South Nottinghamshire Hussars

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South Nottinghamshire Hussars
150px
Badge of the South Nottinghamshire Hussars
Active 1798–present
Country  United Kingdom
Branch Flag of the British Army.svg British Army
Type Yeomanry
Size Regiment
Part of Royal Artillery
Battle honours Second World War
No battle honours were awarded. It is tradition within artillery units that the regiment's guns represent its colours and battle honours.[1]

The South Nottinghamshire Hussars were a unit of the British Army formed as volunteer cavalry in 1794. Converted to artillery in 1922, it now forms a battery of a Territorial Army regiment.

History

First World War

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. 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.[2]

1/1st South Nottinghamshire Hussars

The 1st was formed in Nottingham in April 1908 at the creation of the new Territorial Force and became part of the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade which was a component of the 1st Mounted Division.[3] It became the 1/1st in 1914 when the TF created its second-line units. The Brigade was transferred to serve with the 2nd Mounted Division, and saw service in the Gallipoli Campaign, In 1916 the Division was broken up and the Brigade was re designated the 7th Mounted Brigade and moved to Salonika in 1917.[3]

They returned to Egypt in June 1917 where they were attached to the Desert Mounted Corps, until April 1918, when they left the Brigade, and were dismounted to form B Battalion, Machine Gun Corps with the 1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry.[3]

They left Egypt for France, arriving in June 1918.[3] It was later numbered as 100th (Warwickshire and South Nottinghamshire Yeomanry) Battalion, Machine Gun Corps.[4] At the Armistice, it was serving as Army Troops with the Fourth Army.[5]

2/1st South Nottinghamshire Hussars

The 2nd Line regiment began to form in Nottingham on 20 September 1914. It was based at Colwick Racecourse for the winter of 1914/15. At the end of February 1915 it moved to Ollerton and joined the 2/1st Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade. By June the brigade was in the 2/2nd Mounted Division at Narford Park near Swaffham.[6] On 31 March 1916, the remaining Mounted Brigades were ordered to be numbered in a single sequence[7] and the brigade became the 9th Mounted Brigade (and the division 3rd Mounted Division).[6]

In July 1916 there was a major reorganization of 2nd Line yeomanry units in the United Kingdom. All but 12 regiments were converted to cyclists[7] and as a consequence the regiment was dismounted; the brigade was redesignated as 9th Cyclist Brigade and the division as the 1st Cyclist Division. The regiment was in the Canterbury area and was still there when the brigade was renumbered as 5th Cyclist Brigade in November 1916. The regiment remained near Canterbury in 1917 and the brigade was an independent formation from September to December 1917. During 1918 the regiment was at Littlebourne (near Canterbury), still in 5th Cyclist Brigade but now in The Cyclist Division.[6]

3/1st South Nottinghamshire Hussars

The 3rd Line regiment was formed at Ollerton in May 1915. In September it moved to Derby and was affiliated to the 14th Reserve Cavalry Regiment at Aldershot. In October 1916, it moved to Ireland with the 14th Reserve Cavalry Regiment and in February 1917 it was absorbed into the 2nd Reserve Cavalry Regiment at The Curragh.[6]

Second World War

During the Second World War, the regiment again saw service and consisted of the 107 Royal Horse Artillery (South Notts Hussars Yeomanry)[8] and the 150 Royal Horse Artillery (South Notts Hussars Yeomanry).[9]

107th (South Nottinghamshire Hussars) Regiment, RHA

The 107 Royal Horse Artillery (South Notts Hussars Yeomanry) consisted of three batteries the 425th, the 426th and the 520th it was at the start of the war part of Northern Command and then under the command of the 1st Cavalry Division and served in Palestine, Mersa Matruh, Egypt, Suez Canal, Tobruk, Tmini, Nile Delta, Sidi Bishr (Alexandria), Beni Yusef.[8]

Equipment

The 107th was equipped with the following during the course of the war:

16 x 18 pdr Mk IV & Lorries
Ordnance QF 18 pounderMk II
18 pdr Mk IIPA , 425 Bty
4.5-inch howitzer , 426 Bty
25 pdr & Quads, Bren Carrier OP[8]

150th (South Nottinghamshire Hussars) Regiment, RHA

The 150th was also part of Northern Command at the start of the war but only had two batteries the 434th and the 435th. As the war progressed, 510th Battery was formed.[9] During the war it was at various times part of the 148th Infantry Brigade, 79th Armoured Division and 4th AGRA. It was equipped with 25pdr field guns for the first time in November 1940, whilst stationed in Ireland. It was the first TA Artillery Unit to be equipped with the brand new MKII 25pdr, on MKII Chassis. Half of the Regiment landed ah 1500hrs on D-Day, 6 June 1944. The other half on D+3. 3 members of the unit landed with 9 PARA at H-Hour -9 to act as "gunner liaison" to Major General "Windy" Gale.

150th (SNH Yeo) Regt RHA was disbanded in November 1944, owing to a lack of Infantry in the British Army, but an excess of gunners without guns.[10]

Postwar

The two regiments were reconstituted in the TA in 1947, the 107th as 307th (RHA) (South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry) Field Regiment, RA, the 150th becoming 350th (South Nottinghamshire Hussars Yeomanry) Heavy Regiment, RA. The 350th later merged into 350 (Robin Hood Foresters) Light Regiment, RA, while the 307th continues as a battery in the present day Reserve Force.[11] 307th Battery is in 100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery but is due to be placed in suspended animation under Army 2020 plans.[12]

Present day

Today the regiment is perpetuated in the 100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery which is a British Territorial Army Royal Artillery Regiment that has three gun batteries, all equipped with the L118 Light Gun.

The Batteries are:

201 (Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Battery.
266 (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Battery.
307 (South Nottinghamshire Hussars) Battery.

The regimental cap badge continues to be worn by members of C Battery (SNH) Nottinghamshire Army Cadet Force.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Rinaldi 2008, p. 35
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ BEF GHQ 1918, p. 104
  5. ↑ BEF GHQ 1918, p. 22
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 James 1978, p. 26
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 James 1978, p. 36
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Dobson 1948
  11. ↑ Regiments.org
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Bibliography

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External links

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