The Duke of York's Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars

The Duke of Yorks Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars was a unit of the British Army from 1794 to 1961.

History
The regiment was formed as volunteer cavalry in 1794, during the French Revolutionary Wars. The Suffolk Yeomanry was raised in as the Loyal Suffolk Hussars, they fought in the Boer war as part of the Imperial Yeomanry. In the First World War they fought at Gallipoli, Palestine and the Western front. They were subsequently converted to artillery, serving in this role during the Second World War North Africa, Italy and France. In 1961 they were amalgamated with the Norfolk Yeomanry to form the Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry.

World War I
In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw.7, c.9) which brought the Territorial Force into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service. Therefore, TF units were split in August and September 1914 into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. Later, a 3rd Line was formed to act as a reserve, providing trained replacements for the 1st and 2nd Line regiments.

1/1st Duke of Yorks Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars
The 1/1st was embodied in August 1914 at Bury St. Edmunds and became part of the Eastern Mounted Brigade, 1st Mounted Division.

In September 1915, they were dismounted and moved to the ANZAC bridgehead at Gallipoli and came under the command of the British 54th Division. After they were withdrawn from Gallipoli they moved to Egypt in December 1915, the first party being evacuated to Mudros on December 14  and the rest following five days later. They were next attached to the 3rd Dismounted Brigade on Suez Canal defences, from February 22, 1916.

In January 1917, they were converted to an infantry battalion and formed the 15th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment in the 74th (Yeomanry) Division, which moved to France in May 1918.

2/1st Duke of Yorks Owns Loyal Suffolk Hussars
The 2nd Line regiment was formed in 1914 and by January 1915 it was in the 2/1st Eastern Mounted Brigade at Ely. In March 1916 the brigade joined 4th Mounted Division in the Wivenhoe area and became 13th Mounted Brigade.

In July 1916, the regiment was converted to a cyclist unit in 5th Cyclist Brigade, 2nd Cyclist Division, still in the Wivenhoe area. In November 1916, the division was broken up and regiment was merged with the 2/1st Norfolk Yeomanry to form 7th (Suffolk and Norfolk) Yeomanry Cyclist Regiment in 3rd Cyclist Brigade, in the Ipswich area. In March 1917 it resumed its identity as 2/1st Suffolk Yeomanry, still at Ipswich in 3rd Cyclist Brigade. By July 1917 the regiment had moved to Woodbridge. In May 1918 the regiment moved to Ireland and was stationed at Boyle and Collooney, still in 3rd Cyclist Brigade, until the end of the war.

3/1st Duke of Yorks Own Loyal Sufolk Hussars
The 3rd Line regiment was formed in 1915 and in the summer it was affiliated to a Reserve Cavalry Regiment in Eastern Command. In 1916 it was dismounted and attached to the 3rd Line Groups of the East Anglian Division at Halton Park, Tring. Early in 1917 the regiment was disbanded and its personnel were transferred to the 2nd Line regiment and the 4th (Reserve) Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment at Halton Park.

Between the wars
Prior to World War II, The Duke of York’s Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars were amalgamated with the Norfolk Yeomanry and converted into an Anti Tank Regiment of the Royal Artillery, 55th Anti Tank Regiment R.A. (Suffolk & Norfolk Yeomanry).

Later in 1938 the Suffolk Yeomanry separated from the regiment to form 55th Anti-Tank Regiment, RA (217th, 218th, 219th and 220th Batteries).

World War II
The Regiment was attached to various Divisions during the war
 * 54th (East Anglian) Division, September 1939
 * 79th Armoured Division, September 1942 – April 1943
 * 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division, July 1943 – August 1945

Post war
During the major reorganisation of the Territorial Army that took place in 1967, "202 (The Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Battery" Royal Artillery was formed out of the old "308 Regiment Royal Artillery". The new Battery became part of "100 (Medium) Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers)". At the time the Battery was equipped with the BL 5.5 inch Medium Gun. In 1980 the Battery re-equipped with the 105mm Light Gun, then to the much larger FH70 155mm Gun in 1992.

On 1 July 1999, the Battery yet again began re-roling as an Air Defence Battery affiliated to 12th Regiment Royal Artillery in Paderborn, Germany, with the Lightweight Multiple Launcher (LML) High Velocity Missile (HVM) system.

On 2 July 2006, 202 (The Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers) re-roled to become 677 (The Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Squadron Army Air Corps (Volunteers), part of 6 Regiment Army Air Corps (Volunteers).

677 Squadron Army Air Corps (Volunteers) currently has its headquarters alongside 6 Regiment Army Air Corps (Volunteers) in Bury St Edmunds (Suffolk). The Squadron has detachments at Swaffham and Norwich (Norfolk).