Pembroke Yeomanry
Encyclopedia
The Pembroke Yeomanry were formed in 1794, by Lord Milford
when King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger
was Prime Minister
of Great Britain
, and across the English Channel
, Britain was faced by a French
nation that had recently guillotined its King and which possessed a revolutionary army numbering half a million men. The Prime Minister proposed that the English Counties form a force of Volunteer Yeoman Cavalry that could be called on by the King to defend the country against invasion or by the Lord Lieutenant
to subdue any civil disorder within the country.
In 1797 the French Republican La Legion Noire
landed off Carreg Wastad Point, in what would be the Last invasion of Britain
, only to surrender to a much smaller force including the Pembroke Yeomanry hastily assembled under Lord Cawdor
.
Two of the French frigate
s involved were captured and one was re-commissioned in the Royal Navy
as HMS Fisgard.
In 1853 Queen Victoria awarded the battle honour
Fishguard upon the Regiment.
The unit became the first volunteer unit to receive a battle honour and remains the only unit still serving in the British Army to bear the name of an engagement on British soil.
when as part of the South Wales Mounted Brigade they were sent as reinforcements to the Middle East
on arrival a detachment from the regiment formed part of the Imperial Camel Corps
. While the remainder of the Regiment
together with the 1/1st Glamorgan Yeomanry
re-roled as infantry and formed the 24th Battalion the Welch Regiment
attached to the 74th (Yeomanry) Division. The Division was involved in actions against the Turkish forces at the battles of Second Battle of Gaza
, Third Battle of Gaza
, Battle of Beersheba and the Battle of Epehy
and the capture of Jerusalem and Jericho. The Division was moved to France
in May 1918. The 24th Welch entered Ath
on the November 11 , 1918 , only two and a half hours before hostilities ceased.
during the raid by Admiral Boedicker’s battle cruisers on Lowestoft
in 1916.. The regiment was converted in a cyclist unit later in 1916 and did not see any active service overseas.
.
, until they were disbanded in early 1917.
and 6th Cavalry Brigades) the remaining Yeomanry Regiments would be re roled as Artillery. The Pembroke Yeomanry were one of the regiments that now formed part of the Royal Artillery
.
The first line 102nd Field Regiment, formed from the two Pembrokeshire Batteries, landed at Algiers
in February 1943 as part of the 1st Army. After the fall of Tunis
they converted to a medium artillery regiment and landed in Italy
with the 8th Army
, in December 1943, by the end of the war they were on the banks of the River Po.
Having Reformed as field artillery,between the wars the Pembroke Yeomanry’s Cardiganshire Battery on the start on World War Two now became a separate Regiment.
As 146th Field Regiment they landed in Suez
in September 1942, joining the 8th Army
and participated in the Battle of El Alamein
, as part of the 7th Armoured Division, Artillery Group. When 7th Armoured returned from Italy
in 1944 to prepare for the Normandy Landings, the Regiment was converted to medium artillery in England. The Regiment returned to France
for the first time since the end of World War One in July 1944, crossing the Rhine on 17 March of the following year having acquired, from their badges, the nickname of the ‘Fishguard Express’.
. Over the years there have been various reorganisations of the Territorial Army, which has resulted in several changes of role for the Pembroke Yeomanry, from Cavalry to Artillery to Cavalry to Infantry to the Royal Corps of Transport and finally in 1993 becoming part of the Royal Logistic Corps
, as the 224 (Pembroke Yeomanry) Squadron
RLC.
Richard Philipps, 1st Baron Milford (first creation)
Richard Philipps, 1st Baron Milford , known as Sir Richard Philipps, Bt, from 1764 to 1776, was a Welsh landowner and Tory politician.-Background and education:...
when King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
was Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, and across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, Britain was faced by a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
nation that had recently guillotined its King and which possessed a revolutionary army numbering half a million men. The Prime Minister proposed that the English Counties form a force of Volunteer Yeoman Cavalry that could be called on by the King to defend the country against invasion or by the Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
to subdue any civil disorder within the country.
In 1797 the French Republican La Legion Noire
La Legion Noire
La Légion Noire was a military unit of the French Revolutionary Army. The only action of any note that it took part in was the unsuccessful last invasion of Britain in February 1797....
landed off Carreg Wastad Point, in what would be the Last invasion of Britain
Last invasion of Britain
The Battle of Fishguard was a military invasion of Great Britain by Revolutionary France during the War of the First Coalition. The brief campaign, which took place between 22 February and 24 February 1797, was the most recent effort by a foreign force that was able to land on Britain, and thus is...
, only to surrender to a much smaller force including the Pembroke Yeomanry hastily assembled under Lord Cawdor
Earl Cawdor
Earl Cawdor, of Castlemartin in the County of Pembroke, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1827 for John Campbell, 2nd Baron Cawdor...
.
Two of the French frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s involved were captured and one was re-commissioned in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as HMS Fisgard.
In 1853 Queen Victoria awarded the battle honour
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 , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
Fishguard upon the Regiment.
The unit became the first volunteer unit to receive a battle honour and remains the only unit still serving in the British Army to bear the name of an engagement on British soil.
Boer War
During the Boer War the Yeomanry provided the 30th (Pembrokshire) Company of the 9th (Welsh) Battalion of Imperial Yeomanry, landing in South Africa in 1890 to fight as Mounted Infantry, and replacing them, a second 30th Company in 1901, both saw considerable action.World War I
During World War One the regiment formed second and third line units known as the 2/1st and the 3/1st Pembroke Yeomanry.1/1st Pembroke Yeomanry
The 1/1st Pembroke Yeomanry remained in the United Kingdom until after the evacuation from GallipoliGallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
when as part of the South Wales Mounted Brigade they were sent as reinforcements to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
on arrival a detachment from the regiment formed part of the Imperial Camel Corps
Imperial Camel Corps
The Imperial Camel Corps was a brigade-sized military formation which fought for the Allies in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign in World War I. Its personnel were infantry mounted on camels for movement across desert....
. While the remainder of the Regiment
together with the 1/1st Glamorgan Yeomanry
Glamorgan Yeomanry
The Glamorgan Yeomanry were formed in 1797, when King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger was the Prime Minister of Great Britain, and across the English Channel, Britain was faced by a French nation that had recently guillotined its King and possessed a revolutionary army...
re-roled as infantry and formed the 24th Battalion the Welch Regiment
Welch Regiment
The Welch Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1969.-History:It was formed as the Welsh Regiment during the Childers Reforms of 1881, by the amalgamation of the 41st Regiment of Foot and the 69th Regiment of Foot...
attached to the 74th (Yeomanry) Division. The Division was involved in actions against the Turkish forces at the battles of Second Battle of Gaza
Second Battle of Gaza
The Second Battle of Gaza, fought in southern Palestine during the First World War, was another attempt mounted by British Empire forces to break Ottoman defences along the Gaza-Beersheba line...
, Third Battle of Gaza
Third Battle of Gaza
The Third Battle of Gaza was fought in 1917 in southern Palestine during the First World War. The British Empire forces under the command of General Edmund Allenby successfully broke the Ottoman defensive Gaza-Beersheba line...
, Battle of Beersheba and the Battle of Epehy
Battle of Epéhy
The Battle of Épehy was a World War I battle fought on 18 September 1918, involving the British Fourth Army against German outpost positions in front of the Hindenburg Line.- Prelude :...
and the capture of Jerusalem and Jericho. The Division was moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in May 1918. The 24th Welch entered Ath
Ath
Ath is a Belgian municipality located in the Walloon province of Hainaut. The Ath municipality includes the old communes of Lanquesaint, Irchonwelz, Ormeignies, Bouvignies, Ostiches, Rebaix, Maffle, Arbre, Houtaing, Ligne, Mainvault, Moulbaix, Villers-Notre-Dame, Villers-Saint-Amand, Ghislenghien...
on the November 11 , 1918 , only two and a half hours before hostilities ceased.
2/1st Pembroke Yeomanry
The 2/1st Pembroke Yeomanry was based at SouthwoldSouthwold
Southwold is a town on the North Sea coast, in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is around south of Lowestoft and north-east...
during the raid by Admiral Boedicker’s battle cruisers on Lowestoft
Bombardment of Yarmouth and Lowestoft
The Bombardment of Yarmouth and Lowestoft was a naval battle fought during the First World War between the German Empire and the British Empire in the North Sea....
in 1916.. The regiment was converted in a cyclist unit later in 1916 and did not see any active service overseas.
.
3/1st Pembroke Yeomanry
The third line regiment the 3/1st 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 they were disbanded in early 1917.
Between the Wars
On the reforming of the TA, the 14 senior Yeomanry Regiments remained as horsed cavalry regiments (6 forming the 5th5th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 5th Cavalry Brigade, was a part of the British Army, it served in both world wars in World War One it was part of the 2nd Cavalry Division, and during the Second World War it was formed in 1939 from Yeomanry Regiments and part of the 1st Cavalry Division....
and 6th Cavalry Brigades) the remaining Yeomanry Regiments would be re roled as Artillery. The Pembroke Yeomanry were one of the regiments that now formed part of the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
.
World War II
During World War Two the Pembroke Yeomany on mobilisation formed two regiments the 102nd Field Regiment and the second line 146th Field Regiment.The first line 102nd Field Regiment, formed from the two Pembrokeshire Batteries, landed at Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
in February 1943 as part of the 1st Army. After the fall of Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
they converted to a medium artillery regiment and landed in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
with the 8th Army
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
, in December 1943, by the end of the war they were on the banks of the River Po.
Having Reformed as field artillery,between the wars the Pembroke Yeomanry’s Cardiganshire Battery on the start on World War Two now became a separate Regiment.
As 146th Field Regiment they landed in Suez
Suez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
in September 1942, joining the 8th Army
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
and participated in the Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
, as part of the 7th Armoured Division, Artillery Group. When 7th Armoured returned from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1944 to prepare for the Normandy Landings, the Regiment was converted to medium artillery in England. The Regiment returned to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for the first time since the end of World War One in July 1944, crossing the Rhine on 17 March of the following year having acquired, from their badges, the nickname of the ‘Fishguard Express’.
Post war
In 1946 the Pembroke Yeomanry received the Freedom of the Town and County of HaverfordwestHaverfordwest
Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...
. Over the years there have been various reorganisations of the Territorial Army, which has resulted in several changes of role for the Pembroke Yeomanry, from Cavalry to Artillery to Cavalry to Infantry to the Royal Corps of Transport and finally in 1993 becoming part of the Royal Logistic Corps
Royal Logistic Corps
The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
, as the 224 (Pembroke Yeomanry) Squadron
224 (Pembroke Yeomanry) Squadron
224 Squadron - Welsh Transport Regiment RLC is the only Territorial Army unit which recruits from Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire...
RLC.