The reductions of 1967 proved to drastic, so that in 1971 four new Yeomanry regiments were formed out of the existing cadres. One regiment supports the BAOR as the second reconnaissance regiment, while the three other regiments operated as a Home Defence Infantry Battalion. One cadre completely reformed as infantry, while four others remained untouched. By 1975 these cadres were disbanded. In 1983 the three regiments in a Home Defence role rejoined the Royal Armoured Corps as home defence reconnaissance regiments.
Options for Change meant some reorganisation of the Yeomanry. Two regiments
merged, and a completely new one was formed. Few years later a new new
regiment was formed, when a infantry battalion converted. Also an Armoured
Replacement Regiment started to form.
However, the latest additions proved to be shortlived, as they were
disbanded when the Strategic Defence Review took effect in 1999. The structure
of the regiments also changed, as the HQ Squadrons were converted to sabre
squadrons, envisaging the new role of the Territorial Army. It should be
noted that besides the Yeomanry titles and traditions preserved in the
Yeomanry itself, quite a few survive in other Corps.
The number of sabre squadrons - not counting HQ squadrons, even though
they are successor to a disbanded regiment - for a number of years is given
in the table below.
| year: | 1967 | 1971 | 1990 | 1993 | 1997 | 2000 |
| sabre squadrons: | 4 | 7 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 17 |
The Royal Yeomanry Regiment (Volunteers)
Formed 1 April 1967 with Regimental Headquarters at Chelsea, London as TAVR II unit being successor to The Berkshire and Westminster Dragoons RAC (TA), The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (Prince of Wales's Own) RAC (TA), The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry RAC (TA), The Kent and County of London Yeomanry RAC (TA) and The North Irish Horse RAC (TA). All squadrons wear the badge of their predecessor.SQUADRONS:
HQ (Berkshire & Westminster Dragoons) Squadron at Chelsea,
London.
A (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Squadron (armoured cars) at Swindon
and Trowbridge.
B (Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry) Squadron (armoured cars) at Carlton,
Nottingham.
C (Kent & County of London Yeomanry) Squadron (airportable)
at Croydon.
D (North Irish Horse) Squadron (airportable) at Belfast.
1 April 1969 Regiment reorganised with four armoured cars squadrons.
The Royal Yeomanry Redesignated 9 May 1971.
8 October 1973: 'C' Squadron subtitled '(Kent and Sharpshooters
Yeomanry)';
'HQ' Squadron subtitled '(Berkshire and Westminster Dragoons)'.
1984: 'HQ' Squadron rebadged as Westminster Dragoons and subtitled '(Westminster Dragoons)'.
1 April 1992: Regiment reorganised.
'B' Squadron at Nottingham transferred as 'B' Squadron The
Queen's Own Yeomanry.
'D' Squadron at Belfast became an independent
squadron.
'B' (Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry) Squadron formed
at Leicester by redesignation of 'B' Company 3rd (V) Battalion The Worcestershire
and Sherwood Foresters Regiment.
'D' (Berkshire Yeomanry) Squadron formed at Slough from personnel
The
Wessex Regiment; squadron not successor to disbanded units.
1 July 1999: Regiment reorganised as result of the Strategic Defence Review.
SQUADRONS:
A (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Squadron at Swindon and Trowbridge.
B (Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry) Squadron at Leicester.
C ((Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry)) Squadron at Croydon.
S (Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry) Squadron formed at Nottingham
by transfer 'B' Squadron The Queen's Own Yeomanry.
W (Berkshire and Westminster Dragoons) Squadron formed by merger
of 'D' Squadron and 'HQ' Squadron as new sabre squadron.
Squadron at Slough retained until 1 June 2000.
SQUADRONS:
A (Royal Gloucestershire Hussars) Squadron at Gloucester.
B (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Squadron at Old Sarum, Salisbury.
C (Royal Gloucestershire Hussars) Squadron at Stroud.
D (Royal Devon Yeomanry/1st Rifle Volunteers) Squadron at Barnstaple.
16 April 1974 'D' Squadron subtitled '(Royal Devon Yeomanry)'.
The Royal Wessex Yeomanry Redesignated 8 June 1979.
1 April 1983 Regiment reroled as Home Defence Reconnaissance Regiment as part of the Royal Armoured Corps.
'E' (Home Service Force) (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Squadron formed at old Sarum, Salisbury.
1992: 'C' Squadron at Stroud disbanded.
'HQ' (Royal Gloucestershire Hussars) Squadron formed at Cirencester
and Stroud.
'E' (HSF) Squadron disbanded.
1 July 1999: Regiment reorganised as result of the Strategic Defence Review.
SQUADRONS:
A (Dorset Yeomanry) Armoured Replacement Squadron formed at
Bovington by redesignation of The Dorset Yeomanry.
B (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Squadron at Old Sarum, Salisbury.
C (Royal Gloucestershire Hussars) Squadron at Cirencester by
merger 'A' Squadron and 'HQ' Squadron.
D (Royal Devon Yeomanry) Squadron at Barnstaple with 4 Troop
formed at Paignton from elements 4th (V) Battalion The Devonshire and
Dorset Regiment.
The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry
Formed 1 November 1992 with Headquarters at Telford by amalgamation of The Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry and The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry.SQUADRONS:
HQ (Shropshire Yeomanry) Squadron at Telford with detachment
at Coventry.
A (Warwickshire and Worcestershire Yeomanry) Squadron at Stourbridge.
B (Staffordshire Yeomanry) Squadron at Dudley with detachment
at Shrewsbury.
D (Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Squadron at Wigan and Blackpool.
1 July 1999: Regiment reorganised by taking squadron from The Queen's Own Yeomanry.
SQUADRONS:
HQ Squadron at Telford.
A (Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Yeomanry) Squadron
at Dudley by merger of 'A' Squadron and 'B' Squadron.
B (Shropshire Yeomanry) Squadron at Telford with Troop at Shrewsbury
by redesignation of 'HQ' Squadron.
C (Cheshire Yeomanry) Squadron at Chester by redesignation of
'C'
Squadron The Queen's Own Yeomanry.
D (Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Squadron at Wigan.
21 October 1971: Title confirmed as The Mercian Yeomanry, retroactive to 1 April 1971.
The Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry
Redesignated 25 May 1973.
1982 Regiment reroled as a light Reconnaissance Regiment in the Royal Armoured Corps.
9 February 1988: 'D' (Home Service Force) Squadron formed at Telford by rebadging of company from RAOC.
1 November 1992: Regiment disbanded as result of Options for
Change.
Regiment amalgamated with The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry
to form The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry.
Squadrons redesignated as 'A' Squadron, 'B' Squadron
and 'HQ' Squadron The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian
Yeomanry respectively.
SQUADRONS:
HQ Squadron at Fenham Barracks, Newcastle upon Tyne;
A Squadron at York;
B Squadron at Ayr;
C Squadron at Chester.
The Queen's Own Yeomanry
Designation approved 30 April 1971.
November 1972: Squadron redesignated as follows:
'NH' (Northumberland Hussars) Squadron;
'A' (Ayrshire Yeomanry) Squadron;
'C' (Cheshire Yeomanry) Squadron and
'Y' (Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry) Squadron.
1986: 'D' (Northumberland Hussars) Squadron formed at Cramlington from elements 'NH' Squadron which redesignated 'HQ' (Northumberland Hussars) Squadron.
1 April 1992: New 'B' (Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry) Squadron
at Nottingham by transfer 'B' Squadron The Royal
Yeomanry.
1 November 1992: 'A' Squadron at Ayr transferred as 'A'
Squadron The Scottish Yeomanry.
1 July 1999: Regiment reorganised as result of the Strategic
Defence Review.
'B' Squadron at Nottingham transferred as 'S' Squadron The
Royal Yeomanry.
'C' Squadron at Chester transferred as 'C' Squadron The
Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry.
'D' Squadron at Cramlington disbanded. Personnel possibly to
Squadron HQ and two Troops of 100 Squadron 168 Pioneer Regiment.
SQUADRONS:
A (Ayrshire (Earl of Carrick's Own) Yeomanry) Squadron formed
at Ayr by redesignation 'A' Squadron The Scottish Yeomanry.
B (North Irish Horse) Squadron formed at Belfast by redesignation
The
North Irish Horse; Squadron is under OPCOM of The Royal Irish Rangers.
C (Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse) Squadron formed
at Cupar by redesignation 'C' Squadron The Scottish Yeomanry.
D (Northumberland Hussars) Squadron at Fenham Barracks, Newcastle
by redesignation of 'HQ' Squadron.
Y (Yorkshire) Squadron at Yeomanry Barracks, York.
Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (Royal Tank Regiment)
Formed 1 April 1971 with Headquarters at Chorley by expansion of similar designated cadre as a Home Defence Infantry Battalion.SQUADRONS:
HQ Squadron at Chorley;
A Squadron at Wigan;
B Squadron at Clifton, Manchester;
D Squadron at Preston and Blackpool.
The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry Redesignated 29 February 1972.
1 April 1983: Regiment reroled as a Reconnaissance unit of the Royal Armoured Corps.
'C' (Home Service Force) Squadron formed at Chorley.
1 November 1992: Regiment disbanded as result of Options for
Change.
Unit amalgamated with The Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry to form
The
Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry and formed 'D' (Duke
of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Squadron.
1 July 1999: Squadron transferred as 'B' Squadron The
Queen's Own Yeomanry but under OPCOM of The
Royal Irish Rangers.
SQUADRONS:
HQ (Lothians and Border Horse) Squadron at Colinton Road, Edinburgh.
Formed by conversion of 225 (Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry) Squadron
154 (Lowland) Regiment RCT (V).
A (Ayrshire (Earl of Carrick's Own) Yeomanry) Squadron at Ayr.
Formed by transfer 'A' Squadron The Queen's Own Yeomanry.
B (Lanarkshire and Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry) Squadron
at East Kilbride. Formed by conversion of 222 Squadron 154 (Lowland)
Regiment RCT (V).
C (Fife and Forfar/Scottish Horse) Squadron at Cupar. Formed
by conversion of 239 (Highland Yeomanry) Squadron 153 (Highland) Regiment
RCT (V).
1 July 1999: Regiment disbanded as result of the Strategic
Defence Review.
'A' Squadron and 'C' Squadron redesignated as 'A'
Squadron and 'C' Squadron The Queen's Own
Yeomanry respectively; remainder disbanded.
The King's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry (Light Infantry)
Formed 3 August 1996 with Headquarters at Wakefield by redesignation of 8th Battalion The (Yorkshire) Light Infantry (Volunteers).SQUADRONS:
HQ Squadron at Wakefield by redesignation of 'HQ' Company.
A Squadron at Doncaster by redesignation of 'C' Company.
B Squadron at Pontefract by redesignation of 'B' Company.
C Squadron at Batley with det at Dewsbury by redesignation of
'A'
Company.
1 July 1999: Regiment disbanded as result of the Strategic
Defence Review.
'HQ' Squadron and 'C' Squadron reorganised as Minden
Company The East and West Riding
Regiment. Remainder disbanded.
1 July 1999: Regiment disbanded as result of the Strategic Defence Review and redesignated as 'A' Squadron The Royal Wessex Yeomanry.
The Ayrshire (Earl of Carrick's Own) Yeomanry (Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ and 'A' Squadron
at Ayr and 'B' Squadron at Dalry from The Ayrshire Yeomanry (Earl
of Carrick's Own RAC) (TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Ayrshire (Earl of Carrick's
Own) Yeomanry at Ayr under 154 Regiment RCT (V).
1 April 1971: Reformed as 'B' Squadron The
Queen's Own Yeomanry.
The Cheshire Yeomanry (Earl of Chester's Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ, 'B' and
'C'
Squadrons at Birkenhead, HQ element at Chester, and 'A' Squadron
at Northwich from The Cheshire Yeomanry (Earl of Chester's) RAC (TA),
113
Field Squadron RE (TA) and part 4th Battalion The Cheshire Regiment
(TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Cheshire Yeomanry (Earl
of Chester's) at Gilwern, Chester under 33 Signal Regiment (V).
1 April 1971: Reformed as 'C' Squadron The
Queen's Own Yeomnary.
Title 'Cheshire Yeomanry' is also perpetuated by 80 Signal
Squadron (V).
The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (Royal Tank Regiment)
(Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ and 'B' Squadron
at Clifton from The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry RAC (TA) and
'A'
Squadron at Oldham and 'C' Squadron at Bootle from 'A'
and 'B' Squadrons 40th/41st Royal Tank Regiment RAC (TA) and RHQ,
'HQ' Squadron and 'C' Squadron 40th/41st Royal Tank Regiment RAC
(TA) respectively.
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Duke of Lancaster's Own
Yeomanry (Royal Tank Regiments) at Clifton, under 75 Engineer Regiment
RE (V); less 'C' Squadron which reroled as 238 Squadron 156
Regiment RCT (V); title was adopted for a while by 202 Field
Squadron 75 Engineer Regiment RE (V).
1 April 1971: Reformed as The Duke of Lancaster's
Own Yeomanry (Royal Tank Regiment) as infantry in an Infantry Home
Defence Role.
The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse (Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ and 'C' Squadron
at Cupar and 'C' Squadron at Dunblane from The Fife and Forfar
Yeomanry/Scottish Horse RAC (TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Highland Yeomanry
at Cupar, under 153 Regiment RCT (V). Also formed 239 (Highland
Yeomanry) Squadron 153 Regiment RCT
(V) .
1 April 1975: Disbanded. Successor 239 Squadron 153 Regiment
RCT (V).
Inns of Court and City Yeomanry
Formed 1 April 1969 as cadre from The
London Yeomanry and Territorials (less 'C' Company) at Lincolns
Inn, London, under 71 Signal Regiment (V); Also formed 68 (Inns
of Court and City Yeomanry) Signal Squadron
71
Signal Regiment (V)
upon reduction to cadre.
1 April 1975: Disbanded.
The Leicestershire and Derbyshire (Prince Albert's
Own) Yeomanry (Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ and 'D' Squadron
at Leicester, 'B' Squadron at Derby, 'C' Squadron at Melton
Mowbray and 'A' Squadron at Ilkeston formed from The Leicestershire
and Derbyshire (Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry RAC (TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Leicestershire and Derbyshire
(Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry at Leicester, under 222 Field Ambulance
RAMC (V).
1 April 1971: Reformed as The Leicestershire and Derbyshire
(Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry Squadron 7th
(V) Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment.
North Irish Horse (Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ and 'A' Squadron
in Belfast and 'B' Squadron at Londonderry from part The North
Irish Horse RAC (TA) and elements 5th Battalion The Royal inniskilling
Fusiliers (TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The North Irish Horse
at Belfast, under Royal Yeomanry Regiment (V); except 'B' Squadron
which reformed as 69 (North Irish Horse) Signal Squadron 32
Signal Regiment (V).
1 April 1975: Cadre disbanded.
The Northumberland Hussars (Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ amd 'A' Squadron
at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 'B' Squadron at South Shields and 'C'
Squadron at Blyth from The Northumberland Hussars RAC (TA) and
elements 4th/5th Battalion The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (TA),
6th
Battalion The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (TA) and 324 (Northumbia
Artillery) Hy AD Regiment RA (TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Northumberland Hussars
at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, under 101 Medium Regiment RA (V).
1 April 1971: Reformed as HQ Squadron The
Queen's Own Yeomanry.
The Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry (Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ amd 'A' Squadron
at Edinburgh and 'C' Squadron at Glasgow from The Queen's Own
Lowland Yeomanry RAC (TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry
at Edinburgh, under 154 Regiment RCT (V). Also formed 225 (QOLY)
Squadron 154 Regiment RCT (V).
1 April 1975: Cadre disbanded. Successor 225 Fuel Tanker
Squadron 154 Regiment RCT (V).
The Queen's Own Warwickshire and Worcestershire Yeomanry
(Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ at Shirley, 'B'
Squadron at Stratford-upon-Avon and 'C' Squadron at Stourbridge
from The Queen's Own Warwickshire and Worcestershire Yeomanry RAC (TA)
('C' Squadron included elements of battey 267 (Worcestershire)
Field Regiment RA (TA)), and 'A' (Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers)
Squadron at Coventry from 7th Battalion The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers
(TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Queen's Own Warwickshire
and Worcestershire Yeomanry at Stratford-upon-Avon, under 37 Signal
Regiment (V); Also formed 67 (Queen's Own Warwickshire and Worcestershire
Yeomanry) Signal Squadron 37
Signal Regiment (V).
1 April 1971: Reformed as 'A' (Queen's Own Warwickshire and
Worcestershire Yeomanry) Squadron Mercian Yeomanry.
The Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry (Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ and 'A' Squadron
at York, 'B' Squadron at Doncaster and 'C Squadron at Hull,
all formed from The Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry RAC(TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Queen's Own Yorkshire
Yeomanry at York, under 250 Field Ambulance RAMC (V).
1 April 1971: Reformed as 'A' Squadron The
Queen's Own Yeomanry.
The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (Territorials)
Formed 1 April l967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ at Bristol (less
two specialist troops from The North Somerset and Bristol Yeomanry RAC
(TA), 43 Division/District Provost Coy RMP (TA) and 71 Coy WRAC
(TA)) and 'B' (Royal Gloucestershire Hussars) Squadron at Cirencester
from The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars RAC (TA) and HQ RA 43
(Wessex) Division/District (TA); 'A' (Gloucesteshire Volunteer Artillery)
Squadron at Bristol from 883 (GVA) Locating Battery RA (TA);
'C'
(5 Glosters) Squadron at Cheltenham from 5th Battalion The Gloucestershire
Regiment (TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Royal Gloucestershire
Hussars at Cheltenham, under 37 Signal Regiment (V).
1 April 1971: Reformed as RHQ, 'A' (RGH) Squadron and
'C'
(RGH) Squadron The Wessex Yeomanry;
'A'
Squadron reformed as 266
(GVA) Battery RA (V).
The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (Prince of Wales's Own)
Formed 1 April 1969 as cadre by transfer 'B' Company (Royal Wiltshire
Yeomanry) from The
Royal Wiltshire Territorials; cadre under administration The
Royal Yeomanry Regiment (V).
1 April 1971: Reformed as 'B' (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry)
Squadron The Wessex Yeomanry.
The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry (Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ and 'C' Squadron
at Newark and 'A' Squadron at Retford from parts The Sherwood
Rangers Yeomanry RAC (TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry
at Nottingham, under The Royal Yeomanry Regiment (V).
1 April 1971: Reformed a 'A' (Sherwood Rangers) Squadron
3rd
(V) Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment.
The Shropshire Yeomanry (Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ and 'C' Squadron
at Shrewsbury and 'B' Squadron at Oswestry from The Shropshire
Yeomanry RAC (TA); 'A' (Shropshire RHA) Squadron at Shrewsbury
from HQ RA (Shropshire RHA) 48 Division (TA) and elements 4th
Battalion The King's Shropshire Light Infantry (TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Shropshire Yeomanry
at Shrewsbury, under 35 Signal Regiment (V). Also formed 95 (Shropshire
Yeomanry) Signal Squadron 35
Signal Regiment (V).
1 April 1971: Reformed as RHQ and 'C' (Shropshire
Yeomanry) Squadron Mercian Yeomanry.
The Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Royal Regiment)
(Territorials)
Formed 1 April 1967 as TAVR III unit with RHQ and 'A' Squadron
at Wolverhampton and 'C' Squadron at Burton-on-Trent from The
Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Royal Regiment) RAC (TA) and HQ
RA 48 (West Midlands) Division/District (TA); 'B' (887 Locating
Battery) Squadron at Stafford from 887 Locating Battery RA (TA)
and parts 125 Engineer Regiment RE (TA), 444 Lt AD Regiment RA
(TA) and 5th/6th Battalion The North Staffordshire Regiment (TA).
1 April 1969: Reduced to cadre The Staffordshire Yeomanry
(Queen's Own Royal Regiment) at Stafford, under HQ 30 Engineer Brigade
(V).
1 April 1971: Reformed as 'B' (Staffordshire Yeomanry) Squadron
Mercian
Yeomanry.
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Last update: August 28, 2000