Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry

The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry (SRY) was a British Yeomanry regiment. In 1967, it was amalgamated with other units to form the Royal Yeomanry (RY), a light cavalry regiment of the Army Reserve. Originally raised as the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Cavalry in 1794, the regiment was used on several occasions in the 19th century to maintain law and order. During the Second Boer War and both World Wars, the regiment earned 44 battle honours. It is now one of the six squadrons of the Royal Yeomanry (RY), a light cavalry regiment of the Army Reserve. Designated as 'A' Squadron, the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry's current role is to support the Light Cavalry Regiments on operations by providing reconnaissance soldiers.

History

Formation and early history The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry was raised in the summer of 1794 as the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Cavalry, by Thomas White of Wallingwells, who financed and housed the regiment at his own cost. White was to be granted a baronetcy by King George III for his loyalty to the Crown. The regiment took Sir Thomas's motto (Loyal Until Death) as its own, with a minor variation (Loyal Unto Death).

Second Boer War The Yeomanry was not intended to serve overseas, but 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. A royal warrant was issued on 24 December 1899 to allow volunteer forces to serve in the Second Boer War. The royal warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each for the Imperial Yeomanry, organised as mounted infantry. The regiment provided the 10th (Sherwood Rangers) Company for the 3rd Battalion in 1900. The men and horses of 10th Company left Liverpool on 28 January 1900, sailed to South Africa on Winifredian, and reached Cape Town on 20 February. The mounted infantry concept was considered a success and from 1901 to 1908 the regiment was designated the Nottinghamshire Imperial Yeomanry (Sherwood Rangers). The regiment was based at Albert Road in Retford by 1914.

First World War

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 Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry In the First World War, the 1/1st Sherwood Rangers served in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade (later 7th Mounted Brigade) in Egypt as cavalry. In 1915, it was despatched to Gallipoli performing an infantry role and served as such for three months, receiving the "King's Colour" in recognition of its gallantry. The Regiment then returned to Egypt as cavalry, serving thereafter in North Greece and Palestine, taking part in the great cavalry advance from Gaza to Aleppo.

2/1st Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry The 2nd Line regiment was formed at Retford in 1915 and in March joined the 2/1st Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade. By June, the brigade was in the 2/2nd Mounted Division in the King's Lynn area. On 31 March 1916, the remaining Mounted Brigades were ordered to be numbered in a single sequence and the brigade became the 9th Mounted Brigade (and the division 3rd Mounted Division). In July 1916, there was a major reorganization of 2nd Line yeomanry units in the United Kingdom. All but 12 regiments were converted to cyclists; the 2/1st Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry remained mounted and transferred to the 1st Mounted Brigade in the new 1st Mounted Division (3rd Mounted Division redesignated) at Thorndon Park, Brentwood. The regiment was converted to cyclists in August 1917 and joined 11th Cyclist Brigade in The Cyclist Division where it remained until the end of the war, in the Canterbury area.

3/1st Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry The 3rd Line regiment was formed in 1915 and in the summer it was affiliated to a Reserve Cavalry Regiment at Aldershot. In the summer of 1916, it was affiliated to the 1st Reserve Cavalry Regiment, also at Aldershot. Early in 1917, it was absorbed into the 3rd Reserve Cavalry Regiment at Aldershot.

Between the wars Post war, a commission was set up to consider the shape of the Territorial Force (Territorial Army from 1 October 1921). The experience of the First World War made it clear that cavalry was surfeit. The commission decided that only the 14 most senior regiments were to be retained as cavalry (though the Lovat Scouts and the Scottish Horse were also to remain mounted as "scouts"). Eight regiments were converted to Armoured Car Companies of the Royal Tank Corps (RTC), one was reduced to a battery in another regiment, one was absorbed into a local infantry battalion, one became a signals regiment and two were disbanded. The remaining 25 regiments were converted to brigades of the Royal Field Artillery between 1920 and 1922. As the 4th most senior regiment in the order of precedence, the regiment was retained as horsed cavalry.

Second World War

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