Second line yeomanry regiments of the British Army



Yeomanry are part of the reserve for the British Army. At the start of First World War there were fifty-four yeomanry regiments in the British Army. Soon after the declaration of war, it was decided to increase the number of regiments. These new regiments were mirror formations, of the existing first line regiments, with the same name and served initially in the same brigades. However they were all numbered the second. The first line regiments, were numbered the 1/1st while the second line became the 2/1st or in cases where there were more regiments with the same name, or already numbered, the 2/2nd or 2/3rd. Territorial Force mounted brigades were known by their district name until August 1915, when the became numbered. For the majority of their existence the second line regiments and brigades were used as a coastal defence force. Most of the second line regiments were converted to cyclist battalions in 1916, and never served in a recognised theatre of war. Several were disbanded and its men transferred to other regiments and one served as an army corps cavalry regiment on the Western Front.