Cheshire Yeomanry

[Alibear27]

My Uncle served in the above throughout WW2 and it has been a long standing family story that he took part in the last charge on horse back. Can anyone tell me if this is true and i'd also like to know where they served throughout the war. His name was Herbert (Bert) Leslie Wright if that's any help!

Cheers!

[Gordon Caldecott]

557998 Trp H L Wright B Sqn the Cheshire Yeomanry, is this your relative?

Have you read the book The Cheshire Yeomanry 1898-1967 bt Lt Col Sir Richard Verdin OBE TD?

There is a chapter about B Sqn in the Syrian Campaign p315-343.

I`m reading it at the moment, but have only got as far as the Inter War period. I`ll skip ahead a bit for you and see what I can find out for you. Will be in touch.

Gordon.

[Gordon Caldecott]

I can tell thus far that he embarked for Haifa on Boxing Day 1939, and served in the Middle East. Over half the book I mentioned earlier covers the Second World War, so it will take me sometime to read it all. I knew the became signallers at some point also. I`ve not heard anything about the last charge on horse back, but I can confirm they were the last Regiment to fight on horse back, whenever that was, maybe that’s were the family story comes from.

Will post more info as I come across it.

Do you have or know which medals he was entitled to?

[Gordon Caldecott]

Can`t find any evidence, of anything relating to the last cavalry charge, however, can confirm that they were the last Regiment, to fight on horse back.

Please get in touch Alibear, as I`d very much like to know more about your relative.

[Martin B]

The action you're referring to took place at Adiesse, near the Palestine / Lebanon border, on the morning of June 8th 1941. B Sqdn, Cheshire (EoC's) Yeomanry were acting in support of 25th Australian Brigade when they encountered Vichy French Spahis on the road outside the village. At the time the action was reported as a 'sabre charge' by the newspapers but the enemy 'retired' before anyone could be accounted for 'at the point of the sword'.

The date and location of the last British cavalry charge is hotly contested but the Cheshire Yeomanry were certainly the last British regiment to see mounted active service.

There is an excellent account of this action in the history referred to above (p 315 on).

My grandfather, Fred Buckley, joined A Squadron in 1930 and took part in training 'charges', "knee to knee with the sword forward and much shouting and hullah ballooing" at the Eaton Hall home of the Duke of Westminster but had left before the war started. He served in the Royal Navy during the war (and on board HMS Fraserburgh mineswept the approach to Sword Beach for 50th Northumbrian Division on the morning of D-Day) and thus saw service life from two very different angles. He will be 100 this month. His friend, Fred Ball, from Chester served as Tpr 553680 and is mentioned in the book (p429).

Each year, on armistice day, I lay a wreath in Ypres remembering 10th (Shropshire and Cheshire Yeomanry) Btn, King's Shropshire LI, with whom the Cheshire Yeomanry served as part of the 74th Yeomanry Division during the campaigns of 1918.

When my father joined up he wore the same Prince of Wales's plumes as his father had although serving with a different regiment (10th Hussars).

Hope this is of interest.

Cheers

Martin