The Pembroke Yeomanry was an auxiliary regiment of the British Army dating back to 1794. It saw active service in the French Revolutionary War, the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II. Its lineage is maintained by 224 (Pembroke Yeomanry) Transport Squadron, part of 157 (Welsh) Regiment RLC in the Army Reserve.
French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
After Britain was drawn into the French Revolutionary Wars, Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger proposed on 14 March 1794 that the counties should form a force of Volunteer Yeoman Cavalry (Yeomanry) that could be called on by the King to defend the nation against invasion or by the Lord Lieutenant to subdue any civil disorder within the county. By the end of the year 27 counties had raised Yeomanry.Rogers, p. 145.Talbot. Lord Milford, Lord Lieutenant of Haverfordwest and Pembrokeshire, was one of the first to act and the Castlemartin Troop was raised at Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire, on 22 April 1794 by John Campbell (later Lord Cawdor). Except in the case of actual invasion it was only to operate within Pembrokeshire and the neighbouring counties of Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire. The Pembroke Yeoman Cavalry of four troops followed on 17 July under the personal command of Lord Milford.Campbell.Frederick, pp. 47–8.
Fishguard
In February 1797 a French Republican fleet and landing force was spotted off the West of England and the coast defences were alerted. Unable to enter the Bristol Channel because of adverse winds, the French made for Cardigan Bay, appearing off Fishguard in Pembrokeshire on the afternoon of 22 February. A warning shot from the fort showed that the harbour was defended, so the French landed in the evening at Carregwastad Point, to the west. The landing force under Chef de brigade William Tate consisted of the Légion Noire, around 1300 strong, around half of them recruited from French convicts and foreign prisoners-of-war. Expecting a republican uprising in their favour, the force also landed additional arms and ammunition. At dawn on 23 February the French ships left, while the Legion posted an advance guard and patrols in the Carn Wnda hills and completed the unloading of stores on Goodwick Sands. Meanwhile, Lord Milford was gathering troops at Haverfordwest, including the Castlemartin Troop (3 officers and 43 cavalry), a company of the Cardiganshire Militia relieved from guarding prisoners-of-war at Pembroke (3 officers and 100 infantry), a company of the Pembroke Volunteer Infantry from Milford Haven (3 officers and 93 infantry), and 7 officers and 150 seamen with two 9-pounder guns from the Revenue Cutters-based there. Lord Cawdor led this force towards Fishguard, meeting the Fishguard and Newport Volunteer Infantry (3 officers and 191 infantry) who were retiring from the town. Cawdor then force-marched the whole group towards Fishguard, which was still unoccupied by the enemy when he arrived at 17.00 and set up his headquarters at the Royal Oak Inn. The Legion's outposts reported an enemy force approaching, its numbers inflated by the numerous onlookers on the surrounding hills, some armed with pitchforks, and including some hundreds of Welsh women in their traditional red shawls and tall black hats, whose appearance at a distance resembled redcoated infantry. Faced with the total breakdown of discipline amongst his Legion, who were looting every farm in the vicinity, and believing that he was facing a superior force, Tate sent a message to Cawdor that night offering to surrender on terms. Bluffing, Cawdor demanded unconditional surrender by 10.00 next morning, which Tate and his officers accepted. The Legion surrendered on Goodwick Sands, ending the Battle of Fishguard, 'the last invasion of Britain'.Maurice-Jones, pp. 87–90.Owen, Pembrokeshire, pp. 74, 97–9.Sleigh, p. 28.
Two of the French frigates involved in the expedition were captured on the way home and one was re-commissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS Fisgard. The Pembroke Yeomanry (Castlemartin) became the first auxiliary unit of the British Army to receive a Battle honour when Queen Victoria conferred the honour Fishguard upon the regiment on 28 May 1853, and it is the only unit still serving in the British Army to bear the name of an engagement on British soil.Leslie.
As the war continued, further yeomanry units were later raised in Pembrokeshire: a fifth troop for the Pembroke Yeoman Cavalry in 1798, an independent Narberth Troop at Narberth, Pembrokeshire, in May 1798, and the Haverfordwest Yeomanry Cavalry of two troops on 17 April 1801. The Treaty of Amiens signed on 25 March 1802 appeared to have ended the war, and the yeomanry and volunteers were stood down.
When the Peace of Amiens broke down and the war was resumed in 1803, three yeomanry units were reformed in Pembrokeshire:War Office, 1805 List. Castlemartin Cavalry (3 Trps), Capt Adams commissioned 28 July 1803 Haverfordwest Cavalry (1 Trp), Capt John Allen commissioned 10 December 1803 (other officers 17 April 1801) Pembroke Cavalry, under Lt-Col Commandant Sir Hugh Owen, 6th Baronet of Orielton, commissioned 9 November 1803, formed by regimenting independent troops: Dungleddy Yeomanry Cavalry, raised 1802 North Pembroke Yeomanry Cavalry (2 Trps), raised at Picton? 9 November 1803 Sir Hugh Owen's Orielton Yeomanry Cavalry (2 Trps), raised 7 November 1803
The Pembroke Cavalry was disbanded by 1810 leaving only the Castlemartin and Haverfordwest units at troop strength.
19th century Although the militia and remaining infantry volunteers were stood down at the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the yeomanry was kept in being because of its usefulness for internal security.Spiers, p. 79. The Pembroke Yeomanry were called out to deal with corn riots at Fishguard in 1817. An additional troop was raised at Picton in 1819 and amalgamated with the Haverfordwest Cavalry. The government withdrew funding for the yeomanry in 1827 and they were disbanded. However, the two Pembrokeshire troops continued without pay until the revival of the yeomanry to deal with the growing civil unrest. The troops were re-accepted in 1830 and regimented to form the Castlemartin Yeomanry Cavalry. A St Bride's Troop was added in 1833.
The regiment was called out numerous times between 1839 and 1843 to deal with the Turnpike Gate Riots or Rebecca Riots. The first time was at Tavernspite in 1839, then at St Clears in neighbouring Carmarthenshire in 1843 when they were out for 26 days. From 26 June to 18 November 1843 the regiment was on continuous service (by alternate troops), a total of 171 days in support of the civil powers in the year. George Bowling of Holyland, near Pembroke, had been appointed Major-Commandant of the regiment on 10 April 1843.
Major-Commandant Bowling was succeeded by Captain Henry Leach of Corston House, a former officer in the Scots Fusilier Guards, who was promoted on 12 June 1852.London Gazette, 18 June 1852. Major Leach died in 1864 and Capt Baron de Rutzen, of Slebech Hall who had been first commissioned as a cornet in the regiment on 29 May 1847, was promoted to succeed him on 20 May 1864.Army List, various dates.London Gazette, 17 June 1856.London Gazette, 20 May 1864.
In 1871 the Regulation of the Forces Act transferred control of the yeomanry from their county lords-lieutenant to the War Office. Regiments with fewer than four troops were required to raise the additional numbers or face disbandment or amalgamation. The Pembroke Yeomanry raised a fourth 'Dungleddy and North-East Troop', and the regiment was upgraded to a lieutenant-colonel's command: Maj Baron de Rutzen was promoted on 21 February 1871. At this time the regimental headquarters (RHQ) was at Haverfordwest.Owen, Montgomeryshire, p. 86.London Gazette, 24 February 1871.
In 1893 the yeomanry regiments were reorganised into squadrons:
A Squadron: A (Pembroke) Trp B (Tenby & Narberth) Trp
B Squadron: C (Haverfordwest) Trp D (Dungleddy & North-East) Trp
Also in 1893 the yeomanry regiments were brigaded in pairs, but the Pembroke regiment was the only one to remain unbrigaded, probably because of its remoteness.Dunlop, p. 52. As a largely rural county the population of Pembrokeshire was too small to support a full regiment, and the Pembroke Yeomanry was now recruiting outside its borders in Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire.John, pp. 15–6. The 'Field Troop' was raised at Llanelli in Carmarthenshire in 1899. Initially it formed part of A Sqn, but it was soon redesignated as C (Carmarthenshire) Sqn.
Imperial Yeomanry Second Boer War
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. On 13 December, the decision to allow volunteer forces to serve in South Africa was made, and a Royal Warrant was issued on 24 December. This officially created the Imperial Yeomanry (IY). The force was organised as county service companies of approximately 115 men signed up for one year, and volunteers from the Yeomanry and civilians (usually middle and upper class) quickly filled the new force, which was equipped to operate as Mounted infantry.Rogers, p. 228.Spiers, p. 239.Dunlop, pp. 104–18.IY at Anglo-Boer War. The Pembroke Yeomanry raised the 30th (Pembrokeshire) Company, which landed in South Africa on 6 April and served in 9th (Welsh) Battalion, IY. After the first contingent's tour of duty, a relief company was raised to replace them in 1901. Both companies saw considerable action.Frederick, p. 370.IY Companies at Roll of Honour.
The service of the 30th (Pembrokeshire) Company earned the regiment its second battle honour: South Africa, 1901.
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 RHQ and four squadrons with a machine gun section. The regiment was redesignated the Pembroke Imperial Yeomanry (Castlemartin) in 1901 and raised D (Cardiganshire) Sqn at Lampeter in 1901. RHQ was now at The Norton drill hall, Tenby.Ryan (1957). On 27 January 1902 Lt-Col Frederick Meyrick (later Sir Frederick Meyrick, 2nd Baronet), a former officer in the 15th Hussars who had been commanding 5th Bn IY, in South Africa, was appointed commanding officer.Burke's: Meyrick.
Territorial Force
The Imperial Yeomanry were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908.London Gazette, 20 March 1908.Dunlop, Chapter 14.Spiers, Chapter 10. The Pembroke Yeomanry transferred on 1 April 1908, dropping 'Imperial' from its title. It was now organised as follows:Pembroke Yeomanry at Long, Long Trail. RHQ at The Norton Drill Hall, Tenby A Sqn at Tenby, with drill stations at Main Street, Pembroke;Pembroke at Drill Hall Project. Maiden Wells; St Florence;Pembrokeshire Drill Stations at Drill Hall Project. Manorbier; Kilgetty and Templeton B Sqn at Upper Market Street, Haverfordwest;Haverfordwest at Drill Hall Project. with drill stations at Clarbeston Road; Newgale; Johnston; Newport; and Fishguard C Sqn at Carmarthen,Carmarthen at Drill Hall Project. with drill stations at Whitland; Murray Street, Llanelli;Llanelli at Drill Hall Project. Crescent Road, Llandeilo;Llandilo at Drill Hall Project. Llangadock;Carmarthenshire Drill Stations at Drill Hall Project. Pantglas; Ferryside; Pembroke Dock; and Llandovery D Sqn at Lampeter,Lampeter at Drill Hall Project. with drill stations at Park Avenue, Aberystwyth;Aberystwyth at Drill Hall Project. Tregaron;Cardiganshire Drill Stations at Drill Hall Project. Llandysul; Aberaeron; and Llanybydder