The Sussex Yeomanry
Encyclopedia
The Sussex Yeomanry was a yeomanry
regiment of the British Army
formed in 1794, with its last remnants disbanding finally in 1999. It was initially formed when there was a threat of French invasion during the Napoleonic Wars
.
The 3/1st formed in 1915, also remained in the United Kingdom until the unit was disbanded in 1918.
The 1/1st Sussex Yeomanry in 1914 were part of the 1st South Eastern Mounted Brigade, 1st Mounted Division
. In September 1915 the regiment was dismounted and moved to Gallipoli
, landing at Cape Helles
on October 7, 1915 and attached to the 42nd Division
.
Within days of the landing the Regiment reported many men suffering from enteritis. While at Gallipoli they spent time in the trenches at Border Barricade and Fusilier Bluff. Along with the rest of the Army they were evacuated leaving the peninsula on December 30, 1915, arriving in Egypt in February 1916. At this time the Regiment was absorbed into the 3rd Dismounted Brigade. A formation that was initially assigned to the defence of the Suez Canal
and later moved to the Western Frontier Force
where they were involved in the Battle of Gaza
and the advance to Jerusalem.
On January 3, 1917 they were reassigned as infantry and formed the 16th (Sussex Yeomanry) Battalion, the Royal Sussex Regiment
. They were then moved to France
in May 1918 where they were involved in the Battle of the Somme in 1918.
They took part in the Battle of France
and the campaigns in East Africa
, North Africa
and Italy
.
They were again redesignated as the 100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery
(Volunteers) in September 1976. In April 1993 200 Battery was converted to 127 (Sussex Yeomanry) Field Squadron 78 (Fortress) Engineer Regiment Royal Engineers
in support of 3rd UK Division.
The 78 (Fortress) Engineer Regiment was disbanded on July 1, 1999 as a result of the Options for Change
restructuring programme.
The title Sussex Yeomanry continues in use as the designation of one troop of 579 Field Squadron (EOD). Part of 101 (London) Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) (Volunteers), 1 (Sussex Yeomanry) Field Troop is based at Brighton TA centre.
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 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...
formed in 1794, with its last remnants disbanding finally in 1999. It was initially formed when there was a threat of French invasion during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
World War I
During World War I the Sussex Yeomanry formed second (2/1st) and third (3/1st) line regiments. The 2/1st was formed in September 1914, they were converted into a cyclist unit in July 1916 while part of 4th Mounted Division and remained in the United Kingdom until April 1918, when they were moved to IrelandIreland
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...
The 3/1st formed in 1915, also remained in the United Kingdom until the unit was disbanded in 1918.
The 1/1st Sussex Yeomanry in 1914 were part of the 1st South Eastern Mounted Brigade, 1st Mounted Division
1st Mounted Division
The 1st Mounted Division was formed in August 1914 for the home defence of the United Kingdom. It was formed from existing mounted brigades of the Territorial Force, each of three regiments of Yeomanry....
. In September 1915 the regiment was dismounted and moved to Gallipoli
Gallipoli
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"...
, landing at Cape Helles
Cape Helles
Cape Helles is the rocky headland at the south-westernmost tip of the Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey. It was the scene of heavy fighting between Turkish and British troops during the landing at Cape Helles at the beginning of the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915....
on October 7, 1915 and attached to the 42nd Division
42nd (East Lancashire) Division
The 42nd Division was a Territorial Force division of the British Army. Originally called the East Lancashire Division, it was redesignated as the 42nd Division on 25 May 1915. It was the first Territorial division to be sent overseas during the First World War. The division fought at Gallipoli,...
.
Within days of the landing the Regiment reported many men suffering from enteritis. While at Gallipoli they spent time in the trenches at Border Barricade and Fusilier Bluff. Along with the rest of the Army they were evacuated leaving the peninsula on December 30, 1915, arriving in Egypt in February 1916. At this time the Regiment was absorbed into the 3rd Dismounted Brigade. A formation that was initially assigned to the defence of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
and later moved to the Western Frontier Force
Western Frontier Force
The Western Frontier Force was a force of British Empire troops formed in response to the Senussi Uprising and coming under the command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force....
where they were involved in the 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...
and the advance to Jerusalem.
On January 3, 1917 they were reassigned as infantry and formed the 16th (Sussex Yeomanry) Battalion, the Royal Sussex Regiment
Royal Sussex Regiment
The Royal Sussex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed as part of the Childers reforms by the amalgamation of the 35th Regiment of Foot and the 107th Regiment of Foot...
. They were then 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 where they were involved in the Battle of the Somme in 1918.
Between the wars
On reforming the TA, the 14 senior Yeomanry Regiments remained horsed cavalry regiments (6 forming the 5th and 6th Cavalry Brigades) while the remaining Yeomanry Regiments were re-assigned as artillery. In 1922 the Sussex Yeomanry was amalgamated with the Surrey Yeomanry and re-formed as the 98th (Surrey and Sussex Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.World War II
During the Second World War there were 2 Regiments associated with the Sussex Yeomanry- 98 Field Regiment R.A. (Surrey & Sussex Yeomanry)
- 144 Field Regiment R.A. (Surrey & Sussex Yeomanry)
They took part in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
and the campaigns in East Africa
East African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
, North Africa
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
and 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...
.
Post war
In 1947 the Regiment was reformed as a separate Regiment. This reformation lasted until April 1, 1967 when they were once again amalgamated with other Yeomanry Regiments to become the 100 (Eastern) Medium Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers).- Batteries
- HQ (Home Counties) Battery at Grove Park, London from 'R' (Surrey) Battery 265 Light Air Defence Regiment RA (TA) and HQ RA 44 (Home Counties) Division/District.
- 200 (Sussex Yeomanry) Medium Battery at Brighton and Reigate from 257 (Sussex Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA).
- 201 (Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Medium Battery at Luton and St Albans from 286 (Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA).
- 202 (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Medium Battery at Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich, Norwich and Swaffham from 308 (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Field Regiment RA (TA).
They were again redesignated as the 100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery
100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery
100th Regiment Royal Artillery is a British Territorial Army Royal Artillery regiment that has three gun batteries, all equipped with the L118 Light Gun.- The Batteries are :...
(Volunteers) in September 1976. In April 1993 200 Battery was converted to 127 (Sussex Yeomanry) Field Squadron 78 (Fortress) Engineer Regiment Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
in support of 3rd UK Division.
The 78 (Fortress) Engineer Regiment was disbanded on July 1, 1999 as a result of the Options for Change
Options for Change
Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in 1990, aimed at cutting defence spending following the end of the Cold War....
restructuring programme.
The title Sussex Yeomanry continues in use as the designation of one troop of 579 Field Squadron (EOD). Part of 101 (London) Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) (Volunteers), 1 (Sussex Yeomanry) Field Troop is based at Brighton TA centre.