Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry

[War13Memorial]

Local newspaper 20 July 1916 says Highland Cyclist Battalion replaced by the Lancashire Yeomanry.

wikipedia says "then on May 1916 all the units except A Squadron reform to France"

was it A squadron who came to East Fife ?

and

2/1st Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry converted to a cyclist unit in July 1916

did they come to East Fife or they A Squadron ?

page on 1914-1918 is not available due to reconfiguration

can anyone help with these questions ?

many thanks

Billy

[Johno7439]

Billy - I've had a dig through a couple of books and have found the following:

2/1st Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry was by March 1916 in Cupar with the Western Mounted Brigade, and became 21st Mounted Brigade. By July 0f 1916 the unit had indeed become a cyclist in 14th Cyclist Brigade. It was still in Cupar by October of that year, where it had become 10th Cyclist Brigade. It stayed in Cupar until Jan 1918 when the brigade moved to Lincolnshire, and in May of 1918 it went to Tralee until the end of the war. That is a specific as the info I have gets for 2/1st .

I think your query about "A" Squadron can be answered in two parts:

1/1st Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry was attached to the Welsh Mounted Brigade on outbreak of war. August of 1914 fond "A" Squadron attached to East Lancs, later the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. The rest of the regiment went to 58th (2nd/1st) London Division - This was a 2nd Line Territorial Force Division. By the autumn of 1915 the regiment (less A Squadron) was split up as divisional cavalry. "A" Squadron had gone to Eqypt with 42nd Div in September 1914, where it remained until 1917. On January 1st 1917 it was transferred to 53rd (Welsh) Division, joining the Division at El Arish On 1st February. A Squadron left the division August 23rd 1917 to join XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment in Palestine and remained there for the rest of the war.

The rest of the regiment, RHQ, C and D Squadrons were split as follows: RHQ and C Squadron went to 23rd Division on June 27th 1915. They landed at Havre on August 28th and were attached to 1st Cav Division. On May 14th 1916, they were sent III Corps Cav Regiment.

D Squadronm followed a similar route, but with 14th (Light Division). On the same date, May 14th 1916, it also went to III Corps Cav Regiment - ( RHQ, C and D Squadrons 1st/1st D of L own Yeomanry and C Squadron 1/ Surrey Yeomanry.)

However, by July 1917 RHQ, C and D squadrons went to GHQ where they were dismounted, and on August 28th to Base depot for infantry training. On September 29th 1917, 7 officers and 125 OR's were absorbed by 12th Battalion Manchester Regiment, 52nd Brigade, 17th (Northern) Division, where it became 12th (Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry) Battalion Manchester Regiment. On August 3rd the Battalion was transferred to 104th Brigade, 34th Division.

I hope this answers your question.

Regards,

Ewan

[War13Memorial]

thanks for all that Ewan

It would be the 2/1st that were stationed in the East Neuk

I see that Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry also in Cupar

I presume the change to the 10th Cyclist Brigade was the connection with the Royal Scots ?

and I think I am correct in saying they were all Territorials, did they change from a Mounted Brigade to a Cyclist Brigade

due to the lack of horses ? or is that too obvious

Billy

[Johno7439]

Billy - 2/1st Westmoreland and Cumberland Yeomanry followed the same path as 2/1st Duke of Lancasters Own Yeomanry in joining the same Cyclist brigade. I am not an expert in the Cyclist Battalions (the only reason I knew they existed is due to 2/1st Battalion Highland Cyclist Battalion being stationed in the town I live in), but I would hazard a stab in the dark that perhaps they had their horses taken off them for Re-mounts? You may well be correct in saying they were all TF units, but again I am not 100% sure. There were 2 Battalions of "Cyclists" within the Royal Scots, 1/10th TF and 2/10th TF. Both were employed on coast defence duties, before being sent to Ireland in 1918. 2/10th went to Archangel in August 1918 and remained there until June 1919.

Ewan