Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons was a
yeomanry Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Army, British Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Army Reserve, descended from volunteer British Cavalry, cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units serve in a variety of ...
regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...
of the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
in existence from 1794 to 1956. It was formed as a volunteer cavalry force in 1794 during the
French Revolutionary Wars The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...
. Its volunteer companies played an active role with the
Imperial Yeomanry The Imperial Yeomanry was a volunteer mounted force of the British Army that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Created on 2 January 1900, the force was initially recruited from the middle classes and traditional yeomanry sources, but su ...
in the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
, but opportunities for mounted action were much more restricted during the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and it was temporarily converted into a cycle unit. It remained a cavalry regiment throughout the interwar years, and was the last horsed unit of the British Army to see action, in the
Syria–Lebanon Campaign The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Syria and Lebanon (then controlled by Vichy France) in June and July 1941, during the Second World War. The French had ceded autonomy to Syria in Septembe ...
of 1941, finally mechanising the following year. It served as motorised infantry in the
North African North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
and
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...
campaigns of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. In 1956, it merged with the
Yorkshire Hussars The Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own) was an auxiliary unit of the British Army formed in 1794. The regiment was formed as volunteer cavalry (Yeomanry) in 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars and served in the Second Boe ...
and the
East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry The East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army formed in 1902. Units of Yeomanry Cavalry were raised in the East Riding of Yorkshire in the 18th and early 19th centuries at times of national emergency: the Jacobite Rising ...
to form the
Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry The Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army from 1956 to 1971. Its lineage is maintained by the Yorkshire Yeomanry Squadron, the Queen's Own Yeomanry. History The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of thre ...
. Its lineage is continued today by A (Yorkshire Yeomanry) Squadron, the
Queen's Own Yeomanry The Queen's Own Yeomanry (QOY) is one of the Army Reserve(United Kingdom), Army Reserve light armoured reconnaissance regiments. History The Queens Own Yeomanry was initially formed on 1 April 1971 as the 2nd Armoured Car Regiment from five of th ...
.


French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars

After Britain was drawn into the
French Revolutionary Wars The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...
, Prime Minister
William Pitt the Younger William Pitt the Younger (28 May 175923 January 1806) was a British statesman, the youngest and last prime minister of Great Britain (before the Acts of Union 1800) and then first prime minister of the United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Ire ...
proposed on 14 March 1794 that the counties should form a force of Volunteer Yeoman Cavalry (
Yeomanry Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Army, British Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Army Reserve, descended from volunteer British Cavalry, cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units serve in a variety of ...
) that could be called on by the King to defend the country against invasion or by the
Lord Lieutenant A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibility ...
to subdue any civil disorder within the county. As Lord Lieutenant the
Duke of Norfolk Duke of Norfolk is a title in the peerage of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the county of Norfolk. The current duke is Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk. The dukes ...
presided over a meeting at
Pontefract Pontefract is a historic market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the towns in the City of Wake ...
that agreed to raise such a force in the
West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...
and at a second meeting at
Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...
in May 1794 the borough corporation subscribed £525 towards the costs. Two regiments were formed on 13 August: the 1st or Southern Corps of West Riding Yeomanry Cavalry at Pontefract and the 2nd or Northern Regiment on 13 August: these later became the Yorkshire Dragoons and the
Yorkshire Hussars The Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own) was an auxiliary unit of the British Army formed in 1794. The regiment was formed as volunteer cavalry (Yeomanry) in 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars and served in the Second Boe ...
respectively. A local landowner, William Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam of
Wentworth Woodhouse Wentworth Woodhouse is a Grade I listed country house in the village of Wentworth, in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England. It is currently owned by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust. The building has m ...
, was Colonel-Commandant of both corps and Bryan Cooke of Owston Hall was
Lieutenant-Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
of the 1st Corps. Each regiment initially consisted of five
Troop A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troop Ro ...
s of 50 men each, those of the 1st Corps being at Doncaster, Pontefract,
Barnsley Barnsley () is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. As the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. In Barnsley, the population was 96,888 while the wider Borough has ...
, and two at
Rotherham Rotherham () is a large minster and market town in South Yorkshire, England. The town takes its name from the River Rother which then merges with the River Don. The River Don then flows through the town centre. It is the main settlement of ...
. The first parade of the Doncaster Troop in uniform took place on 29 August and on 8 November all five troops were paraded at Doncaster for the presentation of standards. Subsequently, further troops were added to the Southern regiment, one at
Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
and three at
Strafforth and Tickhill Strafforth and Tickhill , originally known as Strafforth, was the southernmost wapentake in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. The west of the district, plus a detached area in the east, constituted the Upper Division, while the central ar ...
.Barlow & Smith, ''Yorkshire Dragoons'', pp. 1–2.'Military Doncaster' (1903) at Doncaster History.
/ref>Frederick, p. 58.Frederick, p. 57.Barlow & Smith, ''Yorkshire Hussars'', p. 2. Each troop assembled monthly, and annual training between 1795 and 1801 normally took place at Doncaster (
Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
in 1799, when 14 days' training was undertaken). The Rotherham and Barnsley Troops were thanked by the magistrates in January 1795 for their assistance to the civil power at
Wath upon Dearne Wath upon Dearne (shortened to Wath or often hyphenated) is a town south of the River Dearne in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, north of Rotherham and almost midway between Barnsley and Doncaster. It had a pop ...
. The
Peace of Amiens The Treaty of Amiens (french: la paix d'Amiens, ) temporarily ended hostilities between France and the United Kingdom at the end of the War of the Second Coalition. It marked the end of the French Revolutionary Wars; after a short peace it se ...
saw most of the Yeomanry disbanded, including the Southern West Riding regiment in April 1802. However, the peace quickly broke down and a meeting convened by Earl Fitzwilliam (now the Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding) on 16 July 1803 resolved to re-raise it under the command of Lt-Col
Francis Ferrand Foljambe Francis Ferrand Foljambe (1749–1814) was a British landowner and M.P. Born on 17 January 1749 in Aldwark, North Yorkshire, England as Francis Ferrand Moore, Foljambe changed it in 1776 as part of inheriting estates at Wadworth, Steeton, West ...
of Aldwark, MP. It was again based at Doncaster, but now consisted of 12 troops, at Barnsley, Tickhill, Doncaster, Hatfield, Rotherham,
Kiveton Park Kiveton Park is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, in South Yorkshire, England. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, from the Norman conquest to 1868, Kiveton was a hamlet of the parish of Harthill-with- ...
, Pontefract, Wath Wood (two),
Wakefield Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 99,251 in the 2011 census.https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks101ew Census 2011 table KS101EW Usual resident population, ...
and Sheffield (two). The Southern Regiment was now the largest in Yorkshire, but the threat of invasion brought more regiments and independent troops into existence, so that the West Yorkshire Yeomanry became a force of 1600 men in 33 troops. When an invasion beacon was mistakenly lit and the Yeomanry and Volunteers were called out on 15 August 1805, the Southern Regiment immediately mustered with the local infantry volunteers. James Stuart-Wortley (later created Lord Wharncliffe), a politician and former
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
in the
1st Foot Guards "Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it." , colors = , colors_label = , march = Slow: " Scipio" , mascot = , equipment = , equipment ...
, assumed command of the Southern Regiment in 1810 and held it for 35 years.


19th century

The Yeomanry declined in importance and strength after the end of the French wars, but the South West York Yeomanry was one of the few regiments that maintained a continuous existence. In 1840–2 it saw considerable service in suppressing the Chartist riots and new troops were raised at
Morley Morley may refer to: Places England * Morley, Norfolk, a civil parish * Morley, Derbyshire, a civil parish * Morley, Cheshire, a village * Morley, County Durham, a village * Morley, West Yorkshire, a suburban town of Leeds and civil parish * M ...
and
Agbrigg Agbrigg is a suburb of the city of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. History The village of Agbrigg was historically within the parish of Sandal Magna and a large area of present-day Agbrigg was common land and can be seen on older maps as ...
on 2 June 1842. On 16 June 1844 the regiment was reorganised as the 1st West York Yeomanry Cavalry (1st WYYC), with the Morley and Agbrigg Troops being detached to form the 2nd West York Yeomanry Cavalry at Halifax.Barlow & Smith, ''Yorkshire Dragoons'', p. 13.Frederick, p. 375.2nd West Yorks Yeomanry at Regiments.org.
/ref> The 1st WYYC was commanded by Lord Wharncliffe until his death in 1845. William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, Viscount Milton (later 6th Earl Fitzwilliam) became Colonel on 4 May 1846 and remained in command for 40 years, with several of his brothers and sons serving as officers in the regiment, as well as members of the Stuart-Wortley family.''Army List'', various dates.''Burkes'': 'Fitzwilliam'. In the 1850s the regiment used the
Doncaster Mansion House Doncaster Mansion House is a Grade I listed building in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It is owned and managed by Doncaster Council, and the venue is used for civic and private functions, including tours, afternoon teas, wedding services, a ...
as its officers' mess, and carried out training and drill on
Doncaster Racecourse Doncaster Racecourse (also known as the Town Moor course) is a racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's 36 annual Group 1 flat races, the St Leger Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy. History Doncas ...
. The 1st WYCC was reorganised into eight troops in 1871: * A Troop at Sheffield * B Troop at Kiveton Park * C Troop at Doncaster * D Troop at
Barnsdale Barnsdale, or Barnsdale Forest, is an area of South and West Yorkshire, England. The area falls within the modern-day districts of Doncaster and Wakefield. Barnsdale was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Barnsdale lies in the ...
* E Troop at
Wentworth Park Wentworth Park is a park near the suburbs of Glebe and Ultimo in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The park contains several muti-purpose sporting pitches, cricket nets and a number of fitness installations. There is a playground in the s ...
* F Troop at Pontefract * G Troop at Barnsley * H Troop at Wakefield Earl Fitzwilliam became Honorary Colonel of the regiment on 25 December 1886 when his younger son the Hon Charles Wentworth-FitzWilliam (a former
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in the
Royal Horse Guards The Royal Regiment of Horse Guards (The Blues) (RHG) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. Raised in August 1650 at Newcastle upon Tyne and County Durham by Sir Arthur Haselrigge on the orders of Oliver Cr ...
and
Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
of the 1st WYY since 26 May 1873) took command as Lt-Col.Barlow & Smith, ''Yorkshire Dragoons'', p. 20. Having been
Hussars A hussar ( , ; hu, huszár, pl, husarz, sh, husar / ) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely ...
, the regiment progressively adopted
Dragoon Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...
style, and was officially renamed the Yorkshire Dragoons in 1889. It was affiliated to the
6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) The Carabiniers (6th Dragoon Guards) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1685 as the Lord Lumley's Regiment of Horse. It was renamed as His Majesty's 1st Regiment of Carabiniers in 1740, the 3rd Regiment of Horse (Carabi ...
and adopted that regiment's uniform with minor alterations. In 1893 it reorganised into three squadrons: * A Squadron, with A & B Troops at Sheffield, C Troop at Rotherham * B Squadron, with A Troop at Pontefract, B & C Troops at Wakefield * C Squadron, with A & B Troops at Doncaster, C at Barnsley A fourth squadron was added in 1894 when the 2nd WYYC was disbanded: * D Squadron with A Troop at
Huddersfield Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...
, B Troop at Halifax, C Troop at
Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...
Following the
Cardwell Reforms The Cardwell Reforms were a series of reforms of the British Army undertaken by Secretary of State for War Edward Cardwell between 1868 and 1874 with the support of Liberal prime minister William Ewart Gladstone. Gladstone paid little attention ...
a mobilisation scheme began to appear in the ''Army List'' from December 1875. This assigned Regular and Yeomanry units places in an order of battle of corps, divisions and brigades for the 'Active Army', even though these formations were entirely theoretical, with no staff or services assigned. The 1st West Yorkshire Yeomanry were part of the Cavalry Brigade of
VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to: * VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I * VII ...
based at
Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...
, alongside three Regular cavalry regiments and a
Royal Horse Artillery The Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) was formed in 1793 as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery (commonly termed Royal Artillery) to provide horse artillery support to the cavalry units of the British Army. (Although the cavalry link ...
battery, while the 2nd West Yorkshire Yeomanry were assigned as 'divisional troops' to 3rd Division of
VIII Corps 8th Corps, Eighth Corps, or VIII Corps may refer to: * VIII Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VIII Army Corps (German Confederation) * VIII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Ar ...
based at
Northampton Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; ...
, alongside Regular and Militia units of infantry, artillery and engineers. In 1894 the 2nd West Yorkshire Yeomanry was disbanded, but some of the personnel formed a fourth squadron for the Yorkshire Dragoons. From 1893 the Yorkshire Dragoons, Yorkshire Hussars and (until its disbandment) the 2nd West York Yeomanry, were brought together as the 13th Yeomanry Brigade, with its HQ at York. The
Earl of Scarbrough Earl of Scarbrough is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1690 for Richard Lumley, 2nd Viscount Lumley. He is best remembered as one of the Immortal Seven who invited William of Orange to invade England and depose his father-i ...
, formerly of the 7th Hussars, took over as Lt-Col on 25 December 1891, having commanded the Doncaster Troop since 1885.''Burkes'': 'Scarborough'. Finally, in 1897, after the Sheffield squadron had the honour of escorting Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, at Sheffield and being represented at the Royal celebration of that year, the regiment became known as the Queens Own Yorkshire Dragoons.


Imperial Yeomanry

The Yeomanry was not intended to serve overseas, but due to the string of defeats during
Black Week Black Week refers to the week of 10–17 December 1899 during the Second Boer War, when the British Army suffered three devastating defeats by the Boer Republics at the battles of Stormberg, Magersfontein and Colenso. In total, 2,776 British ...
in December 1899, the British government realised they were going to need more troops than just the regular army. A Royal Warrant was issued on 24 December 1899 to allow volunteer forces to serve in the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
. The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry
regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...
s to provide service
companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...
of approximately 115 men each for the
Imperial Yeomanry The Imperial Yeomanry was a volunteer mounted force of the British Army that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Created on 2 January 1900, the force was initially recruited from the middle classes and traditional yeomanry sources, but su ...
, which was equipped to operate as
Mounted infantry Mounted infantry were infantry who rode horses instead of marching. The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry. According to the 1911 ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', "Mounted rifles are half cavalry, mounted infantry merely specially m ...
. The regiment provided: The Yorkshire Dragoons sponsored the 11th (Yorkshire Dragoons) Company and the Yorkshire Hussars the 9th (Yorkshire (Doncaster)) Company. An equipment and emergency fund was set up and by 2 January 1900 13th Yeomanry Brigade had enrolled 330 volunteers (180 from the Dragoons) at Leeds. Selection and mobilisation began at Sheffield Cavalry Barracks on 6 January and the two companies were completed by 17 January.Barlow & Smith, ''Yorkshire Dragoons'', p. 24.IY at Regiments.org.
/ref>
/ref>IY at Anglo-Boer War.
/ref> Along with two companies from
Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...
, the 9th and 11th served in the 3rd Battalion, IY, which was placed under the command of Temporary Lt-Col
George Younghusband Major General Sir George John Younghusband, (9 July 1859 – 30 September 1944) was a cavalry officer and major-general in the British Indian Army. Younghusband was commissioned into the 17th Foot in 1878. He later transferred to the British In ...
from the
Indian Army The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
. The Earl of Scarbrough was appointed second-in-command as a Temporary Major. 3rd Battalion with its horses embarked on the ''Winefredien'' at
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
on 29 January and was the first IY battalion to arrive in South Africa, disembarking at
Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
on 20 February 1900.'Yorkshire Hussars at ''Les Hussards''.
/ref> The Yorkshire Dragoons and Hussars also co-sponsored the 66th (Yorkshire) Company, formed in March 1900. The 66th Company arrived in South Africa on 10 April and joined in the 16th Battalion, IY, transferring to the 3rd when the 16th was broken up in 1902. The Yorkshire Dragoons later raised the 111th (Yorkshire Dragoons) Company for the Second Contingent of the IY in 1902.


Boshof

The 3rd Bn IY was attached to 1st Division under the command of
Lord Methuen Baron Methuen, of Corsham in the County of Wiltshire, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1838 for the former Member of Parliament for Wiltshire and Wiltshire North, Paul Methuen. His grandson, the third Baron (who ...
. On 5 April Methuen learned of the presence of a small
Boer Commando The Boer Commandos or "Kommandos" were volunteer military units of guerilla militia organized by the Boer people of South Africa. From this came the term "commando" into the English language during the Second Boer War of 1899-1902 as per Costica ...
led by the French Comte de Villebois-Mareuil and ordered the IY and other mounted troops to saddle up at once. The force caught the commando, pinned it with a few rounds of artillery fire, and then advanced by short rushes. The Earl of Scarbrough led the Yorkshire contingent round the left flank while the Kimberly Mounted Volunteers went round the right, taking advantage of the natural cover. The whole force then closed in and stormed the hill. De Villebois-Mareuil was killed and his men surrendered. The
Battle of Boshof The Battle of Boshof was a battle fought during the Second Boer War on 5 April 1900 between British forces and mostly French volunteers of the Boer army.Jaques p. 155 Events Background Following the Battle of Paardeberg (18–27 February), the ...
was the first action for the new IY, but with little field training, only a brief musketry course, and few officers, they 'acted like veteran troops'. Methuen was 'much struck by the intelligent manner in which they carried out the attack and made use of cover'. Boshof had been a dismounted action, but at Rooidam on 5 May the Yorkshire Dragoons seized a ''
kraal Kraal (also spelled ''craal'' or ''kraul'') is an Afrikaans and Dutch word, also used in South African English, for an enclosure for cattle or other livestock, located within a Southern African settlement or village surrounded by a fence of th ...
'' at a gallop, which allowed them to secure a ''
kopje An inselberg or monadnock () is an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain. In Southern Africa a similar formation of granite is known as a koppie, a ...
'' from which they could
enfilade Enfilade and defilade are concepts in military tactics used to describe a military formation's exposure to enemy fire. A formation or position is "in enfilade" if weapon fire can be directed along its longest axis. A unit or position is "in de ...
the Boers' main position. Methuen's Column quickly became known as the 'Mobile Marvels'. On 14 May Methuen marched on
Hoopstad The key town of Hoopstad is situated at the intersection of the R34, R59 & R700 in the Free State Province. This area is considered to be the richest maize-producing district in South Africa. The town is located near the Bloemhof Dam which is s ...
and then continued into
Orange Free State The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...
protecting the flank of Lord Roberts' main army. Methuen's column reached
Bothaville Bothaville is a maize farming town situated near the Vaal River in the Lejweleputswa DM of the Free State province, South Africa. It is situated 60 km east of the Vaal, on the bank of its Vals River tributary. Bothaville and the adjacent Kgo ...
on 24 May, but Roberts became concerned about his communications, so Methuen was switched to protecting the rear, and marched to
Kroonstad Kroonstad (Afrikaans directly translated "Crown City") is the third largest city in the Free State (after Bloemfontein and Welkom) and lies two hours' drive on the N1 from Gauteng. Maokeng is an area within Kroonstad, and is occasionally used ...
, where his force arrived on 28 May, having completed a march of in 15 days over poor roads. On 30 May, Methuen was informed that the 13th (Irish) Bn IY was cut off at Lindley, and he rode with his own IY battalions to relieve them, covering in 24 hours. The mounted column had a five-hour fight to force its way past 3000 Boers led by Christiaan de Wet. Most of the force in Lindley had already surrendered, but Younghusband was able to free a number of the prisoners. Methuen then pushed on to relieve 9th Division, which was besieged at
Heilbron Heilbron is a small farming town in the Free State (South African province), Free State province of South Africa which services the cattle, dairy, sorghum, sunflower and maize industries. Raw stock beneficiation occurs in leisure foods, dairy ...
, completing a march of in under a month.


Guerrilla warfare

Methuen's Column now took part in the pursuit of de Wet's force south down the railway towards Kroonstad, beginning with a sharp action at Renoster River on 24 June. The 'Great de Wet Hunt' began in earnest in August, with Methuen personally leading a column including the 1st Yeomanry Brigade. Methuen drove his force on with little rest, to Welverdiend Pass and Taaibosch Spruit, then to
Frederikstad Frederikstad is a hamlet in South Africa some 34 km south-west of Carletonville Carletonville is a town in Gauteng and the seat of the Merafong City Local Municipality in the West Rand District Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, just ...
. On 12 August the column engaged the Boers at Mooi River Bridge for four hours, capturing guns and wagons and freeing British prisoners. Methuen's column had covered in six days, driving de Wet towards the Olifant's Nek pass, which Methuen believed was blocked by other columns. On the night of 13/14 August his troops set out to catch the Boers, engaging them at
Buffelshoek Buffelshoek is a community in Bushbuckridge Local municipality (formerly known as Mapulaneng) in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost co ...
about from the pass. However, the Boers escaped through the pass, which had not been blocked. With his troops exhausted, Methuen had to call off the pursuit. Drives to catch the remaining commandos went on for almost another two years. The First Contingent of the Imperial Yeomanry completed their year's term of service in 1901. Between 24 March 1900 and 4 April 1901 the 3rd Battalion marched and was in action 39 times, suffering 109 casualties out of a strength of 500 men. The 66th Company in 16th Bn was in 16 major actions. Lieutenant
Alexis Charles Doxat Major Alexis Charles Doxat, (9 April 1867 – 29 November 1942) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth fo ...
, who had gone out to South Africa in 11th Company, became reconnaissance officer to Maj-Gen Douglas's column and won a
Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
at
Zeerust Zeerust is a commercial town situated in Ngaka Modiri Molema district North West Province, South Africa. It lies in the Marico valley, approximately 240 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg. It lies on the N4, the main road link between South ...
on 20 October 1900, galloping back to rescue a man who had lost his horse. Many of the Yeomanry went home after their year's service and were replaced by a Second Contingent, including the 111th (Yorkshire Dragoons) Company, which joined the 3rd Bn, while others stayed on during the gruelling last year of the war. At Middlepost on 5 February 1902 Lts Chichester and Tabor were sent up to hold a ridge with 11 men of the Yorkshire Dragoons. Both officers and five men were killed, the others wounded before they were overrun. The war ended on 31 May 1902 with the
Treaty of Vereeniging The Treaty of Vereeniging was a peace treaty, signed on 31 May 1902, that ended the Second Boer War between the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, on the one side, and the United Kingdom on the other. This settlement provided f ...
. The service of its IY companies earned the Yorkshire its first
Battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In European military t ...
: South Africa 1900–02. The Imperial Yeomanry had been trained and equipped as mounted infantry. The concept was considered a success and before the war ended the existing Yeomanry regiments at home were converted into Imperial Yeomanry, with an establishment of HQ and four squadrons with a machine gun section. This included the retitled Yorkshire Dragoons Imperial Yeomanry (Queen's Own).


Territorial Force

The Imperial Yeomanry were subsumed into the new
Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry i ...
(TF) under the
Haldane Reforms The Haldane Reforms were a series of far-ranging reforms of the British Army made from 1906 to 1912, and named after the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane. They were the first major reforms since the " Childers Reforms" of the ...
of 1908. The regiment became the Yorkshire Dragoons Yeomanry (Queen's Own) with the following organisation:Barlow & Smith, ''Yorkshire Dragoons'', p. 29. * Regimental Headquarters at Nether Hall, 4 Frenchgate, DoncasterWest Riding at Great War Centenary Drill Halls.
/ref> * A Squadron at 93 Brunswick Street, Sheffield, with a detachment at Wharncliffe Street, Rotherham * B Squadron at Drill Hall, Vicarage Street, Wakefield, with detachments at Drill Hall, Bath Street,
Dewsbury Dewsbury is a minster and market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Calder and on an arm of the Calder and Hebble Navigation waterway. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Hudder ...
and Drill Hall, Beechnut Lane, Tanshelf, Pontefract * C Squadron at Nether Hall, Doncaster, with detachments at Drill Hall, Eastgate, Barnsley and Pasture Road,
Goole Goole is a port town and civil parish on the River Ouse in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The town's historic county is the West Riding of Yorkshire. According to the 2011 UK census, Goole parish had a population of 19,518, an increa ...
* D Squadron at 9 Queen Street, Huddersfield, with a detachment at Halifax The regiment formed part of the TF's
Yorkshire Mounted Brigade The Yorkshire Mounted Brigade was a formation of Britain's part-time Territorial Force organised in 1908. Mobilised on the outbreak of World War I, its regiments had been posted away by 1915 so it was broken up. It never saw active service. Prec ...
, commanded by the Earl of Scarbrough, who relinquished command of the regiment to Lt-Col C. Brock and became Honorary Colonel.


First World War

The regiment mobilised under the command of Lt-Col W. McK. Smith who had only been appointed CO on 3 June 1914. Among the regiment's officers was the Hon Edward Wood, MP, later (as Viscount Halifax)
Viceroy of India The Governor-General of India (1773–1950, from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, commonly shortened to Viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom and after Indian independence in 19 ...
and
Foreign Secretary The secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs, known as the foreign secretary, is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom and head of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Seen as ...
. The Regimental Chaplain was Canon
Folliott Sandford Sir Folliott Herbert Sandford KBE CMG (28 October 1906 – 5 July 1986) was a British civil servant and Registrar of the University of Oxford from 1958 to 1972. Life and career Folliott Herbert Sandford, the son of a barrister, was born on 28 Oct ...
, Archdeacon of Doncaster. In accordance with the
Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 ('' 7 Edw. 7, c.9'') was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the auxiliary forces of the British Army by transferring existing Volunteer and Yeomanry units into a new Territori ...
('' 7 Edw. 7, c.9'') which brought the TF into being, it 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.


1/1st Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons

The 1/1st Yorkshire Dragoons deployed to France in July 1915, as Divisional Cavalry: :A Squadron to
17th (Northern) Division The 17th (Northern) Division was an infantry division of the British Army, a Kitchener's Army formation raised during the Great War. Formation history The 17th (Northern) Division was created under Northern Command in September 1914, just a m ...
:B and HQ Squadrons to 37th Division :C Squadron to
19th (Western) Division The 19th (Western) Division was an infantry division of the British Army, part of Kitchener's Army, formed in the Great War. Formation history The 19th (Western) Division was created under Western Command in September 1914, shortly after the ...
In May 1916, the Regiment reassembled and became Corps Cavalry to
II Corps 2nd Corps, Second Corps, or II Corps may refer to: France * 2nd Army Corps (France) * II Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * II Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French ...
, with whom it remained until November 1917, when it was transferred to the Cavalry Corps. Up to this time, its only chance of mounted action had been during the German retreat to the
Hindenburg Line The Hindenburg Line (German: , Siegfried Position) was a German defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to Laffaux, near Soissons on the Aisne. In 191 ...
in April 1917. The regiment was present at the battles of the Somme (1916), the
Ancre The Ancre (; ) is a river of Picardy, France. Rising at Miraumont, a hamlet near the town of Albert, Somme, Albert, it flows into the Somme (river), Somme at Corbie. It is long. For most of its length it flows through the departments of France, ...
, the Somme (1917) and
Ypres Ypres ( , ; nl, Ieper ; vls, Yper; german: Ypern ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality co ...
(1917). Although in these battles there was no mounted fighting, the men were often called upon to support infantry attacks with their Hotchkiss machine guns. In December 1917, the Yorkshire Dragoons was posted to the
8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade The Lucknow Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Indian Army formed in 1911 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. It was mobilized as 8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade at the outbreak of the First World War as part of the 1st Indian ...
, 4th Cavalry Division, where it relieved the
King's Dragoon Guards The 1st King's Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army. The regiment was raised by Sir John Lanier in 1685 as the 2nd Queen's Regiment of Horse, named in honour of Queen Mary, consort of King James II. It was renamed the 2nd Ki ...
and took part in the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. As such, it was one of only six yeomanry regiments to be posted to a regular cavalry division in the war. The Yorkshire Dragoons was dismounted in February 1918, and returned to II Corps as Corps Cyclists. From September to November 1918, the Regiment fought with the 9th Division in the offensive east of Ypres. Hostilities came to an end on 11 November 1918 and the regiment was selected for the army of occupation and acted as advance guard to the 9th and 29th Divisions during the advance into Germany. The Regiment was stationed in the
Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
area until demobilisation in July 1919, when Lord Scarborough received a letter of appreciation from the Corps Commander. "They have earned the gratitude of their country and county, in the way they have worked and fought all through the war, and have made a name for themselves which will never be forgotten".


2/1st Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons

The 2nd Line regiment was formed in 1914. In 1915, it was under the command of the 2/1st Yorkshire Mounted Brigade in Yorkshire (along with the 2/1st Yorkshire Hussars and the
2/1st East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry The East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army formed in 1902. Units of Yeomanry Cavalry were raised in the East Riding of Yorkshire in the 18th and early 19th centuries at times of national emergency: the Jacobite Rising ...
) and by March 1916 was in the
Beverley Beverley is a market town, market and minster (church), minster town and a civil parishes in England, civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, of which it is the county town. The town centre is located south-east of York's centre ...
area. On 31 March 1916, the remaining Mounted Brigades were numbered in a single sequence and the brigade became
18th Mounted Brigade The 18th Mounted Brigade, previously known as the 2/1st Yorkshire Mounted Brigade, was a 2nd Line yeomanry brigade of the British Army during the First World War. In July 1916 it was converted to a cyclist formation as 11th Cyclist Brigade and i ...
, still in Yorkshire under Northern Command. In July 1916, there was a major reorganisation of 2nd Line yeomanry units in the United Kingdom. All but 12 regiments were converted to
cyclists Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of Bicycle, cycles for transport, recreation, Physical exercise, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", ...
and as a consequence the regiment was dismounted and the brigade converted to
11th Cyclist Brigade 11 (eleven) is the natural number following 10 and preceding 12. It is the first repdigit. In English, it is the smallest positive integer whose name has three syllables. Name "Eleven" derives from the Old English ', which is first attested i ...
. Further reorganisation, in October and November 1916, saw the brigade redesignated as
7th Cyclist Brigade The 4th Mounted Division was a short-lived Yeomanry Division of the British Army active during World War I. It was formed on 20 March 1916, converted to 2nd Cyclist Division in July 1916 and broken up on 16 November 1916. It remained in England ...
in November, now in the
Bridlington Bridlington is a coastal town and a civil parish on the Holderness Coast of the North Sea in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is about north of Hull and east of York. The Gypsey Race enters the North Sea at its harbour. The 2011 Cen ...
area. In March 1917, the regiment moved to Barmston and in July to
Burton Agnes Burton Agnes (named after Agnes de Percy) is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the A614 road midway between Driffield and Bridlington. Local landmarks include an Elizabethan manor house, ...
. It returned to Bridlington in January 1918. About May 1918, the Brigade moved to Ireland and the regiment was stationed at
Fermoy Fermoy () is a town on the River Blackwater in east County Cork, Ireland. As of the 2016 census, the town and environs had a population of approximately 6,500 people. It is located in the barony of Condons and Clangibbon, and is in the Dái ...
,
County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...
. There were no further changes before the end of the war.


3/1st Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons

A 3rd Line regiment was formed in 1915. That summer, it was affiliated to
5th Reserve Cavalry Regiment Seventeen Cavalry Reserve Regiments were formed by the British Army on the outbreak of the World War I, Great War in August, 1914. These were affiliated with one or more active Cavalry regiments of the British Army, cavalry regiments, their purpos ...
at
York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
. Early in 1917, it was absorbed into the
6th Reserve Cavalry Regiment Seventeen Cavalry Reserve Regiments were formed by the British Army on the outbreak of the Great War in August, 1914. These were affiliated with one or more active cavalry regiments, their purpose being to train replacement drafts for the active r ...
at
Tidworth Tidworth is a garrison town and civil parish in south-east Wiltshire, England, on the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain. Lying on both sides of the A338 about north of the A303 primary route, the town is approximately west of Andover, south o ...
.


Between the wars

Postwar, a commission was set up to consider the shape of the Territorial Force ( Territorial Army from 1 October 1921). The recent experience of the Great War made it clear that there was a surfeit of
cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
. The commission decided that only the 14 most senior regiments were to be retained as cavalry (though the
Lovat Scouts The Lovat Scouts was a British Army unit first formed during the Second Boer War as a Scottish Highland yeomanry regiment of the British Army. They were the first known military unit to wear a ghillie suit and in 1916 formally became the British ...
and the
Scottish Horse The Scottish Horse was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army's Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Territorial Army raised in 1900 for service in the Second Boer War. It saw heavy fighting in both the World War I, First World War, as the 13th Battali ...
were also to remain mounted as "scouts"). Eight regiments were converted to Armoured Car Companies of the
Royal Tank Corps The Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) is the oldest tank unit in the world, being formed by the British Army in 1916 during the First World War. Today, it is the armoured regiment of the British Army's 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade. Formerly known as t ...
(RTC), one was reduced to a
battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
in another regiment, one was absorbed into a local infantry battalion, one became a signals regiment and two were disbanded. The remaining 25 regiments were converted to brigades of the
Royal Field Artillery The Royal Field Artillery (RFA) of the British Army provided close artillery support for the infantry. It came into being when created as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 1 July 1899, serving alongside the other two arms of t ...
between 1920 and 1922. As the 9th most senior regiment in the
order of precedence An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance and can be applied to individuals, groups, or organizations. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments, for very formal and state o ...
, the regiment was retained as horsed cavalry.


Second World War

On the outbreak of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the RHQ was at Danum Road, Doncaster, and the regiment was commanded by Colonel J.G. Crabbe. The Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons was attached to the 5th Cavalry Brigade, part of the 1st Cavalry Division. When it became necessary to occupy
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
and the
Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
to prevent their use by the
Axis powers The Axis powers, ; it, Potenze dell'Asse ; ja, 枢軸国 ''Sūjikukoku'', group=nb originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis, was a military coalition that initiated World War II and fought against the Allies. Its principal members were ...
, the regiment was stationed on the Syrian frontier. It crossed the frontier in late June 1941, and occupied Kuneitra. In July, the Regiment moved to Ezraa in order to contain the French Druse Garrison of Jebel Druse. On 10 July, C Squadron Headquarters and two troops fought a patrol skirmish with French Druse cavalry, which was probably the last action of British horsed cavalry. The
Vichy French Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...
asked for an armistice on 12 July. From July until December, the Regiment garrisoned the Jebel Druse, prior to moving to Azib to train for
mountain warfare Mountain warfare (also known as alpine warfare) is warfare in mountains or similarly rough terrain. Mountain ranges are of strategic importance since they often act as a natural border, and may also be the origin of a water source (for example, t ...
. On 13 February 1942 came the news that they were to be reroled and on 1 March the men said goodbye to their horses; by a matter of a day, the Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons gained the distinction of being the last active cavalry regiment in the British Army. Intensive conversion training to becoming an armoured unit was carried out. In May, part of the regiment went up to the desert, taking part in the
Battle of Gazala The Battle of Gazala (near the village of ) was fought during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, west of the port of Tobruk in Libya, from 26 May to 21 June 1942. Axis troops of the ( Erwin Rommel) consisting of German and I ...
by holding the defensive box called “Knightsbridge”. This detachment subsequently withdrew to
El Alamein El Alamein ( ar, العلمين, translit=al-ʿAlamayn, lit=the two flags, ) is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Arab's Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. , it had ...
after the disastrous
First Battle of El Alamein The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) was a battle of the Western Desert campaign of the Second World War, fought in Egypt between Axis (German and Italian) forces of the Panzer Army Africa—which included the under Field Marshal ...
, where they had carried out the camouflage and deception plans, particularly the representation of dummy tanks. In July, the regiment was hurriedly reunited and incorporated into "Delta Force", which was formed as the last line of defence in the event of the Alamein Line breaking. Owing to heavy losses in armour in the recent battles, it was impossible to fulfil the Commander-in-Chief's promise that the Yorkshire Dragoons should become an Armoured Regiment; instead, the regiment was equipped with Bren Carriers, 3-inch mortars and 6-pounder anti-tank guns and placed under command of the 2nd Armoured Brigade, 1st Armoured Division, together with The Bays, the
9th Queen's Royal Lancers The 9th Queen's Royal Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1715. It saw service for three centuries, including the First and Second World Wars. The regiment survived the immediate post-war reduction in forces, but w ...
and the
10th Royal Hussars The 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army raised in 1715. It saw service for three centuries including the First World War and Second World War but then amalgamated with the 11th Hussars (Prince A ...
. Each motor squadron was under command of an armoured regiment, whilst the anti-tank guns were under command of the Brigade. The
Second Battle of El Alamein The Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October – 11 November 1942) was a battle of the Second World War that took place near the Egyptian Railway station, railway halt of El Alamein. The First Battle of El Alamein and the Battle of Alam el Halfa ...
started on 23 October. By daylight of the 24th, the attack was partially successful but the final minefield was unbreached. The regiment suffered considerable casualties in the congested minefield areas prior to the breaking of the line on 2 November, when the 1st Armoured Division started the pursuit it led as far as
Timimi Timimi, At Timimi ( ar, التميمي) or Tmimi, is a small village in Libya about 75 km east of Derna and 100 km west of Tobruk. It is on the eastern shores of the Libyan coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. Geography Because its under ...
. At the end of January, the regiment went straight into the line at Medenine for the frontal attack on the
Mareth Line The Mareth Line was a system of fortifications built by France in southern Tunisia in the late 1930s. The line was intended to protect Tunisia against an Italian invasion from its colony in Libya. The line occupied a point where the routes into T ...
that failed, after which 1st Armoured Division was moved round to the south to advance to El Hamma. In March, the attack on the Akarit Line was successful, and the division once again took up the pursuit. The regiment remained in North Africa for a further eight months, during which time it converted to lorried infantry, becoming the 9th (Yorkshire Dragoons) Battalion,
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755. In 1968, the regiment was amalgamated with the Somerset and Cornwall ...
, as part of 18th (Lorried) Infantry Brigade. In February 1944, the Brigade was sent to fight in the Italian Campaign, landing at
Anzio Anzio (, also , ) is a town and ''comune'' on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome. Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a Port, fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine I ...
under command of the 1st Infantry Division, which was temporarily under command of
Mark W. Clark Mark Wayne Clark (May 1, 1896 – April 17, 1984) was a United States Army officer who saw service during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He was the youngest four-star general in the US Army during World War II. During World War I ...
's
US Fifth Army The United States Army North (ARNORTH) is a formation of the United States Army. An Army Service Component Command (ASCC) subordinate to United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM), ARNORTH is the joint force land component of NORTHCOM.
. An attack on 13 March cost the regiment 170 casualties in killed, wounded, and missing. These were not replaced until early May, prior to the breakout at the end of the month. On 3 June, they led the attack on the Ardea Line opening the road to Rome. After a period of training, the regiment moved up to
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
, reverting to the command of 1st Armoured Division for the attack on the
Gothic Line The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German Defense line, defensive line of the Italian Campaign (World War II), Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Generalfeldmarschall, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's la ...
. The original men of the Yorkshire Dragoons, who had served four and a half years abroad (less six officers), were sent home at the end of August, prior to the attack. The first attack on Coriano Ridge secured a precarious foothold, but failed to achieve its objective. The regiment, which was in reserve, stabilised the position and three days later carried out an attack that took San Savino, where 600 prisoners were taken, and two days later they carried a further ridge. However, such was the shortage of infantry replacements in the British Army at the time, as all were being sent to
21st Army Group The 21st Army Group was a British headquarters formation formed during the Second World War. It controlled two field armies and other supporting units, consisting primarily of the British Second Army and the First Canadian Army. Established in ...
in the
North West Europe Campaign The North West Europe campaign was a campaign by the British Commonwealth armed forces in North West Europe, including its skies and adjoining waters during World War II. The term Western Front has also sometimes been used informally. The United S ...
, that 18th Infantry Brigade was broken up and the personnel were used to reinforce other units. The regiment was placed in ‘suspended animation’ and the majority of the officers and men were posted to the 2/4th Battalion,
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755. In 1968, the regiment was amalgamated with the Somerset and Cornwall ...
serving in the 138th Infantry Brigade of the 46th Infantry Division.


Postwar

When the TA was reconstituted in 1947, the Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons reformed as an armoured regiment in the
Royal Armoured Corps The Royal Armoured Corps is the component of the British Army, that together with the Household Cavalry provides its armour capability, with vehicles such as the Challenger 2 Tank and the Scimitar Reconnaissance Vehicle. It includes most of the A ...
. Together with the Yorkshire Hussars, the East Riding Yeomanry and 45th/51st (Leeds Rifles) Royal Tank Regiment it constituted the 8th (Yorkshire) Armoured Brigade in 49th (West Riding and North Midland) Armoured Division. On 1 November 1956 the Yorkshire Dragoons, Yorkshire Hussars and East Riding Yeomanry were amalgamated to form the
Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry The Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army from 1956 to 1971. Its lineage is maintained by the Yorkshire Yeomanry Squadron, the Queen's Own Yeomanry. History The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of thre ...
.Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry
Archive of regiments.org page.
Frederick, p. 329.


Uniforms and insignia

The uniform of both the Southern and Northern West Riding Yeomanry in 1794 was a long-skirted scarlet coat with green collar and cuffs, and silver fringed epaulettes for officers; white breeches and black boots; white belts and gloves. The trumpeters were mounted on grey horses from October 1794. The original headgear was a 'round hat' (a low top hat) with a fore-and-aft bearskin crest over the crown. The original uniforms were such poor quality that they were replaced the following year, when new pattern '
Tarleton Tarleton is a village and civil parish in the borough of West Lancashire, Lancashire, England. It situated in the Lancashire mosslands approximately 10 miles north east of Southport, approximately 10 miles south west of Preston, approximately ...
' light cavalry helmets were issued with 'Y.W.R.C' on the front band and probably a buff 'turban' (but re-using the same bearskin crest) and the shorter red jackets were given buff silk cord trimmings and white metal shoulder-wings for the men, with silver fringes for the officers. A scarlet waistcoat trimmed in buff was added (from 1797 the trumpeters wore a plain buff waistcoat). Sergeant-Majors (one per Troop, all ex-Regular NCOs) wore four silver chevrons on a green ground, sergeants wore three similar chevrons. When the regiment was reclothed again in 1799 the jacket was replaced by an Austrian-style light dragoon jacket and the helmet turban was changed to green. Three standards were presented to the Southern Regiment of West Riding Yeomanry on 8 November 1794: a Royal Standard given by Doncaster Corporation, a Provincial Standard bearing the arms of
York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
given by Earl Fitzwilliam, and a third given by the ladies of Rotherham bearing the motto 'Law, Liberty and Religion'. Each standard bore the inscription South Regiment, W.R.Y.C.'. When the regiment was re-raised in 1803 the jacket colour was changed from red to dark blue, with dark blue pantaloons (later light blue
overalls Overalls, also called bib-and-brace overalls or dungarees, are a type of garment usually used as protective clothing when working. The garments are commonly referred to as a "pair of overalls" by analogy with "pair of trousers". Overalls were ...
), and brown Hessian boots. This uniform was still worn with the Tarleton helmet, now with black or dark blue turban and white plume. By 1808 the plain jacket had acquired lacing in
Hussar A hussar ( , ; hu, huszár, pl, husarz, sh, husar / ) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely ...
style (silver for officers, white for other ranks), and by ''ca'' 1819 the Tarleton helmet had been replaced by a Light Dragoon
Shako A shako (, , or ) is a tall, cylindrical military cap, usually with a visor, and sometimes tapered at the top. It is usually adorned with an ornamental plate or badge on the front, metallic or otherwise; and often has a feather, plume (see hackle) ...
with silver/white band around the top. The
Barrel sash A barrel sash, also called a rope-and-barrel sash, is a form of belt traditionally worn by military units known as hussars as well as by bag pipers. It comprises a series of cords which are threaded through tubular metal "barrels" and worn aroun ...
was in white and red, the
Sabretache A sabretache (derived from german: Säbeltasche) is a flat bag or pouch, which was worn suspended from the belt of a cavalry soldier together with the sabre. Origins The sabretache is derived from a traditional Hungarian horseman's flat leather ...
was scarlet with broad silver/white lace edging and bore an embroidered crown above a silver-plated
White Rose of York The White Rose of York (Latinised as ''rosa alba'', blazoned as ''a rose argent'') is a white heraldic rose which was adopted in the 14th century as a heraldic badge of the royal House of York. In modern times it is used more broadly as a sy ...
. From 1861 the regiment began a major overhaul of its uniform from Hussar style. First the lace was removed from the jacket and the sash and sabretache abandoned, before the jacket was replaced by a
Lancer A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used for mounted warfare in Assyria as early as and subsequently by Persia, India, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. The weapon was widely used throughout Eurasia during the M ...
pattern tunic with half-plastron front in 1863. The tunic had no facings but was outlined in thin silver/white lace with simple
Austrian knot An Austrian knot (or Hungarian knot), alternatively warrior's knot or , is an elaborate design of twisted cord or lace worn as part of a dress uniform, usually on the lower sleeve. It is usually a distinction worn by officers; the major exceptio ...
s on the sleeve. The light blue overalls were replaced by one in 'Oxford mixture' (blue-black) with double silver/white stripes. In 1862 the shako was replaced by a
Bearskin A bearskin is a tall fur cap, usually worn as part of a ceremonial military uniform. Traditionally, the bearskin was the headgear of grenadiers, and remains in use by grenadier and guards regiments in various armies. Bearskins should not be c ...
fur cap similar to a
Fusilier Fusilier is a name given to various kinds of soldiers; its meaning depends on the historical context. While fusilier is derived from the 17th-century French language, French word ''fusil'' – meaning a type of flintlock musket – the term has ...
cap rather than a Hussar Busby, with a short white plume supported on the left side by a silver rose mounted on a gilt half-ball. In 1876 the 'Albert' pattern silver-plated/white metal Dragoon helmet with white horsehair plume replaced the fur cap, and a white waist sash with two blue lines was introduced. When the regiment's title was changed to Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons in 1889 it adopted with minor variations the uniform of its affiliated Regular regiment, the Carabiniers (6th Dragoon Guards). This involved replacing the lancer tunic by one of heavy dragoon pattern in blue, with white
facings A facing colour is a common tailoring technique for European military uniforms where the visible inside lining of a standard military jacket, coat or tunic is of a different colour to that of the garment itself.René Chartrand, William Younghusba ...
, but retaining the 1876 dragoon helmet, sash ''etc''. The regiment also obtained blue regular cavalry cloaks with white collars by about 1893–4, and officers wore a black sabretache from 1898. Full dress was supplemented by stable jackets and dark blue pillbox caps with white bands (scarlet caps for the band) for less formal orders of dress. During the Second Boer War the Imperial Yeomanry wore khaki field service dress, brown leather equipment with an ammunition
Bandolier A bandolier or a bandoleer is a pocketed belt for holding either individual bullets, or belts of ammunition. It is usually slung sash-style over the shoulder and chest, with the ammunition pockets across the midriff and chest. Though functio ...
, and a
Slouch hat A slouch hat is a wide-brimmed felt or cloth hat most commonly worn as part of a military uniform, often, although not always, with a chinstrap. It has been worn by military personnel from many different nations including Australia, Ireland, the ...
with one side turned up (the right side for the Yorkshire IY) and a short brown turkey feather plume. This became the universal uniform for the Imperial Yeomanry regiments at home from 1901, but the regulations were later relaxed and full dress returned for ceremonial occasions. Other older items remained in use, such as the blue cavalry cloaks. When the IY were incorporated into the TF in 1908, the slouch hat was replaced by the peaked
Service cap Service may refer to: Activities * Academic administration, Administrative service, a required part of the workload of university faculty * Civil service, the body of employees of a government * Community service, volunteer service for the benef ...
. The other ranks' shoulder straps bore brass titles with 'T' and 'Y' over a curved 'Yorkshire Dragoons'.


Honorary Colonels

The following served as Honorary Colonel of the unit: * Col
William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 6th Earl Fitzwilliam William Thomas Spencer Wentworth-FitzWilliam, 6th Earl FitzWilliam, (12 October 1815 – 20 February 1902), styled Hon. William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam 1815–1835, and Viscount Milton 1835–1857, was a British peer, nobleman, and Liberal Party ...
, KG, appointed 25 December 1886 * Maj-Gen
Aldred Lumley, 10th Earl of Scarbrough Major General Aldred Frederick George Beresford Lumley, 10th Earl of Scarbrough (16 November 1857 – 4 March 1945), styled Viscount Lumley from 1868 to 1884, was an Anglo-Irish peer, soldier and landowner. He was noted for his long service in ...
, TD appointed 1 April 1908, later Director-General of the Territorial and Volunteer Forces, 1917–21 * Lt-Col Edward Wood, 3rd Viscount Halifax, KG,
GCSI The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander (GCSI) # Knight Commander ( KCSI) # Companion ( CSI) No appointments ...
,
GCIE The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander (GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) No appoi ...
, TD, appointed 20 July 1935


Affiliations

When the regiment became Dragoons in 1889 it was affiliated to the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) of the Regular Army. In the 1930s the regiment was affiliated to 8th Princess Louise's New Brunswick Hussars, a link that is continued through the Yorkshire Yeomanry Squadron of the
Queen's Own Yeomanry The Queen's Own Yeomanry (QOY) is one of the Army Reserve(United Kingdom), Army Reserve light armoured reconnaissance regiments. History The Queens Own Yeomanry was initially formed on 1 April 1971 as the 2nd Armoured Car Regiment from five of th ...
. When the regiment was reformed in 1947 it was affiliated to the Regular
9th Lancers The 9th Queen's Royal Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1715. It saw service for three centuries, including the First and Second World Wars. The regiment survived the immediate post-war reduction in forces, but w ...


Battle honours

The Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons was awarded the following
battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In European military t ...
s (honours in bold are emblazoned on the regimental standard):


Memorials

In
St George's Minster, Doncaster Doncaster Minster, formally the Minster and Parish Church of St George, is the Anglican minster church of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It is a grade I listed building and was designed by architect designer George Gilbert Scott. The church ...
, there is a wall-mounted copper plaque to the dead of the Yorkshire Imperial Yeomanry in the Second Boer War, and wall-mounted stone tablets to the Queens Own Yorkshire Dragoons' dead in both world wars. In
Elland Elland is a market town in Calderdale, in the county of West Yorkshire, England. It is situated south of Halifax, by the River Calder and the Calder and Hebble Navigation. Elland was recorded as ''Elant'' in the Domesday Book of 1086. It ha ...
, West Yorkshire, there is an elaborate wall plaque to James Hemingway of the Imperial Yeomanry, 'Elland's First Volunteer', who died at Kimberley in 1901. The plaque includes the helmet and plate of the Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons. There is a stained glass memorial window and carved inscription in the South Nave Aisle of
York Minster The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, North Yorkshire, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Archbis ...
to the regiment's dead in the First World War; the window was removed for safety in November 1939 and reinstated by the regiment in 1948 as a tribute to the regiment's dead during the Second World War.Imperial War Museum, War Memorials Register ref 30653.
/ref>


See also

*
Imperial Yeomanry The Imperial Yeomanry was a volunteer mounted force of the British Army that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Created on 2 January 1900, the force was initially recruited from the middle classes and traditional yeomanry sources, but su ...
* List of Yeomanry Regiments 1908 *
Yeomanry Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Army, British Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Army Reserve, descended from volunteer British Cavalry, cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units serve in a variety of ...
*
Yeomanry order of precedence Precedence is the order in which the various corps of the British Army parade, from right to left, with the unit at the extreme right being highest. Precedence The British Army has frequently been the subject of amalgamation and re-organisation th ...
*
British yeomanry during the First World War The British yeomanry during the First World War were part of the British Army reserve Territorial Force. Initially, in 1914, there were fifty-seven regiments and fourteen mounted brigades. Soon after the declaration of war, second and third line ...
*
Second line yeomanry regiments of the British Army Yeomanry are part of the reserve for the British Army. At the start of First World War there were fifty-four yeomanry regiments in the British Army. Soon after the declaration of war, it was decided to increase the number of these volunteer mounte ...


Notes


References


Bibliography

* L. Barlow & R.J. Smith, ''The Uniforms of the British Yeomanry Force 1794–1914, 3: The Yorkshire Hussars'', Aldershot: Robert Ogilby Trust/Tunbridge Wells: Midas Books, 1981, . * L. Barlow & R.J. Smith, ''The Uniforms of the British Yeomanry Force 1794–1914, 7: Yorkshire Dragoons'', Aldershot: Robert Ogilby Trust/Tunbridge Wells: Spellmount, 1984, . * * ''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage,'' 100th Edn, London, 1953. *
Louis Creswicke, ''South Africa and the Transvaal War'', Vol V, ''From the Disaster at Koorn Spruit to Lord Roberts's Entry into Pretoria''.
* Col John K. Dunlop, ''The Development of the British Army 1899–1914'', London: Methuen, 1938. * J.B.M. Frederick, ''Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978'', Vol I, Wakefield, Microform Academic, 1984, . * * N.B. Leslie, ''Battle Honours of the British and Indian Armies 1695–1914'', London: Leo Cooper, 1970, . * * Stephen M. Miller, ''Lord Methuen and the British Army: Failure and Redemption in South Africa'', London: Cass, 1999, . * * * Col H.C.B. Rogers, ''The Mounted Troops of the British Army 1066–1945'', London: Seeley Service, 1959. * * Edward M. Spiers, ''The Army and Society 1815–1914'', London: Longmans, 1980, .


External links


Anglo Boer War site



Doncaster History



Great War Centenary Drill Halls



Imperial War Museum, War Memorials Register

The Long, Long Trail


* ttp://www.roll-of-honour.com/index.html Roll of Honour
Graham Watson, ''The Territorial Army 1947''
{{British Cavalry Regiments World War I Regiments of Yorkshire Yeomanry regiments of the British Army Yeomanry regiments of the British Army in World War I Military units and formations in the West Riding of Yorkshire Military units and formations in Doncaster Military units and formations established in 1794 Military units and formations disestablished in 1956 Regiments of the British Army in World War II