The Montgomeryshire Yeomanry was a Welsh auxiliary unit of the British Army first formed in 1803. It served in home defence and for internal security, including deployments to deal with Chartist disturbances in the 1830s. It provided volunteers to the Imperial Yeomanry during the Second Boer War and formed three regiments for service during World War I. It was broken up and converted to infantry and artillery in 1920.
Napoleonic Wars During the French Revolutionary Wars of the 1790s a number of English and Welsh counties formed part-time units of Yeomanry Cavalry and Volunteer Infantry for home defence and internal security duties. The Welsh county of Montgomeryshire failed to raise any yeomanry or volunteers at this time.Owen, pp. 54–8. However, after the short-lived Peace of Amiens broke down in 1803, under the leadership of Charles Watkin Williams-Wynn, Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire, the county rapidly two formed Troops of Yeomanry cavalry, at Montgomery and Welshpool by August 1803. Williams-Wynn took command as Major-Commandant, and a third troop soon followed at Newtown and Abermule. By 2 November this had expanded into a large force, the Montgomeryshire Volunteer Legion. In contemporary terminology a 'Legion' was an all-arms force, and soon after its formation the Montgomeryshire unit comprised three Troops of Yeomanry cavalry each 40 strong, and 20 Companies of Volunteer infantry, with Watkins-Wynn as Lieutenant-Colonel-Commandant and commander of the legion's cavalry. Charles Hanbury-Tracy was the second lieutenant-colonel.Frederick, pp. 43–4.Owen, pp. 62–8.War Office, 1805 List.Montgomeryshire Yeomanry at Regiments.org.Sleigh, p. 23.
The legion's cavalry established its headquarters at Trehelig-gro, Welshpool. It carried out 14 days' training at Wrexham in 1804, and 21 days at Shrewsbury in 1805, after which activity declined. By 1808, Volunteers numbers were falling and government dissatisfaction led to their replacement by a force of Local Militia, whose ranks could if necessary be filled by compulsion using the Militia ballot. Many Volunteer units chose to transfer to the new force en masse, and the Montgomeryshire Legion infantry easily filled the new Eastern and Western Montgomeryshire Local Militia. The cavalry troops however remained in being as the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry Cavalry, increased to a strength of 184 all ranks by September 1809. Training was held at Oswestry in October 1809 (8 days), and at Welshpool in 1810 (12 days), 1812 (14 days) and 1813 (14 days) A further troop was raised at Berriew in May 1813, bringing the establishment of the unit (termed a 'corps') up to 238, and from that year the Yeomanry received Regular Army pay when training.Owen, pp. 69–73.Owen, pp. 75–9.
19th Century The wars ended with the Battle of Waterloo. The militia and local militia were stood down, but recognising their usefulness as an aid to the civil power, the government kept the yeomanry in being. The Montgomeryshire Yeomanry was drawn out for training in 1815 and 1817. During the summer of 1819 it sent a troop to deal with disturbances in Newtown and Abermule and because of the unrest two further troops were raised in December that year, at Llangedwyn and Llanfyllin, giving the unit the status of a regiment. In 1821 the establishment of each troop was raised to 50 privates. Training was carried out each year until 1826, when the regiment was organised as follows: 1st Troop (Newtown) – Captain Edward Farmer, 48 men 2nd Troop (Montgomery) – Capt Pryce Devereaux, 61 men 3rd Troop (Llanfyllin) – Capt Wythen Jones, 48 men 4th Troop (Llangedwyn) – Capt David Pugh, 53 men 5th Troop (Berriew) – Capt Winder Lyon, 55 men 6th Troop (Welshpool) – Capt A.D. Jones, 46 men
However, in 1827 the government withdrew funding from the yeomanry. As the officers and men of the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry were unwilling to serve at their own expense, the regiment was disbanded in March 1828.
Chartist disturbances Within three years, a wave of unrest across the country led to a number of yeomanry regiments being reformed. In view of the civil disturbances in north-east Wales, Charles Watkins-Wyn applied to reform the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry. Approval to reform a regiment of four troops was received on 13 January 1831 and they were organised as follows:Owen, pp. 80–5. Berriew Troop – Capt J.W.L. Winder; disbanded by September 1831 Newtown Troop – Capt H.A. Proctor Montgomery Troop – Capt Rice Pryce Buckley Williams (promoted to major 4 May 1837) Welshpool Troop – Capt J. Davies Corrie Llangedwyn Troop – Capt A. Bonner Maurice; authorised 25 February 1831
The establishment of a troop was 50 privates, soon raised to 63, giving a total strength of 296 all ranks. They assembled at Welshpool for training in October 1831, most of the men having been in the earlier regiment. Training was carried out at Welshpool or Newtown almost each year thereafter. In the autumn of 1832 it provided the escort when the Duchess of Kent and Princess (later Queen) Victoria visited Powis Castle.
Although the government reduced Yeomanry funding again in 1838, the Montgomeryshire regiment was unaffected because of the continuing unrest in the county. In December 1837 two troops had been called out to deal with Chartist disturbances at Caersws but the use of force was not required. Troops were called out again in May and December 1838. The worst trouble came in May 1839 when Chartist activities at Llanidloes led to the despatch of three police officers from London and the swearing-in of 200 Special constables. The arrest of three activists angered the Chartists, and an armed mob rescued the prisoners and caused damage to property. The Montgomeryshire Yeomanry, 200 strong, reinforced by four troops of the South Salopian Yeomanry marched from Welshpool to Llandiloes, arriving on 4 May, by which time the town was in the hands of the insurgents. The yeomanry immediately searched the town, making a number of arrests, uncovering arms caches, and restoring order. Further reinforced by two companies of the 14th Foot next day, the yeomanry conducted further searches and pursuits of the ringleaders. After thee days the area was quiet again and the yeomanry were stood down on 10 May. The Home Secretary congratulated the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry on their prompt assembly when called out, and for their service.Talbot.
Lieutenant-Col Williams-Wynn retired at the age of 77 in 1844 and from 26 January the commanding officer (CO) was Lt-Col Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 6th Baronet of Wynnstay, a former officer in the 1st Life Guards (as were a number of the regiment's officers). He was simultaneously Lt-Col of the 1st Denbighshire Rifle Volunteers from 1862. Under his command the regiment's drill and efficiency was improved, and about 1850 its old flintlock pistols were replaced by Carbines. From 1851 the regiment was organised as follows:Army List, various dates.Burkes: Williams-Wynn Baronets. 1st (later A) Trp (Newtown) – Maj Viscount Seaham, later Earl Vane (formerly 1st LG) 2nd (later B) Trp (Berriew) – Capt C.W. Williams-Wynn 3rd (later C) Trp (Welshpool) – Capt R.D. Jones 4th (later D) Trp (Llangedwyn) – Capt R.M.B. Maurice E Trp (Lalnfyllin) – Capt John Dugdale of Llwyn; reformed 1862 F Trp (Caersws) – Capt W.H. Adams; reformed 1862
Cardwell Reforms The Cardwell Reforms of 1871 saw the Yeomanry transferred from the county Lords-Lieutenant to the War Office. Training was improved for officers and permanent staff drill-sergeants, musketry training was improved, and regiments were drilled as squadrons of two troops.Owen, pp. 86–90. Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn retired in June 1877 and became the regiment's Honorary Colonel. Major C.W. Williams-Wynn was promoted to succeed him, and in turn was replaced in June 1878 by Sir Watkin's nephew, Sir William Granville Williams, 4th Baronet of Bodelwyddan,Burkes: Williams Baronets.
The Montgomeryshire Yeomanry had been re-equipped with the Westley Richards .499 calibre breechloading carbine in 1871, and was rearmed again by 1881 with the Snider .577 carbine. Captain Aubone G. Fife, formerly of the 6th Dragoon Guards, appointed adjutant in 1882, laid great emphasis on musketry training, but this was hampered by the lack of suitable ranges for these more powerful and longer-range weapons. A partial solution was provided by Capt R. Pryce Jones, who refurbished the old volunteer ranges at Penarth at his own expense. The Snider was replaced by the Martini–Henry .455 calibre carbine in 1886, and in 1889 a new range was built at Llangedwynn for the Llangedwynn and Llanfyllin troops. Regimental headquarters (RHQ) was fixed at Welshpool, and Newtown was not used for training after 1885 because there was insufficient space there for squadron training.
In March 1885 Aubone Fife was promoted to command the regiment, and was succeeded in turn on 2 February 1889 by Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn, 7th Baronet of Wynnstay. Because of difficulties in finding sufficient officers, the Caersws Troop was disbanded in 1889, and the personnel were transferred to the Newtown Troop. However a new F Trp was raised at Guilsfield in 1892. A reorganisation of the Yeomanry in 1893 saw the troops formally reorganised into squadrons. For the Montgomery Yeomanry this gave the following organisation: RHQ (Welshpool) – Lt-Col Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn A Squadron (Llangedwyn & Llanfyllin) – Capt Robert Williams-Wynn B Squadron (Welshpool & Guilsfield) – Capt A. Williams-Wynn C Squadron (Newtown & Berriew) – Capt N. Robinson
As part of the reorganisation, from April 1893 the Army List showed the Yeomanry regiments grouped into brigades for collective training. They were commanded by the senior regimental commanding officer but they did have a Regular Army Brigade major. The Montgomeryshire Yeomanry together with the Denbighshire Hussars formed the 15th Yeomanry Brigade, part of 8th Division. The brigade first came together for training in 1895 at Welshpool under the command of Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn. Brigade camps were held at Rhyl in 1897 and at the Williams-Wynn estate of Wynnstay in 1900. In 1896 the Montgomeryshires were among the first yeomanry regiments to be re-equipped with the Martini–Metford .303 calibre carbine; reduced charge ammunition was supplied for safe use on the ranges. In 1897 Major Edward Pryce-Jones, MP, was transferred from the regiment to form a new 5th Volunteer Battalion, South Wales Borderers.Frederick, pp. 303–4.Burke's: Pryce-Jones Baronets.
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, 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 for one year. In addition to this, many British citizens (usually mid-upper class) volunteered to join the new force.Dunlop, pp. 104–18.Owen, pp. 128–44.Rogers, p. 228.Spiers, p. 239.IY at Anglo-Boer War
The Montgomeryshire Yeomanry raised two companies for the first contingent of the IY, which both landed in South Africa on 6 April 1900 and were assigned to the 9th (Welsh) Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry:Frederick, pp. 370–1.IY Companies at Roll of Honour.Amery, Vol IV, Appendix to Chapters I-XIV, pp. 503–14.
31st (Montgomeryshire) Company 49th (Montgomeryshire) Company
When the first contingent returned home in 1901 after their one-year term of service, enough veterans of the 31st and 49th stayed on to reform the companies, while the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry raised two further companies for the second contingent, which also served in the 9th Battalion: