Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
Encyclopedia
The Queen's Own Glasgow can trace their formation back to the late 18th century, when King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger
was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
, and across the English Channel
, Britain was faced by a French nation that had recently guillotined its king and 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 December, 1899, the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army, thus issuing a Royal Warrant
on December 24, 1899. This warrant officially created the Imperial Yeomanry
.
The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each. In addition to this, many British citizens (usually mid-upper class) volunteered to join the new regiment. Although there were strict requirements, many volunteers were accepted with substandard horsemanship/marksmanship, however they had significant time to train while awaiting transport.
The first contingent of recruits contained 550 officer
s, 10,371 men with 20 battalion
s and 4 companies
, which arrived in South Africa
between February and April, 1900. Upon arrival, the regiment was sent throughout the zone of operations.
The Queen's Own Glasgow Yeomanry provided troops for the 9th (Scottish) Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry
; the companies were:
regiment would see any active service overseas.
In 1915 the Regiment was split up with RHQ and C Squadron moving to Egypt
in June 1915.
Later that year in October they joined the British 52nd Division as dismounted troops for
the Dardanelles
campaign and participated in the Battle of Gallipoli
.
In May 1916 RHQ left the Division and moved to Fance
joining the V Corps as their
Cavalry Regiment.
C Squadron left the Division in August 1917, joining XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment and later deployed as Line of Communication troops.
A Squadron had joined the 11th (Northern) Division in June 1915 and moving to the British 24th Division
after few days later joining V Corps Cavalry Regiment in May 1916.
B Squadron had joined the 9th (Scottish) Division in France in May 1915 leaving them a year later in May 1916 for V Corps Cavalry Regiment.
In August 1917 the Corps Cavalry Regiment squadrons were re-reoled as infantry and sent for infantry training at Etaples
the Regiment would form the majority of the 18th Battalion the Highland Light Infantry
.
In March 1916, RHQ, A and B Squadrons joined the 65th Division prior to being drafted into the 1st Reserve Cavalry Regiment in February 1918 and being sent to Ireland.
The regiments C Squadron has joined the 64th Division until 1917 when they were disbanded.
and 6th Cavalry Brigades) the remaining Yeomanry Regiments would be re roled as Artillery. The Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was one of the regiments now re-designated and formed part of the Royal Artillery
.
as a part of the 'Second B.E.F
' in June 1940. After being evacuated from France during Operation Ariel
together with the rest of the division they trained in mountain warfare.In August 1944, it became part of the First Allied Airborne Army
. (As a mountain formation, it had little heavy equipment and transport, and could therefore operate as an air-transportable formation).
They returned to France in October 1944, and were assigned to the First Canadian Army
to help open the vital port of Antwerp and were involved in the Scheldt Estuary
of Belgium and the Netherlands. Operation Vitality, Operation Infatuate
and the capture of the island of Walcheren
to open the mouth of the Scheldt estuary.
In January 1945 they participated in Operation Blackcock
, the clearing of the Roer Triangle between the rivers Meuse
and Roer.
The 78th was formed specifically for Operation Torch
from regular British Army
units, landing at Algiers
in 1942. Thereafter it continued in Tunisia
, then through to the Sicily
, up the length of Italy
, arriving in Austria for the end of the war. Units also saw action in Greece, Palestine
, and Egypt
. Notable engagements include in Tunisia Longstop Hill, in Sicily the Battle of Centuripe and in Italy the assaults on the Viktor Line (Battle of Termoli)
, the Barbara Line
and the River Sangro (Gustav Line)
as well as the Battle of Monte Cassino
, the Gothic Line
and battle of Argenta gap
.
. In 1956 it amalgamated with the Lanarkshire Yeomanry
and the 1st/2nd Lothian and Border Horse
to form The Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry.
In November 1992 they formed the Scottish Yeomanry
, with the amalgamation of the Queen's Own Yeomanry and elements 153 (Highland) Regiment Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers) and 154 (Lowland) Regiment Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers).
The Squadrons were;
On July 1, 1999 the Regiment was disbanded as a result of the Strategic Defence Review.
After World War I khaki service dress was the normal uniform for the Regiment, although by the 1930s officers attending the King's Levee at St James' or Buckingham Palace wore the former blue, red and gold full dress. Mess uniforms and blue "patrol" uniforms were also reintroduced between the Wars for officers only.
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 the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, 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 nation that had recently guillotined its king and 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.
Early history
The regiment was first raised in 1796 as " The Glasgow Light Horse". It was subsequently disbanded in 1822 but re-raised as "The Glasgow and Lower Ward of Lanarkshire Yeomanry Cavalry" in 1848. The additional title of "Queen's Own Royal" was conferred by Queen Victoria the following year.Boer War
On December 13, 1899, the decision to allow volunteer forces serve in the Second Boer War was made. Due to the string of defeats during Black WeekBlack Week
In one disastrous week, dubbed Black Week, from 10-17 December 1899, the British Army suffered three devastating defeats by the Boer Republics at the battles of Stormberg , Magersfontein and Colenso , with 2,776 men killed, wounded and captured...
in December, 1899, the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army, thus issuing a Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
on December 24, 1899. This warrant officially created the Imperial Yeomanry
Imperial Yeomanry
The Imperial Yeomanry was a British volunteer cavalry regiment that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English volunteers. In...
.
The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each. In addition to this, many British citizens (usually mid-upper class) volunteered to join the new regiment. Although there were strict requirements, many volunteers were accepted with substandard horsemanship/marksmanship, however they had significant time to train while awaiting transport.
The first contingent of recruits contained 550 officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
s, 10,371 men with 20 battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s and 4 companies
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
, which arrived in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
between February and April, 1900. Upon arrival, the regiment was sent throughout the zone of operations.
The Queen's Own Glasgow Yeomanry provided troops for the 9th (Scottish) Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry
Imperial Yeomanry
The Imperial Yeomanry was a British volunteer cavalry regiment that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English volunteers. In...
; the companies were:
- 17th (Ayrshire and Lanarkshire) Company, raised 1900; co-sponsored by Ayrshire Yeomanry CavalryAyrshire (Earl of Carrick's Own) YeomanryThe Ayrshire Yeomanry was a Regiment of the British Yeomanry and is now an armoured Squadron of the Queen's Own Yeomanry , part of the British Territorial Army...
, and Lanarkshire Yeomanry Cavalry - 18th (Queen's Own Royal Glasgow and Lower Ward of Lanark) Company, raised 1900
- 19th (Lothians and Berwickshire) Company, raised 1900
- 20th (Fife and Forfar Light Horse) Company, raised 1900; co-sponsored by 1st Fifeshire Light Horse Volunteers, and 1st Forfarshire Light Horse Volunteers
- 107th (Lanarkshire) Company, raised 1901
- 108th (Royal Glasgow) Company, raised 1901
World War I
The Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry formed three regiments for service during World War I but only the original Territorial ForceTerritorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
regiment would see any active service overseas.
1/1st Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
On mobilisation in August 1914 the 1/1st Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was attached to the Lowland Mounted Brigade.In 1915 the Regiment was split up with RHQ and C Squadron moving to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in June 1915.
Later that year in October they joined the British 52nd Division as dismounted troops for
the Dardanelles
Dardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
campaign and participated in the Battle of Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
.
In May 1916 RHQ left the Division and moved to Fance
FANCE
Fanconi anemia group E protein is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FANCE gene.-Interactions:FANCE has been shown to interact with Fanconi anemia, complementation group C, FANCG, FANCD2, FANCF and FANCA.-Further reading:...
joining the V Corps as their
Cavalry Regiment.
C Squadron left the Division in August 1917, joining XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment and later deployed as Line of Communication troops.
A Squadron had joined the 11th (Northern) Division in June 1915 and moving to the British 24th Division
British 24th Division
The British 24th Division was a New Army division that was sent to France between August and September, 1915. It served on the Western Front for the duration of the First World War...
after few days later joining V Corps Cavalry Regiment in May 1916.
B Squadron had joined the 9th (Scottish) Division in France in May 1915 leaving them a year later in May 1916 for V Corps Cavalry Regiment.
In August 1917 the Corps Cavalry Regiment squadrons were re-reoled as infantry and sent for infantry training at Etaples
Étaples
Étaples or Étaples-sur-Mer is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is a fishing and leisure port on the Canche river.There is a separate commune named Staple, Nord.-History:...
the Regiment would form the majority of the 18th Battalion the Highland Light Infantry
Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
.
2/1st Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
The second line regiment the 2/1st Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was formed in September 1914.In March 1916, RHQ, A and B Squadrons joined the 65th Division prior to being drafted into the 1st Reserve Cavalry Regiment in February 1918 and being sent to Ireland.
The regiments C Squadron has joined the 64th Division until 1917 when they were disbanded.
3/1st Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
The 3/1st Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was formed in 1915 and remained in the United Kingdom until being drafted into the 4th Reserve Cavalry Regiment 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 Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was one of the regiments now re-designated and formed part of the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
.
54 (Queens Own Royal Glasgow Yeo) Anti-Tank Regiment RA(TA)
Mobilised in 1939 and attached to the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division, they moved to franceFrance
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...
as a part of the 'Second B.E.F
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....
' in June 1940. After being evacuated from France 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...
together with the rest of the division they trained in mountain warfare.In August 1944, it became part of the First Allied Airborne Army
First Allied Airborne Army
The First Allied Airborne Army was an Allied formation formed on 2 August 1944 by the order of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force. The formation was part of the Allied Expeditionary Force and controlled all Allied airborne forces in Western...
. (As a mountain formation, it had little heavy equipment and transport, and could therefore operate as an air-transportable formation).
They returned to France in October 1944, and were assigned to the First Canadian Army
First Canadian Army
The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War.The Army was formed in early 1942, replacing the existing unnumbered Canadian Corps, as the growing number of Canadian forces in the United Kingdom necessitated an expansion to two corps...
to help open the vital port of Antwerp and were involved in the Scheldt Estuary
Battle of the Scheldt
The 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...
of Belgium and the Netherlands. Operation Vitality, Operation Infatuate
Operation Infatuate
Operation Infatuate was the codename given to Anglo-Canadian operation during the Second World War to open the port of Antwerp to shipping and relieve logistical constraints. The operation was part of the wider battle of the Scheldt and involved two assault landings from the sea by the 4th Special...
and the capture of the island of Walcheren
Walcheren
thumb|right|250px|Campveer Tower in Veere, built in 1500Walcheren is a former island in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. It lies between the Oosterschelde in the north and the Westerschelde in the south and is roughly the shape of a rhombus...
to open the mouth of the Scheldt estuary.
In January 1945 they participated in Operation Blackcock
Operation Blackcock
Operation Blackcock was the code name for the clearing of the Roer Triangle formed by the towns of Roermond, Sittard and Heinsberg. It was conducted by the 2nd British Army in January 1945 between 14 and 26 January 1945. The objective was to drive the German 15th Army back across the Rivers Rur and...
, the clearing of the Roer Triangle between the rivers Meuse
Meuse
Meuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
and Roer.
64 (Queens Own Royal Glasgow Yeo) Anti-Tank Regiment RA(TA)
Mobilised in September 1939 they remained in the United Kingdom as part of the 15th (Scottish) Division until March 1942 when they moved to North Africa with the 78th Division.The 78th was formed specifically for Operation Torch
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
from regular British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
units, landing 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 1942. Thereafter it continued in Tunisia
Tunisia Campaign
The 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...
, then through to the Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
, up the length of Italy
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
, arriving in Austria for the end of the war. Units also saw action in Greece, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. Notable engagements include in Tunisia Longstop Hill, in Sicily the Battle of Centuripe and in Italy the assaults on the Viktor Line (Battle of Termoli)
Volturno Line
The Volturno Line was a German defensive position in Italy during the World War II.The line ran from Termoli in the east, along the Biferno River through the Apennine Mountains to the Volturno River in the west....
, the Barbara Line
Barbara Line
During World War II, the Barbara Line was a series of German military fortifications in Italy, some south of the Gustav Line, and a similar distance north of the Volturno Line. Near the eastern coast, it ran along the line of the Trigno river. The line mostly consisted of fortified hilltop...
and the River Sangro (Gustav Line)
Winter Line
The Winter Line was a series of German military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt. The primary Gustav Line ran across Italy from just north of where the Garigliano River flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west, through the Apennine Mountains to the...
as well as the Battle of Monte Cassino
Battle of Monte Cassino
The 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...
, the Gothic Line
Gothic Line
The 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...
and battle of Argenta gap
Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
The 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....
.
Post war
After the War, the regiment reconstituted in the Territorial Army as a yeomanry regiment, under its old title of the Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry, and transferred into the Royal Armoured CorpsRoyal Armoured Corps
The Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army...
. In 1956 it amalgamated with the Lanarkshire Yeomanry
Lanarkshire Yeomanry
The Lanarkshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1819, which served as a dismounted infantry regiment in the First World War and provided two field artillery regiments in the Second World War, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry in...
and the 1st/2nd Lothian and Border Horse
Lothian and Border Horse
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.-Origins:...
to form The Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry.
In November 1992 they formed the Scottish Yeomanry
Scottish Yeomanry
The Scottish Yeomanry was a Yeomanry Regiment of the British Territorial Army formed in 1992. It served until 1999 when it was amalgamated with the Queen's Own Yeomanry .-History:...
, with the amalgamation of the Queen's Own Yeomanry and elements 153 (Highland) Regiment Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers) and 154 (Lowland) Regiment Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers).
The Squadrons were;
- HQ (Lothians and Border Horse) Squadron at Edinburgh.
- A (Ayrshire (Earl of Carrick's Own) Yeomanry) Squadron at Ayr.
- B (Lanarkshire and Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry) Squadron at East Kilbride.
- C (Fife and Forfar/Scottish Horse) Squadron at Cupar.
On July 1, 1999 the Regiment was disbanded as a result of the Strategic Defence Review.
Uniform
Prior to 1902 the Regiment wore a dragoon style uniform of dark blue with red facings, which had not altered a great deal since its establishment in 1848. A silver spiked helmet with black plumes was worn by all ranks in full dress. Following the Boer War khaki was introduced for home service but the full dress uniform described above was retained for wear by officers in review order, with the addition of a gold lace covered shoulder and waist belt, gold cord shoulder knots and gold trouser stripes. Other ranks wore a simpler dark bue uniform with peaked cap, chain shoulder-straps, red collar and trouser stripes for walking out dress.After World War I khaki service dress was the normal uniform for the Regiment, although by the 1930s officers attending the King's Levee at St James' or Buckingham Palace wore the former blue, red and gold full dress. Mess uniforms and blue "patrol" uniforms were also reintroduced between the Wars for officers only.