Royal Wessex Yeomanry
| The Royal Wessex Yeomanry | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 April 1971-Present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Territorial Army |
| Type | Yeomanry |
| Role | Armour Replacement |
| Size | One regiment |
| Part of | Royal Armoured Corps |
| Garrison/HQ | A Squadron - Bovington B Squadron - Salisbury C Squadron - Cirencester D Squadron - Barnstaple |
| Commanders | |
| Royal Honorary Colonel | HRH The Earl of Wessex |
| Honorary Colonel | Lt Gen Sir Richard Shirreff KCB CBE |
The Royal Wessex Yeomanry (RWxY) is an armoured regiment of the British Territorial Army consisting of four squadrons. Unlike any other regiment in the British Army, each of the squadrons wear an individual cap badge - that of their antecedent yeomanry regiments:
- B (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Squadron
- A (Dorset Yeomanry) Squadron
- C (Royal Gloucestershire Hussars) Squadron
- D (Royal Devon Yeomanry) Squadron
Unusually, B Sqn is the senior of the four squadrons of the regiment. This is because the RWY is the senior Yeomanry regiment in the Yeomanry Order of Precedence, having been raised in 1794. It is not designated as A Sqn (which would be the usual practice) because there is an A (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Sqn of the Royal Yeomanry with which it could be confused.
HRH The Earl of Wessex is the Royal Honorary Colonel of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry.
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[edit] History
The Wessex Yeomanry was formed on 1st April 1971 by re-raising cadres from the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars and the Royal Devon Yeomanry to form 4 squadrons. The Regiment was granted its royal title on 8th June 1979.
Initially roled as infantry, in the 1980s it was re-roled as a reconnaissance regiment and became one of the Military Home Defence Reconnaissance Regiments. Following the Strategic Defence Review, the Regiment merged with the Dorset Yeomanry in July 1999 and was reorganised and re-roled into its current ORBAT.[1] [2]
The Regiment currently has three roles:
- The training of Challenger 2 main battle tank crewmen as Turret Crew Replacements. This commitment is provided by B (RWY), C (RGH) and D (RDY) Squadrons.
- Armour Replacement. This role is provided by A (DY) Squadron.
- The provision of skilled officers and senior non-commissioned officers to support the Regular Army on operations as watchkeepers and liaison officers. This is provided by all four squadrons.[3]
[edit] Uniform
The Royal Wessex Yeomanry TRF is taken from the 74th (Yeomanry) Division, whose insignia was a broken spur in a black diamond during World War I, used to signify that the division was once a mounted division and now served as infantry. The TRF takes its colour scheme from facings of the collars and cuffs of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (buff), Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, Dorset Yeomanry and the Royal Devon Yeomanry (all scarlet). [4]
The Regiment wears a brown beret, similar to that worn by the Kings Royal Hussars, with a square black patch behind the cap badge. Each squadron wears the cap badge of its antecedent Yeomanry regiment, meaning that unlike any other British Army regiment, the RWxY have 4 cap badges. The squadrons also retain their own stable belts and mess dress. In barrack (Number 13) dress the Regiment wear a green fleck v-neck jumper.
[edit] Affiliations
- The King's Royal Hussars (B and C Squadrons)[5]
- The Royal Tank Regiment (A Squadron)[6]
- 2nd Royal Tank Regiment (D Squadron)
- HMS Enterprise (H88) (D Squadron)
[edit] Honorary Colonels
- 1971-1984: Col The Duke of Beaufort KG PC GCVO [7]
- 1984-1989: Maj The Hon James Ian Morrison TD DL GCVO [8]
- 1989–1992: Maj Gen Sir Sir John Acland KCB CBE DL [9]
- 1992-1997: Gen Sir John Waters KCB CBE [10]
- 1997-2000: Col JEB Hills TD DL [11]
- 2000-2003: Lt Col JG Peel TD DL [12]
- 2003-2010: Maj Gen Arthur Denaro CBE [13]
- 2010: Lt Gen Sir Richard Shirreff KCB CBE [14]
[edit] References
- ^ Bastin, Maj JD (1980). The Historical Journal of The Royal Wessex Yeomanry.
- ^ "Royal Wessex Yeomanry History". http://www.army.mod.uk/armoured/regiments/9061.aspx. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ "RWxY Role". http://www.army.mod.uk/armoured/regiments/9060.aspx. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ "History of the RWxY TRF". http://www.army.mod.uk/armoured/regiments/9143.aspx. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ "Allied Regiments & Affiliations". http://www.krh.org.uk/allied-and-affiliations.html. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ "Allied & Affiliated Regiments". http://www.royaltankregiment.com/en-GB/alliedaffiliatedregiments.aspx. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 45569. p. 348. 11 January 1971. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 49787. p. 8742. 26 June 1984. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 51718. p. 5217. 28 April 1989. Retrieved 2 November 2009.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 52792. p. 492. 14 January 1992. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 54788. p. 6737. 9 June 1997. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 56078. p. 14611. 2 January 2001. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57122. p. 14548. 25 November 2003. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
- ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 59492. p. 13805. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
[edit] External links
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