Montgomeryshire Yeomanry

Montgomeryshire Yeomanry
Active 1813 -
Country Great Britain
Branch British Army
Type Yeomanry
Size Boer War
Regiment
World War One
Three Regiments
Engagements Second Battle of Gaza
Third Battle of Gaza
Battle of Beersheba
Battle of Epehy

The Montgomeryshire Yeomanry unlike the other Yeomanry regiments was only formed in 1813 when the threat of a French invasion was almost over. They served as part of the Imperial Yeomanry during the Boer War and formed three regiments for service during World War I.

History

Boer War

The Montgomeryshire Yeomanry provided troops for the 9th Battalion imperial Yeomanry and formed the following companies:

World War I

South Wales Mounted Brigade

Organisation on 4 August 1914

Assigned units
A Squadron at Tenby
B Squadron at Haverfordwest
C Squadron at Carmarthen (Carmarthenshire)
D Squadron at Lampeter (Cardiganshire)
A Squadron at Llanfyllin
B Squadron at Welshpool
C Squadron at Newtown
D Squadron at Llandrindod Wells (Radnorshire)
A Squadron at Swansea
B Squadron at Bridgend
C Squadron at Cardiff
D Squadron at Pontypridd
  • Brigade troops
Transport and Supply Column, ASC,
Swansea

In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw. 7, c.9) which brought the Territorial Force into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service. Therefore, TF units were split in August and September 1914 into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. Later, a 3rd Line was formed to act as a reserve, providing trained replacements for the 1st and 2nd Line regiments.[2]

1/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry

The 1/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry was mobilised on 4 August 1914 as part of the South Wales Mounted Brigade on the outbreak of the First World War. The brigade was assembled at Hereford and moved to East Anglia by the end of August 1914. It joined the 1st Mounted Division in August 1914,[3] replacing 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade[4] which moved to 2nd Mounted Division.[5] In November 1915, the brigade was dismounted. It was replaced in 1st Mounted Division by 2/1st Eastern Mounted Brigade when it departed for Egypt.[4]

With the brigade, the regiment was posted to Egypt in March 1916. On 20 March, South Wales Mounted Brigade was absorbed into the 4th Dismounted Brigade[6] (along with the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade[6]). In March 1917 they were re-roled as infantry and together with the Welsh Horse Yeomanry were converted into the 25th (Montgomery and Welsh Horse Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. They joined 231st Brigade in the 74th (Yeomanry) Division.[7] In May 1918, the Division moved to France, and the battalion saw action on the Western Front.[8]

2/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry

The 2nd Line regiment was formed at Welshpool in September 1914. In July 1915 it joined 2/1st South Wales Mounted Brigade at Dorchester. In September 1915 it moved to Southwold and the brigade joined 1st Mounted Division.[9] On 31 March 1916, the remaining Mounted Brigades were ordered to be numbered in a single sequence[6] and the brigade was numbered as 4th Mounted Brigade. In April 1916, the regiment went to Rendlesham with the brigade. About this time it absorbed the 2/1st Welsh Horse Yeomanry. In July 1916 it moved to Thornton Park near Brentwood and joined 2nd Mounted Brigade in the new 1st Mounted Division.[9]

In October 1916 it became a cyclist unit, amalgamating with the 2/1st Denbighshire Hussars to form the 3rd (Denbigh and Montgomery) Yeomanry Cyclist Regiment[lower-alpha 1] in the 1st Cyclist Brigade at Worlingham near Beccles. In March 1917 it resumed its identity as 2/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry, still with the 1st Cyclist Brigade, still at Worlingham. By November 1917 it was at Gorleston where it remained until the end of the war.[12]

3/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry

The 3rd Line regiment was formed in June 1915 at Welshpool. In July it was at Brecon and then it was affiliated to the 6th Reserve Cavalry Regiment at The Curragh. In June 1916 it was dismounted and attached to the 3rd Line Groups of the Welsh Division at Gobowen as its 1st Line was serving as infantry. The regiment was disbanded in January 1917 with personnel transferring to the 2nd Line regiment or to the 4th (Reserve) Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Oswestry.[13]

Post war

In 1920, the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry was absorbed into the Royal Welch Fusiliers becoming the 7th (Montgomeryshire) Battalion of the regiment.[14]

Notable commanders

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ James also names the combined unit as 3rd (Montgomery and Denbigh Yeomanry) Cyclist Battalion[10] but 3rd (Denbigh and Montgomery) Yeomanry Cyclist Regiment would seem more plausible given that the Denbighshire Hussars were ranked 16th in the Yeomanry order of precedence whereas the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry were ranked 35th.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "angloboerwar".
  2. ↑ Rinaldi 2008, p. 35
  3. ↑ Rinaldi 2008, p. 60
  4. 1 2 Becke 1936, p. 6
  5. ↑ Becke 1936, p. 14
  6. 1 2 3 James 1978, p. 36
  7. ↑ Becke 1937, p. 117
  8. ↑ Baker, Chris. "The Montgomeryshire Yeomanry". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  9. 1 2 James 1978, p. 24
  10. ↑ James 1978, p. 17
  11. ↑ Mileham 1994, p. 73
  12. ↑ James 1978, pp. 24–25
  13. ↑ James 1978, p. 25
  14. ↑ Mileham 1994, p. 100
  15. ↑ 'Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn' (obituary) in The Times (London), issue 52169 dated November 27, 1951, p. 6

Bibliography

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