The Duke of York's Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army. Originally formed as a volunteer cavalry force in 1793, it fought in the Second Boer War as part of the Imperial Yeomanry. In World War I the regiment fought at Gallipoli, in Palestine and on the Western Front. The unit was subsequently converted into a Royal Artillery unit, serving in the anti-tank role North Africa, Italy and France during World War II. The lineage is maintained by No. 677 (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Squadron AAC.
French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars After Britain was drawn into the French Revolutionary Wars, a number of independent cavalry troops were raised in the county of Suffolk from August 1793. The following year, the government of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger proposed that the counties should form corps of Yeomanry 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 county, and the Suffolk troops were accepted as Yeomanry. These troops were at Bury St Edmunds, Eye (known as the Suffolk and Norfolk Borderers, or as the Suffolk and Norfolk Borderers), Ipswich, Botesdale, Ickworth, Fornham, Lowestoft, Saxmundham and Stowmarket. Some of the troops were disbanded in 1800 and six of the remainder were regimented as the 1st Regiment of Loyal Suffolk Yeomanry Cavalry.
19th century The regiment was formally disbanded in 1827 but revived in 1831 as the Suffolk (1st Loyal Suffolk) Troop of Yeomanry Cavalry, trained as lancers. In 1868, the 1st Suffolk was amalgamated with another independent troop at Long Melford to form the West Suffolk Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry. It was converted to Hussars in 1872, dropped the 'West' prefix in 1875, and assumed the supplementary title of 'Loyal Suffolk Hussars' in 1883. Finally, it received the title of Suffolk Yeomanry Cavalry (The Duke of York's Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars) when the Duke of York (later King George V) became its Honorary Colonel in 1894. Captain Richard Colvin raised a new troop of the regiment in the neighbouring county of Essex in 1889. By 1899 the regimental headquarters (RHQ) was at King's Road drill hall, Bury St Edmunds, and the regiment together with the Hertfordshire Yeomanry constituted the 7th Yeomanry Brigade.
Imperial Yeomanry
Following a string of defeats during Black Week in early December 1899, the British government realised that it would need more troops than just the regular army to fight the Second Boer War. On 13 December, the decision to allow volunteer forces to serve in South Africa was made, and a Royal Warrant was issued on 24 December. This officially created the Imperial Yeomanry (IY). The force was organised as county service companies of approximately 115 men signed up for one year, and volunteers from the Yeomanry and civilians (usually middle and upper class) quickly filled the new force, which was equipped to operate as mounted infantry. The Loyal Suffolk Hussars raised the 43rd and 44th (Suffolk) companies. A company of the Loyal Suffolk Hussars first left Southampton on 31 January 1900, bound for Cape Town. These two companies, which landed in South Africa on 23 February and 28 March respectively, served in 12th Battalion, IY. In addition, Capt (now Lt-Col) Colvin of the Essex Troop commanded the 20th (Rough Riders) Battalion IY, which was raised on 17 March 1900 in the City of London and landed in South Africa on 3 May. In May and June, the 12th Bn IY was serving as Corps Troops with Lord Roberts' main army north of the Orange River. The first contingent of the Imperial Yeomanry completed their year's term of service in 1901, the two Suffolk companies having earned the regiment its first battle honour: South Africa 1900–01. The Imperial Yeomanry were trained and equipped as mounted infantry. The concept was considered a success, and before the war ended the existing Yeomanry regiments at home were converted into Imperial Yeomanry, with an establishment of HQ and four squadrons with a machine gun section. This included the Loyal Suffolk Hussars. A new regiment of Essex Yeomanry was also formed on the basis of the Suffolk Hussars' Essex Troop, and commanded by Lt-Col Colvin.
World War I
Mobilisation At the start of the First World War, 'A' squadron was at Cambridge, 'B' squadron and 'HQ' was at Bury St Edmunds, 'C' squadron was at Ipswich and 'D' squadron was at Beccles. 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. As of August 1914, two local MPs were serving as officers: Frank Goldsmith and Walter Guinness.
1/1st Duke of Yorks Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars The 1/1st was embodied in August 1914 at Bury St. Edmunds and became part of the Eastern Mounted Brigade, 1st Mounted Division. In September 1915, they were dismounted and moved to the ANZAC bridgehead at Gallipoli and came under the command of the 54th (East Anglian) Division. After they were withdrawn from Gallipoli they moved to Egypt in December 1915, the first party being evacuated to Mudros on 14 December and the rest following five days later. They were next attached to the 3rd Dismounted Brigade on Suez Canal defences, from 22 February 1916.
In January 1917, they were converted to an infantry battalion and formed the 15th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment in the 74th (Yeomanry) Division, which moved to France in May 1918.
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