Denbighshire Hussars

Denbighshire Hussars
Active	1794 - 1921
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Yeomanry
Size	One Regiment
Battle honours	World War I Second Battle of Gaza Third Battle of Gaza Battle of Beersheba Battle of Epehy

The Denbighshire Hussars was a unit of the British Army from 1794–1921. It saw service in the First World War before being merged into a unit of the Royal Artillery.

Early history

Formed a volunteer cavalry in 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars, they became the Denbighshire Hussars in 1876. They trained at the Hightown barracks in Wrexham for the Boer War and the two World Wars..^[1] In 1830 they were used to quell colliery workers in Rhosllannerchrugog. The colliery workers were angered by the truck shop system that forced them to spend their wages in shops owned by their employers. They planned to destroy a truck shop owned by the British Ironworks Company. The Regiment was ordered out on patrol to 'terrify the mob.'^[1] At an incident in Rhosllannerchrugog, known as the Battle of Cinder Hill, overzealous troops had to be brought under control after a demonstrator threw a firework at the soldiers.^[1] In 1911 the Regiment had the honour of being the escort to the Prince of Wales to his Investiture at Caernarfon Castle.^[1]

World War I

The Denbighshire Hussars like other Yeomanry Regiments formed second and third line regiments in September 1914, the 2/1st Denbighshire Hussars remained in the United Kingdom throughout the war and were converted into a cyclist unit in 1916. The 3/1st Denbighshire Hussars was formed in 1915 and also remained in the United Kingdom before being disbanded in 1917.

The 1/1st Denbighshire Hussars in 1914, were in the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade, which in September 1914 was attached to the 1st Mounted Division. In 1916 the 1/1st together with the rest of the Brigade and the South Wales Mounted Brigade, became a dismounted unit November 1915 : became a dismounted unit and moved to Egypt, forming the 4th Dismounted Brigade. In February 1917 they went through another change. This time they were re-roled as infantry to become the 24th (Denbighshire Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, attached to the 231st Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division. As part of the 74th (Yeomanry) Division, they were involved in the Second Battle of Gaza, Third Battle of Gaza, Battle of Beersheba and the Battle of Epehy.^{[2] [3]}

Amalgamation

After World War I, it had become clear that cavalry was obsolete and in 1922 it was announced that some Yeomanry Regiments were to become Royal Artillery regiments. The Denbighshire Yeomanry were one of these Regiments; they were re-roled as a medium artillery formation, and amalgamated with the 61st Medium Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery (the former Carnarvonshire Artillery Volunteers) to form 61 Medium Regiment R.A. (Caernarvon and Denbigh Yeomanry). In 1939 it formed a duplicate, unit 69 Medium Regiment R.A. (Caernarvon & Denbigh Yeomanry). ^{[3] [4]} They would see service in France during the phoney war (1939-1940); after the Dunkirk evacuation, they would remain in the United Kingdom until returning to Europe in June 1944 with 21st Army Group.^[5]

In 1947 the regiment reformed an artillery formation as 361st (Carnarvonshire and Denbigh Yeomanry) Medium Regiment. In 1956 this was merged with the 384th Light Regiment (formerly 5th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers) to become the 372nd (Flintshire and Denbighshire Yeomanry) Regiment. This unit effectively ceased to exist in 1967, although its lineage was continued until 1999 in the territorial element of the Royal Welch Fusiliers.^{[2] [3]}

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "wrexham.gov". http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/english/heritage/virtual_gallery/jacket.htm. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "The Denbighshire (Hussars) Yeomanry" Land Forces of the British Empire 18 June 2006 archived from the original on 20 December 2007 http://web.archive.org/web/20071220013400/www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-wales/vcav/flintden.htm. Retrieved 20 May 2010 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Carnarvonshire & Anglesey Artillery Volunteers, Royal Artillery (Territorials) 1860-1922" Land Forces of the British Empire 10 June 2006 archived from the original on 29 November 2007 http://web.archive.org/web/20071129033234/www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-wales/varty/carnangl.htm. Retrieved 20 May 2010 
4. ^ "ra39-45". http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/yeo/index.html. 
5. ^ "ra39-45". http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/med/page25.html.