Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
abbreviation=


caption=
dates= 1979 - 1992
country= United Kingdom
allegiance=
branch= British Army
type= Yeomanry
role=Boer War
Imperial Yeomanry
World War One
Yeomanry
Infantry
World War Two
Royal Artillery
Post War
Royal Armoured Corps
size= World War One
Three Regiments
World War Two
Two Regiments
Post War
One Squadron
command_structure= Territorial Force
equipment=
Past Commanders=William Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_2=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=World War One"
Battle of Gallipoli
World War Two"'
Operation Ariel
Operation Vitality
Operation Infatuate
Operation Blacklock
Operation Torch
Longstop Hill
Battle of Centuripe
the Viktor Line (Battle of Termoli)
Barbara Line
River Sangro (Gustav Line)
Battle of Monte Cassino
Gothic Line
battle of Argenta gap
decorations=
battle_honours=

The Queen's Own Glasgow can trace their formation back to the late 1700's, when King George III was on the throne, William Pitt the Younger was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 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. [cite web|title=worcestershire|url=http://www.ph012b2086.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/harry/wyc.htm]

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. [Citation
last =
first =
author-link =
last2 =
first2 =
author2-link =
title = Boer War Notes
date =
year =
url = http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Regiments/BoerWarNotes.html
accessdate = 2007-06-11] 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 [Citation
last =
first =
author-link =
last2 =
first2 =
author2-link =
title = Imperial Yeomanry
date =
year =
url = http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/ImpYeo.htm
accessdate = 2007-06-11] , which arrived in South Africa between February and April, 1900. [Citation
last =
first =
author-link =
last2 =
first2 =
author2-link =
title = Boer War - Imperial Yeomanry Battalions
date =
year =
url = http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Regiments/ImperialYeomanryCompaniesBoerBn.html
accessdate = 2007-07-03] Upon arrival, the regiment was sent throughout the zone of operations.
The Queen's Own Glasgow Yeomanry provided troops for the 9th (Scottish) Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry; the companies were::17th (Ayrshire and Lanarkshire) Company, raised 1900; co-sponsored by Ayrshire Yeomanry Cavalry, and Lanarkshire Yeomanry Cavalry :18th (Queen's Own Royal Glasgow and Lower Ward of Lanark) Company, raised 1900 :19th (Lothians and Berwickshire) Company, raised 1900 :20th (Fife and Forfar Light Horse) Company, raised 1900; co-sponsored by 1st Fifeshire Light Horse Volunteers, and 1st Forfarshire Light Horse Volunteers :107th (Lanarkshire) Company, raised 1901 :108th (Royal Glasgow) Company, raised 1901 [cite web|title=angloboerwar|url=http://www.angloboerwar.com/forces/army_IY.htm]

World War I

The Queeen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry formed three regiments for service during World War One but only the original Territorial Force regiment would see any active service overseas.

1/1st Queeen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry

On mobilisation in August 1914 the 1/1st Queeen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was attached to the Lowland Mounted Brigade. In 1915 the Regiment was split up with RHQ and C Squadron moving to Egypt in June 1915.Later that year in October they joined the British 52nd Division as dismounted troops for the Dardenelles campaign and participated in the Battle of Gallipoli.In May 1916 RHQ left the Division and moved to Fance joining the V Corps as theirCavalry Regiment.C Squadron left the Division in August 1917, joining XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment and later deployed as Line of Communication troops.A Squadron had joined the 11th (Northern) Division in June 1915 and moving to the British 24th Division after few days later joining V Corps Cavalry Regiment in May 1916.B Squadron had joined the 9th (Scottish) Division in France in May 1915 leaving them a year later in May 1916 for V Corps Cavalry Regiment.In August 1917 the Corps Cavalry Regiment squadrons were re-reoled as infantry and sent for infantry training at Etaples the Regiment would form the majority of the 18th Battalion the Highland Light Infantry.

2/1st Queeen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry

The second line regiment the 2/1st Queeen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was formed in September 1914.In March 1916, RHQ, A and B Squadrons joined the 65th Division prior to being drafted into the 1st Reserve Cavalry Regiment in February 1918 and being sent to Ireland.The regiments C Squadron has joined the 64th Division until 1917 when they were disbanded.

3/1st Queeen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry

The 3/1st Queeen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was formed in 1915 and remained in the United Kingdom until being drafted into the 4th Reserve Cavalary Regiment 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. [cite web|title=mod.uk|url=http://www2.army.mod.uk/royalsignals/1sigsqn/history/rby.htm] The Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry was one of the regiments now re-designated and formed part of the Royal Artillery.

World War II

54 (Queens Own Royal Glasgow Yeo) Anti-Tank Regiment RA(TA)

Mobilised in 1939 and attached to the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division, they moved to france as a part of the 'Second B.E.F' in June 1940. After being evacuated from France during Operation Ariel together with the rest of the division they trained in mountain warfare.In August 1944, it became part of the First Allied Airborne Army. (As a mountain formation, it had little heavy equipment and transport, and could therefore operate as an air-transportable formation).

They returned to France in October 1944, and were assigned to the First Canadian Army to help open the vital port of Antwerp and were involved in the Scheldt Estuary of Belgium and the Netherlands. Operation Vitality , Operation Infatuate and the capture of the island of Walcheren to open the mouth of the Scheldt estuary.In January 1945 they participated in Operation Blackcock, the clearing of the Roer Triangle between the rivers Meuse and Roer.cite web|title=ra39-35|url=http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/atk/page21.html]

64 (Queens Own Royal Glasgow Yeo) Anti-Tank Regiment RA(TA)

Mobilised in September 1939 they remained in the United Kingdom as part of the 15th (Scottish) Division until March 1942 when they moved to North Africa with the 78th Division.The 78th was formed specifically for Operation Torch from regular British Army units, landing at Algiers in 1942. Thereafter it continued in Tunisia, then through to the Sicily, up the length of Italy, arriving in Austria for the end of the war. Units also saw action in Greece, Palestine, and Egypt. Notable engagements include in Tunisia Longstop Hill, in Sicily the Battle of Centuripe and in Italy the assaults on the Viktor Line (Battle of Termoli), the Barbara Line and the River Sangro (Gustav Line) as well as the Battle of Monte Cassino, the Gothic Line and battle of Argenta gap.

Post War

After the War, the regiment reconstituted in the Territorial Army as a yeomanry regiment, under its old title of the Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry, and transferred into the Royal Armoured Corps. In 1956 it amalgamated with the Lanarkshire Yeomanry and the 1st/2nd Lothian and Border Horse to form The Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry.. [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-scotland/vcav/lanark.htm The Lanarkshire Yeomanry] , regiments.org] In November 1992 the formed the Scottish Yeomanry , with the amalgamation of the Queen's Own Yeomanry and elements 153 (Highland) Regiment Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers) and 154 (Lowland) Regiment Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers). The Squadrons were;:HQ (Lothians and Border Horse) Squadron at Edinburgh.:A (Ayrshire (Earl of Carrick's Own) Yeomanry) Squadron at Ayr.:B (Lanarkshire and Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry) Squadron at East Kilbride. :C (Fife and Forfar/Scottish Horse) Squadron at Cupar.On July 1 , 1999 the Regiment was disbanded as a result of the Strategic Defence Review. cite web|title=win.tue|url=http://www.win.tue.nl/~drenth/BritArmy/Lineage/YEOMANRY/#scyeomanry]

References