Essex Dragoons

The Essex Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army raised in 1797. The regiment recruited volunteers from the county of Essex in the East of England. The Essex Yeomanry is currently a troop within the Inns of Court & City and Essex Yeomanry (ICCEY) Signal Squadron.

Origins
The Essex Yeomanry was raised in 1797 during the Napoleonic Wars as a number of independent troops. Its Band was formed in 1809. The regiment was brought together as the Essex Yeomanry Cavalry in 1814. The regiment was disbanded in 1828; but, with the expansion of the volunteer movement in the 1850s, the regiment was re-raised as the West Essex Yeomanry Cavalry in 1857. The regiment was disbanded again in 1877, but an Essex Troop continued to serve under command of the Loyal Suffolk Hussars.

Essex Imperial Yeomanry
In 1902, the Essex Imperial Yeomanry was raised with 4 sabre squadrons, 1 machine gun section, and its regimental headquarters at Colchester Garrison. In 1908, the regiment was renamed the Essex Yeomanry and transferred to the Territorial Force.
 * Regimental Headquarters was based at Colchester
 * A Squadron was based at Colchester
 * B Squadron was based at Braintree
 * C Squadron was based at Waltham Abbey
 * D Squadron was based at Southend

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 Essex Yeomanry
The Essex Yeomanry Cavalry Regiment was mobilised at the outbreak of war. The regiment joined the Royal Horse Guards and the 10th Royal Hussars in France in November 1914 as part of 8th Cavalry Brigade.

In April 1918, the 1st Essex Yeomanry was broken up as reinforcements for three other cavalry regiments. Lieutenant Colonel Whitmore of the EY was appointed to command the 10th Royal Hussars, the only Territorial officer without previous regular service to command a regular cavalry regiment. Other officers included members of the Towers family, whose descendants subsequently hung portraits of their menfolk in uniform at Ashridge, where they can still be seen today.

2/1st Essex Yeomanry
The 2/1st Essex Yeomanry was raised at Colchester and later served as garrison troops in Ireland during the war.

3/1st Essex Yeomanry
The 3/1st Essex Yeomanry was raised at Colchester and later absorbed into the 4th Reserve Cavalry Regiment in 1917.

Essex RHA
In addition, 1/1st (Essex Yeomanry) Battery, RHA was mobilised at Colchester in 1914. The battery was a reserve Royal Horse Artillery formation aligned to the Essex Yeomanry. The battery served attached to 8th Cavalry Brigade in France from 1914-1918.

Between the Wars (1918–1939)
The regiment was reconstituted in 1920 as part of the Territorial Army with regimental headquarters at Colchester. In 1921, the regiment was converted from cavalry to artillery and became 104th (Essex Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. In 1932, with regimental headquarters and 413 Battery transferred to Chelmsford, the regiment gained a 339 (Essex Royal Horse Artillery) Battery based at Colchester. In 1938, the regiment was renamed 104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, RHA.
 * Regimental Headquarters was based at Colchester
 * 413 (Essex Yeomanry) Battery was based at Colchester
 * 414 (Essex Yeomanry) Battery was based at Harlow

World War II
At the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the "104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, RHA" formed a duplicate regiment as part of the increase in British military manpower. The second Essex Yeomanry regiment was designated 147 Regiment RHA (Essex Yeomanry).

104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, RHA
The first line regiment went to the Middle East in 1940 and served in most of the Western Desert battles, notably Battle of El Alamein and the Siege of Tobruk. The regiment went on to fight in the Italian Campaign and was stood-down in Austria in 1946.

147th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, RHA
The new regiment landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, 1944. The regiment fought with the British 8th Armoured Brigade as a spearhead unit through France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and into Germany. The regiment stood-down in 1946.

1945–1969
The Essex Yeomanry was re-raised on 1 June 1947 as 304th (EY) Field Regiment RA with HQ at Chelmsford and batteries at Colchester (P), Southend (Q), and Harlow (R). The title RHA was restored in February 1955 and shoulder chains were added to the green No. 1 dress.

1969–2010
The Essex Yeomanry tradition was continued through the men and women of the Territorial Army who served as members of 70 (Essex Yeomanry) Signal Squadron, which formed part of 71 Yeomanry Signal Regiment in the Royal Corps of Signals. The squadron headquarters and 881 Troop were located in Chelmsford, with 882 Troop based in Harlow. Members of the squadron wore the Green Beret of the Essex Yeomanry and were liable for active duty under the Reserve Forces Act 1996; soldiers from the Squadron contributed to operations in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq.

On 25 April 2009, 70 (Essex Yeomanry) Signal Squadron was awarded the freedom of Harlow.

Following the announcement in the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday, 28 April 2009, concerning the restructuring of Royal Signals Territorial Army, Harlow TA Centre was closed on 1 October 2009. 70 (Essex Yeomanry) Signal Squadron amalgamated with 68 (Inns of Court & City Yeomanry) Signal Squadron to form 68 (Inns of Court & City and Essex Yeomanry) Signal Squadron. The official parade where the two Squadron fell out and then fell back in as one Squadron occurred on Saturday, 26 June 2010.

Present day
With the closure of Harlow TA Centre on 1 October 2009, and the Squadron's amalgamation, 907 (Essex Yeomanry) Signal Troop was reformed at Chelmsford TA Centre as part of the Inns of Court & City and Essex Yeomanry with TA Centres at Chelmsford, Lincoln's Inn and Whipps Cross. Soldiers from the Squadron continue to contribute to operations in Afghanistan & Cyprus.

Essex Yeomanry Band
The Essex Yeomanry Band is one of the oldest established Military bands in the East of England, being originally formed in 1809. The Band is today a self funding organisation and is based is the City of Chelmsford, Essex.

History
The History of the Band, especially in its formative years, is somewhat sketchy, and not so clearly documented as that of the Essex Yeomanry Regiment. Trumpeters were used by all Cavalry Regiments as a means of giving commands. The first real evidence of an Essex Yeomanry Band (then on Horse back), was recorded in 1809. In 1830, the Commanding Officer of the West Essex Yeomanry was financially supporting the Band out of his own pocket. An engraving of 1846 shows a black drummer mounted on a white horse, sporting a plumed turban. The other mounted bandsmen wore the Yeomanry uniform of the period. In 1877, the West Essex Yeomanry was disbanded, but later reformed to be become the Waltham Abbey Town Band. However, this newly formed band proudly continued to wear the Yeomanry uniform. The Essex Yeomanry became gunners in 1921, but still retained the Band. The musicians were now dismounted, but continued to entertain all those who heard them play. By 1937, the band was in full dress uniform of the Regiment, complete with plumed brass helmets. During the Second World War, the Essex Yeomanry Band was disbanded, but later reformed in 1947. This was a difficult time for the players, as all the uniforms had been destroyed with the bombing of Chelmsford in 1943. In 1952, official recognition of the band was given by the War Office, but like the Regiments was withdrawn in 1968. Today, as a result of work given by successive Directors of Music, Bandmasters and the loyalty of musicians, the Band now operates on a self-supporting basis. Members pay an Annual Subscription towards the band's upkeep, together with income from concerts. The band gives concerts at a wide range of events such as public concerts, bandstands, private functions and events for organisations such as ex servicemen's charities.

The current Director of Music is Major Danny Greer A.R.C.M. Danny trained at the Royal Military School of Music and is a former Bandmaster to the Royal Highland Fusiliers.

Publications

 * Mileham, Patrick, 1994. 200 years of Tradition: The Yeomanry Regiments, Canongate Press Ltd, Edinburgh. ISBN 1 898410 364