Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry

The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (RWY) was a Yeomanry regiment of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom established in 1794. It was disbanded as an independent Territorial Army (TA) unit in 1967, a time when the strength of the TA was greatly reduced. The regiment lives on in the A (RWY) Squadron of the Royal Yeomanry and B (RWY) Squadron of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry.

The regiment took part in the Boer War as part of the Imperial Yeomanry. In the First World War it fought on the Western Front but saw relatively little action as horsed cavalry. After conversion to infantry it fought in the trenches, notably during the German Spring Offensive in 1918.

In World War II it fought in the Middle East, seeing action in Syria against Vichy French forces, as well as operations in Iraq and Iran. It then joined 9th Armoured Brigade, seeing action in North Africa and Italy. With this formation it took part in the Second Battle of El Alamein, spearheading the break-out of the 2nd New Zealand Division during Operation Supercharge on 2 November 1942.

In 2003 the Royal Yeomanry (including A (RWY) Squadron) contributed troops to the Joint NBC Regiment during the 2nd Gulf War, for which a battle honour was awarded to the unit.

The RWY cap badge is the Prince of Wales's feathers on a red baize backing, and vehicles carry the New Zealand fern leaf emblem.

Early history
On 4 June 1794, a meeting of country gentlemen at the Bear Inn in Devizes decided to raise a body of ten independent troops of Yeomanry for the county of Wiltshire. The decision was implemented by the High Sheriff Richard Long. In 1797 the independent troops were amalgamated into a unit called The Regiment of Wiltshire Yeomanry Cavalry, the first such unit to be embodied in Britain, although independent troops were raised earlier in other counties. Neither the Yeomanry, nor the Militia (the infantry counterpart of the Yeomanry), were liable for service overseas and so the regiment took no part in the Napoleonic or later wars of the 19th century. However the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry was called to deal with civil disorders, such as a mutiny by the county Militia in Devizes, the Swing Riots and the 'machine riots'. In recognition of this service the Regiment was awarded the title 'Royal' by King William IV in 1831; the first yeomanry regiment to be so honoured. Contrary to common belief, the Regiment were not involved in the restoration of order after the Bristol riots which followed the rejection of the 1830 Reform Bill (although they did mobilise for the duty before regular troops restored order).

In 1863 it provided an escort to the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) through the Savernake Forest, in recognition of which it was the first regiment in the British Army to be awarded the title of 'Prince of Wales's Own' (entitling it to wear the Prince of Wales's feathers as a badge). In 1884 it was placed at the head of the newly formed Yeomanry Order of Precedence by Queen Victoria.

Boer War
During the Boer War of 1899–1901 the Imperial Yeomanry was raised to permit Yeomen to serve overseas. The RWY provided three companies to this force (1st, 2nd and 63rd). In 1900 the regiment represented the Yeomanry cavalry at the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia.

On 17 April 1901, the regiment was renamed as the Royal Wiltshire Imperial Yeomanry (Prince of Wales's Own Royal Regiment) and reorganised in four squadrons and a machine gun section. On 1 April 1908, the regiment was renamed as the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (Prince of Wales's Own Royal Regiment) and transferred to the Territorial Force, trained and equipped as hussars. Its organisation was:

It was ranked 1st (of 55) in the order of precedence of the Yeomanry Regiments in the Army List of 1914.

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 Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
The regiment was mobilised in August 1914 in the 1st South Western Mounted Brigade but did not proceed to France until December 1915. In May 1916 two squadrons joined the XV Corps cavalry unit, with two further squadrons joining IX Corps Cavalry regiment. During 1916–17 duties mainly involved policing, traffic control, despatch riding and similar activities. In March 1917 the regiment played its only part in the War as horsed cavalry, during the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line. Over an eleven-day period German forces retreated 20–25 miles to prepared positions. The RWY formed part of the advanced guard of the British Army, attempting to keep touch with the German rearguards, but this was difficult owing to the broken nature of the ground behind the original German lines. Contact was made several times with Uhlans and a lance captured in one of these engagements is still in possession of the regiment.

In September 1917 it was finally conceded that there was little place for horsed cavalry in the Western Front. The regiment was converted to infantry and joined the 6th Battalion, The Wiltshire Regiment (6th Wilts), fighting in the trenches at Ypres and Cambrai in 1917. In March 1918 the German army mounted its Spring Offensive and 6th Wilts at one point took the whole weight of the offensive at Bapaume. After a week of combat, 6th Wilts (half of whom were ex-RWY) had taken over 500 casualties. In April they received reinforcements but later that month took another 400 casualties on the Messines Ridge. Shortly after this it was decided to disband 6th Wilts as they had effectively ceased to exist. The regiment won 13 battle honours for the First World War, most earned with 6th Wilts.

2/1st Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
The 2/1st Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry was raised in September 1914 and formed part of the 2/1st South Western Mounted Brigade. They stayed in England for all of the War, and moved to Dublin in 1918. They were demobilised in 1919.

3/1st Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
3/1st Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry was in existence during 1915–16 only, as a squadron-sized formation to train reinforcements.

Between the Wars
In 1921 the Territorial Force ceased to exist and was replaced by the Territorial Army (TA), meaning the unit was liable to be called out for deployment overseas. The RWY was re-established as a horsed cavalry regiment and was in existence by August 1921. During the inter-war years it remained an important part of the social scene of the county having its officers drawn from the nobility, landowners, and larger farmers while other ranks coming largely from their estates. Hunting, point-to-points, and social events seem to have been as important as military training. The chapter of the Regimental History relating to the period 1920–1939 is even entitled "The Long Weekend".

This brought the regiment into contact for the first time with someone it would later meet more seriously, Brigadier Bernard Montgomery (referred to as "Monty"), then commanding 9th Infantry Brigade in Portsmouth. In 1937 the brigade was on exercise in Wiltshire and RWY was attached to it for their two-week annual camp. The Brigade Major wrote that "[The Regiment] was run like so much of the TA those days on rather feudal lines...when they heard they were going to have those tremendous exercises – three nights out at a time – they jibbed violently....Most of them had looked forward to exercises all day and then going out for a bit of jollity at night." The upshot was that the regiment was banished to a distant part of the camp where their socialising would not be disturbed by the Regulars. However, apparently the Yeomanry were so intrigued by Monty's exercises that their CO approached him and asked to be included in the last brigade exercise.

World War II
The regiment began to mobilise in August 1939. Initially it was assigned as Divisional Cavalry to 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, then to 4th Cavalry Brigade commanded by Brigadier J. J. Kingstone as part of the 1st Cavalry Division bound for Palestine. The regiment served there and in Syria, North Africa and Iraq. In North Africa the unit served as a searchlight regiment in ports such as Tobruk and Benghazi. In January 1941, after 150 years, their horses were finally replaced by motorised transport. In June they were involved in the successful campaign against Vichy French forces in Syria, in spite of being desperately short of equipment and serviceable machine-guns. In July 1941, 4th Cavalry Brigade became 9th Armoured Brigade and participated in the expedition into Persia, with the regiment fighting as motorised infantry. In December, they received their first Honey tanks, finally becoming an armoured regiment.

In May 1942 the regiment moved to Egypt with the brigade, which became an independent brigade placed under the operational control of 2nd New Zealand Division under the command of Lt General Sir Bernard Freyberg, VC. The brigade was in reserve during the Battle of Alam el Halfa and in October began training for the Battle of El Alamein.

El Alamein – Lightfoot
The opening of the battle saw four divisions (9th Australian, 51st Highland, 2nd New Zealand and 1st South African) in the assault on the north of the Axis positions. RWY was in support of 5th New Zealand Brigade (Brigadier Howard Kippenberger) and the aim was for infantry to secure the Miteiriya Ridge during darkness, with the armour to pass beyond them at first light to establish a screen. By now the regiment was equipped with a mix of M4 Sherman, Crusader and Grant (M3 Lee) tanks. On the morning of 24 October 1942, A and C squadrons were ahead of the infantry on the western slopes of the ridge. B squadron had been delayed in the Devil's gardens minefields and had lost numerous tanks. Throughout that day, A and C squadrons engaged German panzers on the plain below, and were in turn hit by anti-tank fire. Initially, the heavier Sherman tanks were not vulnerable to this, but when the German 88mm anti-tank guns joined in they took severe casualties. By midday, the two squadrons were reduced to one Sherman and three Grants and the commanding officer had been badly wounded and evacuated. The 10th Armoured Division was at this stage supposed to pass through and onwards to start the break-out, but seemed to be reluctant to do so.

At 6 p.m. the regiment was ordered to withdraw. It had lost almost all of its tanks and taken 42 casualties killed or wounded. In reserve, the regiment was issued with new tanks, a hasty mix of Shermans, Grants, and Crusaders (types II and III), mostly salvaged from the battlefield and rapidly repaired. Montgomery had been impressed with the performance of 2nd New Zealand Division and wanted them to spearhead the next thrust, but Freyberg was unwilling to do so without reinforcements as his troops had suffered so many casualties. Monty therefore placed 151 and 152 Infantry Brigades under Freyberg's command for the next phase of the battle.

El Alamein – Supercharge
On the night of 1/2 November 1942, the 8th Army attacked again in the north, with 2nd New Zealand Division in the lead. General Freyberg placed 151 Brigade on the right and 152 Brigade on the left. The aim was to attack directly westwards across the Rahman track, with the infantry leading the night assault and 9th Armoured Brigade (now commanded by Brigadier John Currie) again passing through to break the enemy gun line and allow X Corps to break out. The assault went to plan except that opposition on the left was heavier than expected which slowed the advance. As a result the advancing tanks were highlighted against the dawn sky in the east and began to be picked off by Axis anti-tank fire. The Regiment was in the centre of 9th Armoured Brigade, and the CO lost touch with both his artillery support and close anti-tank support. In the growing light, the B squadron commander (Major M.StJ.V.Gibbs) realised that he was in a ring of enemy anti-tank guns, ahead and to both flanks. He gave the order to 'Charge' and B squadron overran the anti-tank positions, losing some vehicles but destroying the enemy gun line. Meanwhile 21st Panzer Division was counter-attacking A and C squadrons and at 4pm the Regiment (now down to four tanks) was withdrawn. 1st Armoured Division from X Corps were just behind 9th Armoured Brigade but there were no liaison officers between the units and 1st Armoured did not take the opportunity to push on through the broken Axis gun-line.

After the 9th Armoured Brigade's action, Brigadier Gentry of the 6th New Zealand Brigade went ahead to survey the scene. On seeing Brigadier Currie asleep on a stretcher, he approached him saying, 'Sorry to wake you John, but I'd like to know where your tanks are?' Currie waved his hand at a group of tanks around him, replying 'There they are.' Gentry was puzzled. 'I don't mean your headquarters tanks, I mean your armoured regiments. Where are they?' Currie waved his arm and again replied, 'There are my armoured regiments, Bill.'

Nevertheless, the assault of 2nd New Zealand Division had drawn in both 15 and 21 Panzer Divisions, with the result that there was a wide gap in the Axis lines to the south west. Through this gap Montgomery pushed the remainder of his armour, breaking the Afrika Korps line and pushing westwards into its rear areas and supply lines. By 4 November the battle was won and Montgomery was entertaining the captured Afrika Korps commander, von Thoma to dinner in his caravan.

In an account of the battle published to mark its 25th anniversary, Montgomery wrote:

"I must mention the magnificent fight put up by 9th Armoured Brigade — 3rd Hussars, Wiltshire Yeomanry, Warwickshire Yeomanry.... If the British armour owed any debt to the infantry of 8th army, the debt was paid on November 2nd by 9th Armoured Brigade in heroism and blood...."

Syria and Italy


Following El Alamein the 9th Armoured Brigade was withdrawn first to Cairo and then to Syria for internal security duties, where it remained throughout 1942 and 1943. In May 1944 it reached Italy and was placed under the command of 78th Division. The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry was to support 36th Infantry Brigade, with one squadron in support of each of the brigade's three infantry battalions. In May–June 1944 it took part in the advance on Rome, working its way up in close country between the central mountains and the sea to the west. At one point, 78th Division withdrew but outlying elements of the regiment did not get the message and continued forwards. The Corps HQ diary for 23 June records 'RWY water truck reports Vaiano clear of enemy'.

In July and August, 9th Brigade worked in support of 4th and 10th Indian Divisions in the central mountains south east of Florence, on the approach to the Gothic Line. In August the order was received that all men with over 4½ years service overseas should be repatriated, and this reduced the regiment's strength by half. This made it impossible to function as a fighting unit and it was withdrawn from the line of battle. In October 1944, the regiment returned to England to train reinforcements for armoured regiments still fighting in Europe. It continued in this role until 1946, although the pace slowed after victory in Europe in May 1945.

During the Second World War officers and soldiers serving with the regiment received three Distinguished Service Orders, four Military Crosses and ten Military Medals. The regiment lost a total of 59 dead during the war, with the biggest single loss being 20 dead on or around 2 November 1941 during Operation Supercharge.

Post-WWII history
In 1947, the regiment again ceased to exist but the following year was re-established as a heavy tank unit in support of 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, equipped with Cromwell tanks and Charioteer tank destroyers.

In 1958 the regiment converted to a light reconnaissance role equipped with armoured cars such as the Daimler, Humber, Saladin and Ferret. By 1964 there were just three armoured regiments in the Territorial Army and in 1967 it was decided to reduce the TA even further and the regiment was disbanded as an independent unit. However a new TA unit, the Royal Yeomanry, was formed from five differing predecessor units and the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry was reborn as A Squadron, The Royal Yeomanry. During the Cold War its role in the event of war would have been as a medium reconnaissance unit for the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). During the 1970s a second RWY-based squadron was raised, as B squadron, Royal Wessex Yeomanry. This was initially a home defence unit trained as infantry but later equipped with stripped down Land Rovers to perform reconnaissance duties.

The Royal Yeomanry's role changed in the 1990s to providing both main battle tank crews and soldiers for the Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiation and Nuclear Regiment. In January 2003 the Royal Yeomanry deployed two of its squadrons for the Iraq war as part of the Joint NBC Regiment. It was the first mobilisation of a Territorial Army unit as a formed body (TA soldiers under TA command) for combat operations since the Suez Crisis in 1956. Overall over 200 members of the regiment have deployed on operational tours to Iraq since 2003. In recognition of its service in the liberation of Iraq, the Royal Yeomanry was presented with the battle honour 'Iraq 2003' on 11 November 2005, the only battle honour presented to a TA unit since the Second World War. Since the Iraq war, the importance of the CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) role, as it is now called, has been acknowledged and in 2005 all five of the RY's squadrons adopted it.

All of the squadrons adopted a single cap badge in 2006, crossed A's given by the regiments patron – Princess Alexandra.

The regiment has supported operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Royal Wessex Yeomanry operates as an armour replacement regiment providing individual augmentees for Regular Army regiments operating the Challenger 2 main battle tank. B (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) squadron retains its Prince of Wales feathers capbadge and (with A squadron, Royal Yeomanry) its place as the senior Yeomanry unit of the Territorial Army. B Squadron, based in Old Sarum, opened a detachment at Trowbridge in 2012.

Uniforms and insignia
During the 19th century the regiment, in common with other Yeomanry and Militia units, sported a range of uniforms. Jackets were always dark blue. Between 1812 and 1873 a leather shako was worn, replaced in 1873 by a fur Busby with a red cloth bag. Service dress during World War I was a khaki tunic and breeches, with a red stripe down the seam and a red lanyard worn by all ranks round the left armpit. The chevrons of sergeants and corporals were surmounted by a regimental badge on a red baize backing, a practice that continued through the inter-war years and beyond.

The regimental colours of green, red and yellow which appear on the regimental tie and Stable belt were decided on in the late 19th century. One officer (who was also a Conservative MP) suggested green with a red stripe but this was objected to because it was similar to the Rifle Brigade. Another officer (a Liberal MP) suggested adding yellow which was agreed. The joke was that red and yellow were Liberal colours, and the Liberal MP got away with this under his rival's nose.

The cap badge of the RWY is the Prince of Wales's feathers is a slightly different design to other regiments wearing the same symbol, such as the Royal Regiment of Wales. It is worn on the brown beret with a red baize and a black baize backing. During World War I men from the RWY carved their cap badge into the chalk hillside above the village of Fovant where it can still be seen today, alongside those of other units. The RWY capbadge is still worn by B(RWY)squadron, Royal Wessex Yeomanry.

The New Zealand 'fern leaf' emblem was painted on the regiment's vehicles when it was under the command of 2nd New Zealand Division, a tradition which continues to this day. The brigade sign, worn during the Italian campaign but not subsequently, was a white horse on a green square background.

Battle honours
The regiment's battle honours (with the exception of Iraq 2003) are summarised and illustrated in the picture of the RWY guidon which forms the frontispiece of the Regimental history.