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). This was organised as service companies of 121 officers and men enlisted for one year. Existing Yeomanry and fresh volunteers quickly filled the new force, which was equipped to operate as Mounted infantry. The companies were organised into battalions, often of companies from the same region.Dunlop, pp. 104–12.Money Barnes, pp. 242–5.Murphy, pp. 117–8.Rogers, p. 228.Ryan.Sainsbury, pp. 89–102.Spiers, p. 239. Besides the companies raised directly by the Yeomanry Cavalry regiments, a number of companies and battalions were formed by enthusiasts. These included Paget's Horse, the Sharpshooters and the Roughriders, all recruited in London,Rose-Innes. and the specialists of Lovat's Scouts.Frederick, pp. 42–3. On arrival in South Africa, the companies were frequently used piecemeal in various ad hoc columns, and some of the battalions (for example 12th Battalion) never operated as formed units. At the end of their year of service, recruitment of a Second Contingent was authorised in January to replace the time-expired men in the original units and to form new units. A Third Contingent was recruited from late 1901 onwards, largely as new units, while the existing battalions were consolidated.Dunlop, pp. 112–8.
The following units of Imperial Yeomanry were formed between 1890 and 1902:Frederick, pp. 370–1.IY at Anglo-Boer War.IY at Regiments.org.IY Companies at Roll of Honour.Monthly Army List. CompanySponsorAssigned battalion 1900Assigned battalion 1901Assigned battalion 1902First Contingent1st (Wiltshire)Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry1st1st1st2nd (Wiltshire)Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry1st1st1st3rd (Gloucestershire)Royal Gloucestershire Hussars1st1st1st4th (Glamorgan)Windham Wyndham-Quin, MP1st1st1st5th (Warwickshire)Warwickshire Yeomanry2nd2nd2nd6th (Staffordshire)Staffordshire Yeomanry4th4th4th7th (Leicestershire)Leicestershire Yeomanry4th4th4th8th (Derbyshire)Derbyshire Yeomanry4th4th4th9th (Yorkshire (Doncaster))Yorkshire Hussars3rd3rd3rd10th (Sherwood Rangers)Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry3rd3rd3rd11th (Yorkshire Dragoons)Yorkshire Dragoons3rd3rd3rd12th (South Nottinghamshire)South Nottinghamshire Hussars3rd3rd3rd13th (Shropshire)Shropshire Yeomanry5th5th5th14th (Northumberland)Northumberland Hussars5th5th5th15th (Northumberland)Northumberland Hussars5th5th5th16th (Worcestershire)Worcestershire Yeomanry5th5th5th17th (Ayrshire and Lanarkshire)Ayrshire YeomanryLanarkshire Yeomanry6th (Scottish)6th (Scottish)18th (Queen's Own Royal Glasgow and Lower Ward of Lanark)Queen's Own Royal Glasgow and Lower Ward of Lanarkshire Yeomanry6th (Scottish)6th (Scottish)19th (Lothians and Berwickshire)Lothians and Berwickshire Yeomanry6th (Scottish)6th (Scottish)20th (Fife and Forfarshire Light Horse)1st Fifeshire Mounted Rifles1st Forfarshire Light Horse Volunteers6th (Scottish)6th (Scottish)21st (Cheshire)Cheshire Yeomanry2nd2nd2nd22nd (Cheshire)Cheshire Yeomanry2nd2nd2nd23rd (Lancashire)Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry8th8th8th24th (Westmorland and Cumberland)Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry8th8th8th25th (West Somerset)West Somerset Yeomanry7th7th7th26th (Dorsetshire)Dorsetshire Yeomanry7th7th7th27th (Devonshire)Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry7th7th7th28th (Bedfordshire) (Compton's Horse)Lord Alwyne Compton4th4th4th29th (Denbighshire)Denbighshire Hussars9th (Welsh)9th (Welsh)9th (Welsh)30th (Pembrokeshire)Pembroke Yeomanry9th (Welsh)9th (Welsh)9th (Welsh)31st (Montgomeryshire)Montgomeryshire Yeomanry9th (Welsh)9th (Welsh)9th (Welsh)32nd (Lancashire)Duke of Lancaster's Own YeomanryLancashire Hussars2nd2nd2nd33rd (East Kent)Royal East Kent Yeomanry11th11th11th34th (Middlesex)Middlesex Yeomanry11th11th35th (Middlesex)Middlesex Yeomanry11th11th36th (West Kent)West Kent Yeomanry11th11th11th37th (Buckinghamshire)Royal Bucks Hussars10th10th38th (High Wycombe)Royal Bucks Hussars10th10th39th (Berkshire)Berkshire Yeomanry10th10th40th (Oxfordshire)Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars10th10th41st (Hampshire)Hampshire Carabiniers12th?Independent4th42nd (Hertfordshire)Hertfordshire Yeomanry12th?Independent43rd (Suffolk)Loyal Suffolk Hussars12th?Independent44th (Suffolk)Loyal Suffolk Hussars12th?Independent45th (Dublin Hunt)Earl of Longford13th (Irish)13th (Irish)46th (1st Belfast)13th (Irish)13th (Irish)47th (Duke of Cambridge's Own)Earl of Donoughmore13th (Irish)13th (Irish)48th (North Somerset)North Somerset Yeomanry7th7th7th49th (Montgomeryshire)Montgomeryshire Yeomanry9th (Welsh)9th (Welsh)9th (Welsh)50th (Hampshire)Hampshire Carabiniers17th17th51st (Paget's Horse)George Paget19th (Paget's Horse)19th (Paget's Horse)52nd (Paget's Horse)George Paget19th (Paget's Horse)19th (Paget's Horse)53rd (East Kent)Royal East Kent Yeomanry14th14th11th54th (2nd Belfast)13th (Irish)13th (Irish)55th (Northumberland)Northumberland Hussars14th14th5th56th (Buckinghamshire)Royal Bucks Hussars15th15th57th (Buckinghamshire)Royal Bucks Hussars15th15th58th (Berkshire)Berkshire Yeomanry15th15th59th (Oxfordshire)Queen's Own Oxfordshire Yeomanry15th15th60th (North Irish Horse (Belfast))17th17th61st (South Irish Horse (Dublin))17th17th62nd (Middlesex)Middlesex Yeomanry14th14th11th63rd (Wiltshire)Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry16th16th1st64th CompanyNot formed65th (Leicestershire)Leicestershire Yeomanry17th17th66th (Yorkshire)Yorkshire DragoonsYorkshire Hussars16th16th3rd67th (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven18th (Sharpshooters)18th (Sharpshooters)18th (Sharpshooters)68th (Paget's Horse)George Paget19th (Paget's Horse)19th (Paget's Horse)69th (Sussex)Sussex Yeomanry14th14th7th70th (Scottish) (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven18th (Sharpshooters)18th (Sharpshooters)18th (Sharpshooters)71st (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven18th (Sharpshooters)18th (Sharpshooters)18th (Sharpshooters)72nd (Rough Riders)Earl of Lathom20th (Rough Riders)20th (Rough Riders)73rd (Paget's Horse)George Paget19th (Paget's Horse)19th (Paget's Horse)74th (Dublin)16th16th8th75th (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven18th (Sharpshooters)18th (Sharpshooters)18th (Sharpshooters)76th (Rough Riders)Earl of Lathom20th (Rough Riders)20th (Rough Riders) 22nd (Roughriders)77th (Manchester)Lancashire Hussars8th8th4th78th (Rough Riders)Earl of Lathom20th (Rough Riders)20th (Rough Riders)22nd (Roughriders)79th (Rough Riders)Earl of Lathom20th (Rough Riders)20th (Rough Riders)Second Contingent80th (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven21st (2nd Sharpshooters)21st (2nd Sharpshooters)81st (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven21st (2nd Sharpshooters)21st (2nd Sharpshooters)82nd (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven21st (2nd Sharpshooters)21st (2nd Sharpshooters)83rd (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven21st (2nd Sharpshooters)21st (2nd Sharpshooters)84th (Rough Riders)Earl of Lathom22nd (Rough Riders)85th (Rough Riders)Earl of Lathom22nd (Rough Riders)86th (Rough Riders)Earl of Lathom22nd (Rough Riders)24th (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles)87th (Rough Riders)Earl of Lathom22nd (Rough Riders)24th (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles)88th (Welsh Yeomanry)Montgomeryshire Yeomanry9th (Welsh)9th (Welsh)89th (Montgomeryshire)Montgomeryshire Yeomanry9th (Welsh)9th (Welsh)90th (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven23rd (3rd Sharpshooters) 23rd (3rd Sharpshooters)91st (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven23rd (3rd Sharpshooters) 92nd (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven23rd (3rd Sharpshooters) 93rd (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven23rd (3rd Sharpshooters) 23rd (3rd Sharpshooters)94th (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles)24th (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles)24th (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles)95th (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles)24th (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles)96th (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles)24th (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles)24th (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles)97th (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles)24th (Metropolitan Mounted Rifles)98th (North Riding of Yorkshire Volunteer Artillery)1st North Riding Artillery Volunteers3rd99th (Irish)8th100th (Northumberland)Northumberland Hussars5th5th101st (Northumberland)Northumberland Hussars5th5th102nd (Worcestershire)Worcestershire Yeomanry5th103rd (Warwickshire)Warwickshire Yeomanry2nd2nd104th (Derbyshire)Derbyshire Yeomanry4th4th105th (Northumberland)Northumberland Hussars5th8th106th (Staffordshire)Staffordshire Yeomanry4th4th107th (Lanarkshire)Lanarkshire Yeomanry6th (Scottish)108th (Royal Glasgow)Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry6th (Scottish)109th (Yorkshire Hussars)Yorkshire Hussars3rd3rd110th (Northumberland)Northumberland Hussars2nd2nd111th (Yorkshire Dragoons)Yorkshire Dragoons3rd3rd112th (Middlesex)Middlesex Yeomanry11th11th113th (Lovat's Scouts)Lord LovatIndependentIndependent114th (Lovat's Scouts)Lord LovatIndependentIndependentThird Contingent115th (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven25th (Sharpshooters)116th (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven25th (Sharpshooters)117th (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven25th (Sharpshooters)118th (Sharpshooters)Earl of Dunraven25th (Sharpshooters)119th (Younghusband's Horse)Lt-Col George Younghusband26th (Younghusband's Horse)120th (Younghusband's Horse)Lt-Col George Younghusband26th (Younghusband's Horse)121st (Younghusband's Horse)Lt-Col George Younghusband26th (Younghusband's Horse)122nd (Younghusband's Horse)Lt-Col George Younghusband26th (Younghusband's Horse)123rd27th124th27th125th27th126th27th127th (Westminster Dragoons)28th (Westminster Dragoons)128th (Westminster Dragoons)28th (Westminster Dragoons)129th (Westminster Dragoons)28th (Westminster Dragoons)130th (Westminster Dragoons)28th (Westminster Dragoons)131st (Irish Horse)29th (Irish Horse)132nd (Irish Horse)29th (Irish Horse)133rd (Irish Horse)29th (Irish Horse)134th (Irish Horse)29th (Irish Horse)135th30th136th30th137th30th138th30th139th (Fincastle's Horse)Lt-Col Viscount Fincastle31st (Fincastle's Horse)140th (Fincastle's Horse)Lt-Col Viscount Fincastle31st (Fincastle's Horse)141st (Fincastle's Horse)Lt-Col Viscount Fincastle31st (Fincastle's Horse)142nd (Fincastle's Horse)Lt-Col Viscount Fincastle31st (Fincastle's Horse)143rd32nd144th32nd145th32nd146th32nd147th33rd148th33rd149th33rd150th33rd151st34th152nd34th153rd34th154th34th155th35th156th35th157th35th158th35th159th36th160th36th161st36th162nd36th163rd37th (Highland Horse)164th37th (Highland Horse)165th37th (Highland Horse)166th37th (Highland Horse)167th38th168th38th169th38th170th38th171st39th172nd39th173rd39th174th39th175th (Irish Horse)29th (Irish Horse)176th (Irish Horse)29th (Irish Horse)177th (Fincastle's Horse)Lt-Col Viscount Fincastle31st (Fincastle's Horse)178th (Lovat's Scouts)Lord LovatIndependentIndependent The mounted infantry experiment was considered a success and the existing Yeomanry regiments at home were reorganised and renamed as Imperial Yeomanry in 1901. Fresh regiments were also raised, often on the basis of returned veterans, such as the City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders) and the 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), the North Irish and South Irish Horse, and the Lovat Scouts.Dunlop, pp. 134–5.Frederick, pp. 19–59.
Notes
References Col John K. Dunlop, The Development of the British Army 1899–1914, London: Methuen, 1938. J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-007-3. Maj R. Money Barnes, The Soldiers of London, London: Seeley Service, 1963.
Col H.C.B. Rogers, The Mounted Troops of the British Army 1066–1945, London: Seeley Service, 1959. Tpr Cosmo Rose-Innes, With Paget's Horse to the Front, London: John McQueen, 1901/Leopold Classic Library, 2015, ASIN: B019SZWY6K. Lt-Col Ernest Ryan, 'Arms, Uniforms and Equipment of the Yeomanry Cavalry', Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, September 1957, Vol 35, pp. 124–33.