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 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.

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 Week 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 officers, 10,371 men with 20 battalions 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 Glamorgan Yeomanry provided troops for the 4th Company, 1st Battalion.

World War I
For service during World War One the Glamorgan Yeomanry formed second and third line regiments the regimental tiles were the 1/1st, 2/1st and 3/1st Glamorgan Yeomanry.

1/1st Glamorgan Yeomanry
The 1/1st Glamorgan Yeomanry was mobilised in August 1914 at Bridgend they were a Part of the South Wales Mounted Brigade, of the 1st Mounted Division. In November 1915 they were dismounted and moved overseas for active service in Egypt, attached to the 4th Dismounted Brigade. In 1917 they were re designated as an infantry battalion and converted into the 24th (Pembroke and Glamorgan Yeomanry) Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, 231st Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division. As part of the 74th Yeomanry Division they were involved in the following battles Second Battle of Gaza, Third Battle of Gaza, Battle of Beersheba and the Battle of Epehy.

2/1st Glamorgan Yeomanry
Formed September 1914, and joined 2/1st South Wales Mounted Brigade in January 1915. Brigade redesignated 4th Mounted Brigade in 1st Mounted Division in April 1916. November 1917, converted into a Cyclist unit.

3/1st Glamorgan Yeomanry
Formed in 1915. Remained in United Kingdom until 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 5th and 6th Cavalry Brigades) the remaining Yeomanry Regiments would be re roled as Artillery. The Glamorgan Yeomanry were one of the regiments that now formed part of the Royal Artillery forming 81 (Welsh) Field Regiment RA(TA) in 1922.

World War II
At the start on World War II, the Glamorgan Yeomanry now known as the 81 (Welsh) Field Regiment RA(TA), which consisted of two batteries. The 323 (Glamorgan) and the 324 (Glamorgan) they would serve in the North western Europe Campaign from June 1944 attached to the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division.

There was also a second line regiment formed in 1939, the 132 (Welsh) Field Regiment RA(TA). This new Regiment's formation was the 322 (Glamorgan), 321 (Glamorgan) and the 496 Batteries all equipped with 25 pounder field guns. They were deployed on active service as part of the 38th (Welsh) Infantry Division and the 78th Infantry Division, in North Africa, at Tebourba and Tunisia in Sicily and in Italy taking past in the Monte Cassino battles at the end of the war they were in Austria.

Post war
The Glamorgan Yeomanry is perpetuated in the present day Territorial Army, by C (Glamorgan Yeomanry) Troop, 211 (South Wales) Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers), who are based at Ty Llewellyn Territorial Army Centre.