Royal Devon Yeomanry
Encyclopedia
The Royal Devon Yeomanry was a Yeomanry
regiment
of the British Army
, first raised in 1794, it participated in the Boer War
, World War I and World War II and now forms a squadron of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry
.
's oldest regiments, the Royal Devon Yeomanry was formed in 1794, and was raised by Sir Stafford Northcot Bt.
of Pynes, Exeter
on 15 May of that year and was first called out for service on 13 April 1795 in aid of the civil power to put down a riot at Crediton
, which had been caused by the high price of bread. At this time the regiment was known as the First Troop of Devon Volunteer Cavalry and was later to become the Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry Cavalry in 1801, commanded by Col the Lord Rolle.
Between the years 1815 and 1850 the regiment was used many times in the internal security role; the last time being on 4 November 1867. The regiment remained in this form until 1920 when it was amalgamated with the Royal North Devon Hussars to become the Royal Devon Yeomanry Artillery.
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 24 December 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 four companies
, which arrived in South Africa
between February and April, 1900. Upon arrival, the regiment was sent throughout the zone of operations.
The Royal Devon Yeomanry provided troops for the 27th Company, 7th Battalion.
campaign at the Battle of Gallipoli
and in Egypt
between 1915 and 1916; it later served in Palestine
until May 1918 and in France from 7 May to 11 November 1918. As a result of the reorganisation of the Yeomanry in 1920 and the formation of the Territorial Army the new regiment was armed with 18-pounder guns.
and Anzio
and the battle for Monte Cassino
. Throughout the campaign the regiment was armed with self-propelled guns. For its support to the Canadian Division it was awarded the right to wear the Maple Leaf
of Canada. The 96 Regt fought in the Far East where it was disbanded in 1943.
With a change of government policy, in 1971 the Territorials were again reformed, and on 1 April a new regiment was born incorporating three old and distinguished cavalry regiments. "A" and "C" Squadrons were formed from the Royal Gloucester Hussars, "B" Squadron from the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
, and "D" Squadron from the old Royal Devon Yeomanry. The regiment is called the Royal Wessex Yeomanry
.
The Royal Devon Yeomanry Museum is incorporated in the North Devon Museum, The Square Barnstaple.
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...
of the 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...
, first raised in 1794, it participated in the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
, World War I and World War II and now forms a squadron of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry
Royal Wessex Yeomanry
The Royal Wessex Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the British Territorial Army consisting of four squadrons, each of which bears the cap badge of an old yeomanry regiment:*B Squadron*A Squadron...
.
History
One of DevonDevon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
's oldest regiments, the Royal Devon Yeomanry was formed in 1794, and was raised by Sir Stafford Northcot Bt.
Earl of Iddesleigh
Earl of Iddesleigh, in the County of Devon, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1885 for the Conservative politician Sir Stafford Northcote, 8th Baronet...
of Pynes, Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
on 15 May of that year and was first called out for service on 13 April 1795 in aid of the civil power to put down a riot at Crediton
Crediton
Crediton is a town and civil parish in the Mid Devon district of Devon in England. It stands on the A377 Exeter to Barnstaple road at the junction with the A3072 road to Tiverton, about north west of Exeter. It has a population of 6,837...
, which had been caused by the high price of bread. At this time the regiment was known as the First Troop of Devon Volunteer Cavalry and was later to become the Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry Cavalry in 1801, commanded by Col the Lord Rolle.
Between the years 1815 and 1850 the regiment was used many times in the internal security role; the last time being on 4 November 1867. The regiment remained in this form until 1920 when it was amalgamated with the Royal North Devon Hussars to become the Royal Devon Yeomanry Artillery.
Boer War
On 13 December 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 24 December 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 four 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 Royal Devon Yeomanry provided troops for the 27th Company, 7th Battalion.
World War I
During the First World War they saw service in the DardanellesDardanelles
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 at 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...
and in 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...
between 1915 and 1916; it later served in 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....
until May 1918 and in France from 7 May to 11 November 1918. As a result of the reorganisation of the Yeomanry in 1920 and the formation of the Territorial Army the new regiment was armed with 18-pounder guns.
World War II
At the outbreak of the Second World War the regiment was divided to form the 96 Field Regt and the 142 Field Regt RA; the latter fought in Italy, taking part in most of the major actions of that campaign including the landings in SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city 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 fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
and the battle for Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, Italy, c. to the west of the town of Cassino and altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944...
. Throughout the campaign the regiment was armed with self-propelled guns. For its support to the Canadian Division it was awarded the right to wear the Maple Leaf
Maple leaf
The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree, and is the most widely recognized national symbol of Canada.-Use in Canada:At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the settlements of New France had attained a population of about 18,000...
of Canada. The 96 Regt fought in the Far East where it was disbanded in 1943.
Post war
The regiment survived until 1967 when it was amalgamated with the 4th Devon's to become the Devonshire Territorials (Royal Devon Yeomanry/ First Rifle Volunteers) RAC; however this ill-fated regiment was destined to last only two years and throughout that time was kept very short of equipment and training time. This regiment was disbanded in 1969 due to yet another major reorganisation of the Territorial regiments as a result of government policy.With a change of government policy, in 1971 the Territorials were again reformed, and on 1 April a new regiment was born incorporating three old and distinguished cavalry regiments. "A" and "C" Squadrons were formed from the Royal Gloucester Hussars, "B" Squadron from the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom established in 1794. It was disbanded as an independent Territorial Army unit in 1967, a time when the strength of the TA was greatly reduced...
, and "D" Squadron from the old Royal Devon Yeomanry. The regiment is called the Royal Wessex Yeomanry
Royal Wessex Yeomanry
The Royal Wessex Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the British Territorial Army consisting of four squadrons, each of which bears the cap badge of an old yeomanry regiment:*B Squadron*A Squadron...
.
The Royal Devon Yeomanry Museum is incorporated in the North Devon Museum, The Square Barnstaple.
Honorary Colonels
- 1967–1968: Peter AclandPeter AclandBrigadier Peter Bevil Edward Acland, OBE, MC, TD, DL, JP, OStJ, was a British soldier.-Background:He was the younger son of Alfred Dyke Acland and his wife Beatrice, daughter of William Henry Smith and his wife Emily Danvers Smith, 1st Viscountess Hambleden. Acland was educated at Eton College and...
- 1968–1984: Lewis Clifford, 13th Baron Clifford of Chudleigh
- 1984–1992: Sir John AclandJohn Hugh Bevil AclandMajor-General Sir John Hugh Bevil Acland, KCB, CBE, DL was a British soldier.-Background and education:...