Norfolk Yeomanry

The Norfolk Yeomanry was a regiment of the British Army.

In 1901, the Norfolk Yeomanry were raised at the express wish of King Edward VII, after a gap of 33 years, and titled the King's Own Royal Regiment (Norfolk Yeomanry) with the Royal cipher as their badge.

In September 1915, the regiment embarked on RMS Olympic with 25 officers & 504 men for the journey to Gallipoli, landing on the peninsula on 10 October. Units of the Norfolk Yeomanry were among the last to be evacuated from the Suvla beachhead on 20 December.

The Yeomanry was re-equipped and sent to the Suez Canal defences and then joined the Western Frontier Force in July 1916, defending Egypt against the Senussi. On 7 Feb 1917 the regiment formed the 12th (Norfolk Yeomanry) Battalion, The Norfolk Regiment and served in Palestine (including the 3rd Battle of Gaza) from April 1917 to April 1918. In May 1918 the battalion was sent to France.

The regimental war memorial in Norwich Cathedral bears the names of 196 officers and men of the Norfolk Yeomanry who died during the First World War.

Among those who served in the K.O.R.R. were:

• W.E. Johns author of the Biggles books
• Frederick Duleep Singh (1868-1926), second son of Maharaja Duleep Singh (last ruler of the Sikhs)

The Muckleburgh Collection at Weybourne in Norfolk, has displays of Norfolk Yeomanry memorabilia.