Denbighshire Hussars

After Britain was drawn into the French Revolutionary Wars, the government of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger proposed on 14 March 1794 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.[1] A Troop of Gentlemen and Yeoman of Wrexham was formed on 23 May 1795 at Wrexham, a rapidly growing industrial town in Denbighshire, North Wales. Another Troop was raised at Denbigh in 1799. In 1803, when the short-lived Peace of Amiens broke down and the Napoleonic Wars began, two more Troops were raised and the force became a regiment as the Wrexham Yeomanry Cavalry.[2][3][4]

By 26 January 1820, when the regiment became the Denbighshire Yeomanry Cavalry, there were five Troops. When Government support of the Yeomanry was withdrawn in 1828 the regiment carried on without pay until 1831 when pay for drills and periods of service was restored.[2][3] Although the Yeomanry generally declined in importance and numbers after the end of the French wars,[5] the Denbigh regiment was sometimes called out to suppress riots. It was used to quell a disturbance by colliery workers in Rhosllannerchrugog in 1830: the colliery workers were angered by the truck shop system that forced them to spend their wages in shops owned by their employers and planned to destroy a truck shop owned by the British Ironworks Company. The Regiment was ordered out on patrol to 'terrify the mob.'[4] At an incident in Rhosllannerchrugog, known as the Battle of Cinder Hill, overzealous troops had to be brought under control after a demonstrator threw a firework at the soldiers.[4]

In the 1860s, most of the regiment's officers were former officers in the 1st or 2nd Life Guards, led by the commanding officer (CO), Lieutenant-Colonel Charles John Tottenham of Plas Berwyn, Denbighshire, (late of the 2nd LG and High Sheriff of Denbighshire) who was appointed to the command on 12 June 1857. He was simultaneously CO of the Royal Merioneth Militia. He held the Yeomanry command until he retired and became the regiment's Honorary Colonel on 30 May 1874.[6][7] He was succeeded as CO by Lt-Col Tom Naylor-Leyland of Nantclwyd Hall, Ruthin (also late of the 2nd LG).[6][8][9] The regimental headquarters was at Llangollen, moving to Ruthin in the 1870s.[6]

The Regiment became the Denbighshire (Hussars) Yeomanry Cavalry in 1876.[2][6]

Imperial Yeomanry galloping over a plain during the Second Boer War.

The Yeomanry was not intended to serve overseas, but 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, particularly mounted troops. On 13 December, the War Office decided to allow volunteer forces to serve in the field, and a Royal Warrant was issued on 24 December that officially created the Imperial Yeomanry (IY). The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each. In addition to this, many British citizens (usually mid-upper class) volunteered to join the new force.[10][11][12][13]

The Denbighshire Hussars raised the 29th (Denbighshire) Company for the IY, which arrived in South Africa on 5 March 1900 and served in 9th Battalion, IY.[2][13][14][15][16] The company served until 1901, earning the regiment its first Battle honour: South Africa 1900–01.[2][6][17]

Denbighshire Hussars Sergeant, 1907

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 Denbighshire Hussars, now the Denbighshire Imperial Yeomanry.[2][6]

In the early 1900s the regiment's C Squadron recruited in neighbouring Caernarvonshire and included a Troop from Anglesey, while D Squadron recruited in neighbouring Cheshire.[2][18]

A.G. Edwards, Bishop of St Asaph, was appointed the regiment's Honorary Chaplain in 1902, attaining the rank of Chaplain 1st Class (TF) in 1906. [6][19]

The Imperial Yeomanry were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908.[20][21][22] and the regiment was officially titled the Denbighshire Yeomanry (Hussars) with the following organisation:[2][6]

• A Squadron at Wrexham, with detachments at Market Street, Llangollen,[23] Earl Street, Mold, Flintshire[24] and Ruabon
• B Squadron at Love Lane, Denbigh,[25] with detachments at Prestatyn,[26] John Street, Rhyl,[27][28] and Denbigh Road, Ruthin[23][29]
• C Squadron at Glynne Road, Bangor,[30][31] with detachments at Caernarvon, Argyll Road, Llandudno[31][32] and Beaumaris
• D Squadron at 24 Clifon Road, Tranmere, Birkenhead, Cheshire[33]

In 1911 the Regiment had the honour of being the escort to the Prince of Wales to his Investiture at Caernarfon Castle.[4] In 1913 the regiment moved its headquarters to Hightown Barracks in Wrexham where it remained throughout the First World War.[4][2][6]

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.[34]

Royal Artillery cap badge, worn 1922–1949

Postwar, 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 there were too many mounted units. 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[lower-alpha 3] of the Royal Field Artillery between 1920 and 1922.[55]

The Denbighshire Yeomanry was one of the regiments converted to artillery; it was re-roled as a medium artillery formation, and amalgamated with the 61st Medium Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery (the former 1st Carnarvonshire Artillery Volunteers), to form 61 Medium Regiment, RA, (Caernarvon and Denbigh Yeomanry), with the following organisation:[2][6][56][57][58]

• HQ at Colwyn Bay
• 241 (Carnarvon) Battery at Bangor, from 61st Medium Bde
• 242 (Carnarvon) Battery at Llandudno, from Denbighshire Yeomanry
• 243 (Denbigh) Battery at Colwyn Bay, from Denbighshire Yeomanry
• 244 (Denbigh) Battery at Wrexham, from Denbighshire Yeomanry

The Royal Garrison Artillery was subsumed into the Royal Artillery (RA) in 1924, and the RA adopted the term 'regiment' in place of 'brigade' in 1938.[2][6][56]

In 1947 the regiment reformed as an artillery formation as 361st (Carnarvonshire and Denbigh Yeomanry) Medium Regiment.[2][56] The CO was Lt-Col Owen Williams-Wynn, son of the regiment's Honorary Colonel and himself the former adjutant of the regiment 1936–39.[6][62]

In 1956 the regiment merged with the 384th (Royal Welch Fusiliers) Light Regiment, Royal Artillery to become the 372nd (Flintshire and Denbighshire Yeomanry) Regiment. The Regiment effectively ceased to exist in 1968, although it continued in name as a cadre until it was amalgamated in 1971 with the Welsh Volunteers to become the 3rd (V) Bn Royal Welch Fusiliers, in which form its lineage was continued until 1999 as a unit of the Territorial Army. In 1969, Cadre members formed part of the military route-lining party for the Investiture of the Prince of Wales at Caernarfon.[2][56][58]

On 1 April 2014, the unit became 398 (Flint & Denbighshire Yeomanry) Squadron, Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) and took on a new primary role as Drivers within 157 (Welsh) Regiment RLC. They have other secondary duties and can be trained as ammunition technicians, logistic specialists, logistic communications specialists and chefs among other trades open to all with the RLC.[63]

The Denbighshire Hussars wore a dark blue Hussar tunic with scarlet facings and six rows of white cord, and dark blue overalls or pantaloons with red stripes. The Busby had a white-braided scarlet bag and white plume.[6][64]

When the regiment became Imperial Yeomanry in 1901 it adopted a drab uniform with scarlet facings and white plume, but later reverted to the blue hussar uniform in full dress.[4][6]

In 1949 the 361st Med Rgt replaced the Royal Artillery 'gun' badge with one of their own design. It comprised the Prince of Wales's feathers, coronet, and motto Ich Dien, above a scroll inscribed 'CAERNARVON & DENBIGH YEO'. The feathers and motto were in white metal and the coronet and scroll in gilt. RA 'bomb' collar badges' continued to be worn.[56]

The following served as Honorary Colonel of the unit:[6]

• Charles John Tottenham, former CO, appointed 30 May 1874
• Arthur Mesham, former CO, appointed 20 February 1892
• Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 9th Baronet, KCB, DSO, TD, appointed 7 February 1923[62]
• Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 10th Baronet, former CO of 361 Medium Rgt 1947–52, appointed 1952[62]

There is a memorial to the 17 men of 29th (Denbighshire) Company Imperial Yeomanry who died on active service during the Second Boer War inside St Giles Parish Church in Wrexham.[65][66]

The Denbighshire Yeomanry was awarded the following battle honours (honours in bold are emblazoned on the guidon):[2][6]

• Imperial Yeomanry
• List of Yeomanry Regiments 1908
• Yeomanry
• Yeomanry order of precedence
• British yeomanry during the First World War
• Second line yeomanry regiments of the British Army
• List of British Army Yeomanry Regiments converted to Royal Artillery

• L.S. Amery (ed), The Times History of the War in South Africa 1899-1902, London: Sampson Low, Marston, 6 Vols 1900–09; Appendix to Chapters I-XIV, pp. 503–14.
• Becke, Major A.F. (1936). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56). London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 1-871167-12-4.
• Becke, Major A.F. (1937). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2B. The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th) with The Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 1-871167-00-0.
• Becke, Major A.F. (1945). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 3B. New Army Divisions (30–41) & 63rd (RN) Division. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 1-871167-08-6.
• Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 100th Edn, London, 1953.
• Col John K. Dunlop, The Development of the British Army 1899–1914, London: Methuen, 1938.
• Frederick, J.B.M. (1984). Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978. Wakefield, Yorkshire: Microform Academic Publishers. ISBN 1-85117-009-X.
• Haythornthwaite, Philip J. (1996). The World War One Source Book. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 1-85409-351-7.
• James, Brigadier E.A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18. London: Samson Books Limited. ISBN 0-906304-03-2.
• N.B. Leslie, Battle Honours of the British and Indian Armies 1695–1914, London: Leo Cooper, 1970, ISBN 0-85052-004-5.
• Norman E.H. Litchfield, The Territorial Artillery 1908–1988 (Their Lineage, Uniforms and Badges), Nottingham: Sherwood Press, 1992, ISBN 0-9508205-2-0.
• Mileham, Patrick (1994). The Yeomanry Regiments; 200 Years of Tradition. Edinburgh: Canongate Academic. ISBN 1-898410-36-4.
• Rinaldi, Richard A (2008). Order of Battle of the British Army 1914. Ravi Rikhye. ISBN 978-0-9776072-8-0.
• Col H.C.B. Rogers, The Mounted Troops of the British Army 1066–1945, London: Seeley Service, 1959.
• Edward M. Spiers, The Army and Society 1815–1914, London: Longmans, 1980, ISBN 0-582-48565-7.

• Anglo Boer War
• Clwyd Family History
• The Drill Hall Project
• Great War Centenary Drill Halls.
• Imperial War Museum, War Memorials Register
• Baker, Chris. "The Denbighshire Yeomanry". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
• Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth – Regiments.org (archive site)
• Roll of Honour
• Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum