Kent Yeomanry | |
---|---|
Active | 20 August 1920 – 1 May 1961 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type |
Field Artillery Light Anti-Aircraft Artillery |
Size | One Regiment Two Regiments (Second World War) |
Peacetime HQ | Maidstone |
Engagements |
The Kent Yeomanry was an artillery regiment of the Territorial Army formed in 1920 by the amalgamation of the Royal East Kent (The Duke of Connaught's Own) Yeomanry (Mounted Rifles) and West Kent Yeomanry (Queen's Own). For the Second World War it was expanded to form two field artillery regiments – 97th (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery and 143rd (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery – which saw active service in North Africa, Italy and North-West Europe, both with the BEF in 1940 and on the Second Front in 1944–45. Post war it was reconstituted as 297th (Kent Yeomanry) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery before being amalgamated in 1961 with the 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) to form the Kent and Sharpshooters Yeomanry.
Following the experience of the First World War, it was decided that only the fourteen most senior yeomanry regiments would be retained as horsed cavalry, with the rest being transferred to other roles. As a result, on 20 August 1920, the Royal East Kent (The Duke of Connaught's Own) Yeomanry (Mounted Rifles) was amalgamated with the West Kent Yeomanry (Queen's Own) to form the Kent Yeomanry and simultaneously re-roled as field artillery to form 6th (Kent) Army Brigade, RFA.