Lothian and Border Horse
Encyclopedia
The Lothians and Border Horse was a Yeomanry
regiment
, part of the British Territorial Army. It was ranked 36th in the Yeomanry order of precedence, and based in the Scottish Lowland area, recruiting in the Lothian
and along the border with England
.
.
, they formed second and third line regiments named the 1/1st, 2/1st and 3/1st Lothians and Border Horse which together formed part of the Lowland Mounted Brigade.
Then on the May 11, 1917, A and D Squadrons formed the XII Corps cavalry regiment in Salonika, where they remained until the end of the war.
until moving to Ireland
in May 1918.
until absorbed by 4th Reserve Cavalry Regiment in early 1917.
Maginot Line
and was serving there when the Germans
started their offensive.
Together with the rest of the Division, they attempted to rejoin the British Expeditionary Force
(BEF), moving around the south of Paris
they engaged the German Army south of the River Somme near Abbeville
. Outnumbered, it fought a retreat of sixty miles in six days to the fishing port of St. Valery-en-Caux, where having run out of food, ammunition and other supplies they surrendered on June 12.
Prior to this some of the regiment were evacuated during Operation Ariel
, and went on to re-form the 1st Lothians and Border Yeomanry which were attached to the 30th Armoured Brigade, 79th Armoured Division
and returned to France on D Day, June 6, 1944. The regiment remained with 79th Armoured in North West Europe until the end of the war.
Casualties, from D-Day up to the end of the war, consisted of 17 men killed, 90 officers and other ranks
wounded, and 16 officers and other ranks missing in action. Equipment losses were 4 Sherman Gun Tanks
and 36 Sherman Crab Tanks destroyed.
While part of 79th Armoured Division the 1st Lothians and Border Yeomanry took part in the following battles:
an interim formation formed due to the shortage of Tank
s and Armoured Vehicle after the retreat from Dunkirk , then in October 1940 it was renamed the British 26th Armoured Brigade , which went on to form part of the British 6th Armoured Division
While part of 6th Armoured Division the 2nd Lothians and Border Horse took part in the following battles
The reformed 1st Lothians chose the much greener shade of blanco for webbing equipment and collar badges were also issued to all ranks. Sleeve badges made a reappearance, worn on the chevrons (rather than above as in earlier times) by corporals and sergeants as an 'optional' extra, Those WOs who accepted the privilege, wore the gold-wire garb beneath their rank insignia. French-grey cloth shoulder titles, bearing 'LOTHIANS & BORDER YEOMANRY' in yellow lettering further distinguished the unit for a short period after it was reformed. On joining the 79th Armoured Division, these were displaced, as Divisional Orders stipulated that Royal Armoured Corps cloth titles would be worn by all R.A.C. regiments in the division. In late 1944, this order was rescinded and the regimental cloth titles restored.
The 2nd Lothians also adopted the French grey shoulder titles, in this case bearing 'LOTHIANS & BORDER HORSE'; but nothing else, apart from the divisional sign of the 6th Armoured Division, the mailed fist on a black background, was used to embellish the battle-dress blouse. During the period of the unit's service as a mobile machine gun unit, peaked or forage caps were worn by sergeants and above, whilst khaki field service caps were worn by other ranks. Only in the 2nd Lothians was the practice continued of having this traditional colour on the head-band of the peaked or forage cap. A number of officers also sported a French grey field service cap, edged with gold piping on off-duty occasions.
Yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.-History:...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
, part of the British Territorial Army. It was ranked 36th in the Yeomanry order of precedence, and based in the Scottish Lowland area, recruiting in the Lothian
Lothian
Lothian forms a traditional region of Scotland, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills....
and along the border with England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Origins
Raised in 1797, the Regiment comprised five battalions among which the "East Lothian Yeomanry Cavalry" and the "Berwickshire Yeomanry". After several disbandments and re-risings, "The East Lothian and Berwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry" is formed in 1880 and becomes "The East Lothian and Berwickshire Imperial Yeomanry" in 1900. In 1908, the regiment is named "The Lothians and Border Horse TF (Dragoons)".Second Boer War
Served as 19th Company 6th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa from 1900 until 1902 in the Second Boer WarSecond Boer War
The 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...
.
World War One
In August 1914 during World War I the Lothian and Border Horse Yeomanry was based in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, they formed second and third line regiments named the 1/1st, 2/1st and 3/1st Lothians and Border Horse which together formed part of the Lowland Mounted Brigade.
1/1st Lothians and Border Horse
In the Summer of 1915, the 1/1st was split up as follows:- Regimental Headquarters and B Squadron joined the 25th Division25th Division (United Kingdom)The 25th Division of the British Army was raised for the Third New Army during September 1914. It served on the Western Front for most of the First World War. The component units were assembled around Salisbury and moved to Aldershot in May 1915 to complete their training...
. In May 1916 they moved to become V CorpsV Corps (United Kingdom)V Corps was an army corps of the British Army in both the First and Second World War. It was first organised in February 1915 and fought through World War I on the Western front...
cavalry regiment but in July 1917, due to manpower shortages, they were dismounted and transferred to the infantry. In September 1917, after infantry training they re re designated the 17th Battalion Royal Scots. - A Squadron went first to 26th Division26th Division (United Kingdom)The 26th Division was a unit of the British Army during World War I, the last division to be raised under the K3 elistment scheme. Although the division began to assemble in September 1914, it was not fully deployed on the Western Front until the following year. In November 1915, the division was...
, then, in November 1916, they joined 8th Mounted Brigade. - D Squadron initially joined the 22nd Division, and in November 1916, was reunited with A Squadron in 8th Mounted Brigade.
Then on the May 11, 1917, A and D Squadrons formed the XII Corps cavalry regiment in Salonika, where they remained until the end of the war.
2/1st Lothians and Border Horse
The 2/1st Regiment was formed in September 1914, and atached to the Lowland Mounted Brigade.In July 1916, they converted into a cyclist unit and remained in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
until moving to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in May 1918.
3/1st Lothians and Border Horse
The 3/1st Regiment was formed in 1915 and remained in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
until absorbed by 4th Reserve Cavalry Regiment in early 1917.
Inter War
In 1922, the regiment joins the Territorial Army and becomes "19th (Lothians and Border Horse) Armoured Car Company RTC TA". In 1936, it is converted into an armoured regiment and is named "Lothians and Border Horse RAC TA".World War two
Officially, the 1st Regiment is named (1st) Lothians and Border Yeomanry when 2nd Regiment is called (2nd) Lothians and Border Horse.1st Lothians and Border Yeomanry
The 1st Lothians and Border Yeomanry was part of the 51st Highland Division, that had been sent to reinforce the FrenchFrance
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...
Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
and was serving there when the Germans
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
started their offensive.
Together with the rest of the Division, they attempted to rejoin the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
(BEF), moving around the south of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
they engaged the German Army south of the River Somme near Abbeville
Abbeville
Abbeville is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Location:Abbeville is located on the Somme River, from its modern mouth in the English Channel, and northwest of Amiens...
. Outnumbered, it fought a retreat of sixty miles in six days to the fishing port of St. Valery-en-Caux, where having run out of food, ammunition and other supplies they surrendered on June 12.
Prior to this some of the regiment were evacuated during Operation Ariel
Operation Ariel
Operation Ariel was the name given to the World War II evacuation of Allied forces from ports in western France, from 15–25 June 1940, due to the military collapse in the Battle of France against Nazi Germany...
, and went on to re-form the 1st Lothians and Border Yeomanry which were attached to the 30th Armoured Brigade, 79th Armoured Division
79th Armoured Division
The 79th Armoured Division was a specialist British Army armoured formation created as part of the preparations for the Normandy invasion of 6 June 1944...
and returned to France on D Day, June 6, 1944. The regiment remained with 79th Armoured in North West Europe until the end of the war.
Casualties, from D-Day up to the end of the war, consisted of 17 men killed, 90 officers and other ranks
Other Ranks
Other Ranks in the British Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force are those personnel who are not commissioned officers. In the Royal Navy, these personnel are called ratings...
wounded, and 16 officers and other ranks missing in action. Equipment losses were 4 Sherman Gun Tanks
Lend-Lease Sherman tanks
The United States provided tens of thousands of its Medium Tank M4, nicknamed the Sherman, to many of its Allies during the Second World War, under the terms of Lend-Lease Act.-British nomenclature:...
and 36 Sherman Crab Tanks destroyed.
While part of 79th Armoured Division the 1st Lothians and Border Yeomanry took part in the following battles:
- Battle of NormandyOperation OverlordOperation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
- Battle of the ScheldtBattle of the ScheldtThe Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations of the Canadian 1st Army, led by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds. The battle took place in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands during World War II from 2 October-8 November 1944...
- Geilenkirchen salientOperation ClipperDuring the Second World War, Operation Clipper was an Allied offensive by British XXX Corps to reduce the Geilenkirchen salient in mid-November 1944...
- Rhine crossingOperation PlunderCommencing on the night of 23 March 1945 during World War II, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the River Rhine at Rees, Wesel, and south of the Lippe River by the British 2nd Army, under Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Dempsey , and the U.S. Ninth Army , under Lieutenant General William Simpson...
- Elbe crossing
2nd Lothians and Border Horse
The 2nd Lothians and Border Horse was from June 1940 - October 1940 part of the British 1st Motor Machine Gun Brigadean interim formation formed due to the shortage of Tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s and Armoured Vehicle after the retreat from Dunkirk , then in October 1940 it was renamed the British 26th Armoured Brigade , which went on to form part of the British 6th Armoured Division
While part of 6th Armoured Division the 2nd Lothians and Border Horse took part in the following battles
- 18–25 January 1943—Bou Arada
- 7–11 April 1943—Fondouk
- 22–26 April 1943—El Kourzia
- 5–12 May 1943—Battle of TunisTunisia CampaignThe Tunisia Campaign was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African Campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces. The Allies consisted of British Imperial Forces, including Polish and Greek contingents, with American and French corps...
- 18–20 May 1944—Liri ValleyBattle of Monte CassinoThe Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
- 4–17 July 1944—Arezzo
- 17 July–10 August 1944—Advance to Florence
- 25 August–22 September 1944—Gothic LineGothic LineThe Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of German forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander.Adolf Hitler...
- 13–21 April 1945—Argenta GapSpring 1945 offensive in ItalyThe Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, codenamed Operation Grapeshot, was the Allied attack by Fifth United States Army and British 8th Army into the Lombardy Plain which started on 6 April 1945 and ended on 2 May with the surrender of German forces in Italy....
.
World War II
On assuming the role of divisional cavalry in 1939, the 1st Lothians lost the privilege of wearing the cloth tank insignia and when the unit went to France in 1940, the only permissible ornamentation on the blouse was the sign of the 48th (T.A.) Division, the blue macaw on a red background. Later it was decided that collar badges would be worn, at least by WOs and NCOs, during the period when the regiment served with the 51st (Highland) Division.The reformed 1st Lothians chose the much greener shade of blanco for webbing equipment and collar badges were also issued to all ranks. Sleeve badges made a reappearance, worn on the chevrons (rather than above as in earlier times) by corporals and sergeants as an 'optional' extra, Those WOs who accepted the privilege, wore the gold-wire garb beneath their rank insignia. French-grey cloth shoulder titles, bearing 'LOTHIANS & BORDER YEOMANRY' in yellow lettering further distinguished the unit for a short period after it was reformed. On joining the 79th Armoured Division, these were displaced, as Divisional Orders stipulated that Royal Armoured Corps cloth titles would be worn by all R.A.C. regiments in the division. In late 1944, this order was rescinded and the regimental cloth titles restored.
The 2nd Lothians also adopted the French grey shoulder titles, in this case bearing 'LOTHIANS & BORDER HORSE'; but nothing else, apart from the divisional sign of the 6th Armoured Division, the mailed fist on a black background, was used to embellish the battle-dress blouse. During the period of the unit's service as a mobile machine gun unit, peaked or forage caps were worn by sergeants and above, whilst khaki field service caps were worn by other ranks. Only in the 2nd Lothians was the practice continued of having this traditional colour on the head-band of the peaked or forage cap. A number of officers also sported a French grey field service cap, edged with gold piping on off-duty occasions.
Post war
Battledress features show little change from their wartime originals, except that other ranks were now permitted to wear collar and tie on off-duty periods. The practice of wearing regimental sleeve badges with rank insignia adopted by the 1st Lothians corporals and above in the early 1940s, was discontinued. Officers' service-dress reverted to the pre-war pattern with box-pleated pockets reappearing on the skirts of the tunic. With the return of peacetime conditions, a No. 1 Dress in dark blue was re-adopted, similar in form to that worn before the war. The officers' version was set-off with a French-grey stand-up collar. By the time of the Coronation in 1953, the features of this No. 1 Dress had altered considerably and illustrated, in the case of other ranks, both the horsed and mechanized eras of the regiment's history. Shoulder-straps were replaced by chains and the twin bands of scarlet separated by piping were restored to the trouser-seams. In the case of officers, the black beret was displaced by a peaked forage cap, similar in appearance to that worn at the turn of the century. This had a shiny peak, a head-band faced in scarlet and the seam on the crown was enhanced with piping in the same colour. Overalls were re-introduced, worn over Wellingtons with spurs.See also
- YeomanryYeomanryYeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.-History:...
- Imperial YeomanryImperial YeomanryThe 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...
- Yeomanry order of precedenceYeomanry Order of PrecedenceUnlike the British Army, the Territorial Army and with respect to this page, the Yeomanry, has frequently been the subject of amalgamations and absorptions in its history...
- List of Yeomanry Regiments 1908