Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry
| Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry | |
|---|---|
Cap badge of the Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry
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| Active | 1794 – 20 August 1920 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 British Army
|
| Type |
Yeomanry Infantry |
| Size | Regiment Three Regiments (First World War) |
| Peacetime HQ | Maidstone |
| Motto(s) | "Liberty, Loyalty, Property" |
| Engagements | |
South Africa 1900–01
First World War
The Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry can trace its origins to 1794 when local volunteer troops were raised to assist the civil powers. Each troop was about 50 strong with three officers (Captain, Lieutenant, Cornet), they were required to provide their own uniforms and mounts while the government would supply their arms and ammunition.
In 1827 the government disbanded the Yeomanry Regiments in those districts where they had not been mobilised in the previous 10 years. The Kent Regiment was stood down and their equipment returned to the regular army. But for this gap in service, the Kent Yeomanry formations would have been the most senior Yeomanry Regiments in the country in terms of the date of acceptance of its senior troop - the Cinque Ports Cavalry.
In 1830 the West Kent Yeomanry was reformed and in 1864 the West Kent Yeomanry was awarded the title Queen's Own and became known as the Queen's Own West Kent Yeomany.
On December 13, 1899, the decision to allow volunteer forces serve in the Second Boer War was made. Due to the string of defeats during Black Week in December 1899, the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army, thus issuing a Royal Warrant on December 24, 1899. This warrant officially created the Imperial Yeomanry.
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 regiment. Although there were strict requirements, many volunteers were accepted with substandard horsemanship/marksmanship, however they had significant time to train while awaiting transport.
The first contingent of recruits contained 550 officers, 10,371 men with 20 battalions and four companies, which arrived in South Africa between February and April, 1900. Upon arrival, the regiment was sent throughout the zone of operations.
The Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry provided troops for the 36th Company, 9th Battalion.
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Wikipedia