Batteries. In 1938 the unit was re-designated as the 97th (Kent Yeomanry) Army Field Regiment, Royal Artillery,
World War II
Dunkirk for evacuation in Operation DynamoOperation Dynamo
The Dunkirk evacuation, commonly known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, code-named Operation Dynamo by the British, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France, between 26 May and the early hours of 3 June 1940, because the British, French and Belgian troops were...
.
The regiment then moved to the Middle east and served in the 10th Army as part of the 10th Indian Division
10th Indian Division
The 10th Indian Division was a formation of the British Indian Army during World War I. It was the basis of Indian Expeditionary Force F which served in Egypt and was disbanded in March 1915....
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
during 1941. It later joined the 7th Armoured Division
British 7th Armoured Division
The 7th Armoured Division was a British armoured division which saw service during the Second World War where its exploits made it famous as the Desert Rats....
the Desert Rats in July 1942, being involved in the Battle of Alam el Halfa the First and Second Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
, until October 1943 when it rejoined the 10th Indian Division, serving in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, 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....
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where it ended the war on the Adriatic coast near Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
.
143rd (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment
In 1939 the 143rd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (Kent Yeomanry) was formed as a duplicate of 97th Regiment.The Second Line regiment spent the first two years of the war in Iceland. On its return to the UK in 1941 the regiment joined the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division they were involved in the D Day actions giving support to the forces attacking 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....
. They were also in action around Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
and at the Turnhout Canal.
The winter of 1944-45 was spent on the Dutch - German border along the River Maas
Meuse River
The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...
. Their final action was at Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
in April 1945.
Post war
In 1947 it became the 297th (Kent Yeomanry) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal ArtilleryIn 1961 the Kent Yeomanry was amalgamated with the Sharpshooters to form a reconnaissance regiment. Six years later the Kent and County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) was reduced to squadron strength to form C Squadron of the Royal Yeomanry
Royal Yeomanry
The Royal Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the Territorial Army consisting of five squadrons and a military band:*A Squadron *B Squadron...
More recently members of the Squadron have been deployed on operational tours in support of the regular army to Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
.
In 2003 nine members of the Squadron were mobilised to form part of a Royal Yeomanry Squadron for the Joint NBC Regiment deploying on Operation TELIC
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
.
Further deployments have been to the southern province of Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
and Al Amarah , in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
Battle Honours
- South Africa 1900-1902Second Boer WarThe Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
- Great War: Somme 1918Second Battle of the Somme (1918)During the First World War, the Second Battle of the Somme of 1918 was fought on the Western Front from the end of the summer, in the basin of the Somme River...
, Bapaume 1918, Hindenburg LineHindenburg LineThe Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
, ÉpehyBattle of EpéhyThe Battle of Épehy was a World War I battle fought on 18 September 1918, involving the British Fourth Army against German outpost positions in front of the Hindenburg Line.- Prelude :...
, Pursuit to MonsHundred Days OffensiveThe Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...
, France and Flanders 1918Western 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...
, Gallipoli 1915, GazaSecond Battle of GazaThe 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...
, JerusalemBattle of Jerusalem (1917)The Battle of Jerusalem developed from 17 November with fighting continuing until 30 December 1917 during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
, Tell 'Asur, Palestine 1917–18Sinai and Palestine CampaignThe Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and... - Second World War: No battle honours were awarded. It is tradition within artillery units that the Regiment's guns represent its colours and battle honours.