THE ROYAL GLOUCESTERSHIRE HUSSARS


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The Guidon of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars. It bears the battle honours:

South Africa 1900-01 . Gallipoli 1915 . Rafah . Gaza . Megiddo . Palestine 1917-18 . Gubi . Chores Sufan . Bir el Aslagh . Al Amel Halfa . Suvla . Rumani . Egypt 1915-17 . Jerusalem . Damascus . Tobruk 1941 . Sidire Zeghi 1941 . Gazala . Cauldron . W Point 23 . N Africa 1941-42 .

 

In 1794, the British Prime Minister William Pitt, concerned with the threat of a French invasion, proprosed the raising of volunteer cavalry units around the country. They were to act as local policing and defence force.

In Gloucestershire the first troop was raised by Captain Powell Snell in Cheltenham in 1795. Each man supplied his own horse and was given a sword and a pistol; (each troop also had 12 carbines.) Troops were also raised in Minchinhampton, Wotton-under-Edge, Stow in the Wold, Henbury, Gloucester, Bristol,Stroud and Cirencester.

After the defeat of Napoleon, the troops were disbanded. After civil unrest in 1830 troops were raised in Fairford, Cirencester, Stroud, Tetbury, Bristol and Gloucester. On the 30th March 1834, the commanders of the various troops met at Petty France, near Badminton, and combined to form a single Regiment called the Gloucestershire Yeomanry Cavalry. The Duke of Beaufort was appointed commander of the Regiment.

In 1841 the Regiment was granted the title 'Royal' and in 1846 was renamed the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars.

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.................................................................Colonel A.J.Palmer, 1902


                              THE BOER WAR 1899 - 1902

In 1898 the Squadrons were made up of:

 
'A' Squadron       Gloucester and Cheltenham Troop     H.Q. at Gloucester

'B' Squadron       Badminton and Berkeley Troop                Badminton

'C' Squadron       Monmouth                                    Newport

'D' Squadron       Doddington and Bristol Troop                Bristol

Strength 377 men.

In October 1899 the Yeomanry were asked to volunteer for service in South Africa. February 28th 1900 the squadron of 128 men left for Liverpool to board the 'Cymric' for Africa. They were designated the 3rd Company of the 1st Battalion of Yeomanry Cavalry.

The Officers were : Captain W.H.Playne
                    Captain E.T.Hill
                    Captain C.G.M.Adam
                    Captain A.L.Graham-Clark
                    Lieutenant R.B.Robertson

The Regiment landed at Cape Town on March 19th and went to Maitland Camp. The first action was near Thaba N'Chu on May 5th when a trooper was wounded.
For several weeks they were based at Ladybrand, sending out scouts each day.
In July the Regiment was operating in the Brandwater Basin. More actions followed, including actions at Transfontein, Elands River and Harrismith. In June 1901 the battalion returned to England on the 'Roslin Castle' and the 'Manchester Merchant.'

In the 18 months they were in Africa the 3rd Company had sustained the following casualties:

Private A.G.HARRIS  Killed in Action
Private P.G.HARRIS  Killed in Action
Sergeant J.REEVE    Died of Wounds

The following men also died:

Corporal A.H.JAMES   Private H.BROOKES  Private B.HADLEY  Private E.HOPE
Private E.C.NEALE    Private A.E.STOCKWELL  Private D.THOMAS  Pte W.WILLIAMS
 

S.S.M. W.GREGORY was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

July 26th The King, Edward VII, presented medals to 41 officers and men of the 3rd Company.

In April 1901 the Yeomanry were redesignated the 'Imperial Yeomanry' and the khaki uniform was adopted. The traditional uniform was restored a few years later.

 


Officers Serving December 1901:

Commanding Officer: His Grace the Duke of Beaufort, A.D.C.
Adjutant:           Major Lord C.C.Bentick (9th Lancers)
Surgeon:            Captain H.Bramwell, F.R.C.S., M.D.
Vetinary:           Lieutenant J.E.L.Still

                    'A' Squadron

Squadron Commander: Major H.H.Calvert
Lieutenants       : V.W.Yorke,  J.A.W.Talbot,  Sir C.P.Van Notten-Pole.
2nd Lieutenant    : R.C.Forster

                    'B' Squadron

Squadron Commander: Captain G.F.Henry
Captains:           D.B.Lindsay,  L.A.Grahame Clarke,D.S.O.  T.H.Cardwell
2nd Lieutenant:     L.A.Huth

                    'C' Squadron

Squadron Commander: Major C.Stacey
Captain:            C.G.M.Adam
Lieutenant:         A.J.Palmer
2nd Lieutenant:     H.F.H.Hardy

                    'D' Squadron

Squadron Commander: Major R.P.Sandeman
Captains:           G.J.G.C.Codrington,  E.T.Hill
Lieutenant:         W.R.Emmott
2nd Lieutenant:     F.W.L.Tottenham

                    Machine Gun Section

2nd Lieutenant:     H.F.Clifford


  THE IMPERIAL YEOMANRY LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL

This medal was issued for the first time in 1905. It was awarded for 10 years service in the Yeomanry. 49 awards were made to the Gloucestershire Hussars:
 

No.       Rank               Name                      Army Order

100       Corporal           A.ADAMS                   Feb. 1905

11        S.S.M.             G.ADAMS                   Feb. 1905

437       L/Sgt.             M.G.L.BAKER               Aug. 1905

56        Sergeant           A.J.BARNETT               Feb. 1905

22        S.Q.M.S.           R.C.BASTIN                Feb. 1905

82        L/Sgt.             A.BEARD                   Feb. 1905

119       Private            C.BISHOP                  Feb. 1905

51        Sergeant           C.BRIDGMAN                Feb. 1905

38        S.Q.M.S.           A.E.BURROWS               Feb. 1905

1059      Private            J.CLARKE                  May 1908

385       Sergeant           W.CLARKE                  Nov. 1907

128       Sergeant           S.CODRINGTON              Feb. 1905

98        Sergeant           R.COX                     Feb. 1905

39        Sergeant           W.J.CYPHER                Feb. 1905

29        S.S.M.             H.DAVIS                   Feb. 1905

156       Corporal           W.DAVIS                   Feb. 1905

1066      Corporal           C.R.D.DIXON               Nov. 1907

655       Private            E.L.DONNE                 Feb. 1905

164       Sergeant           R.T.DUNCAN                Feb. 1905

115       Trumpeter          W.A.DUNCOMBE              Feb. 1905

418       Trumpeter          A.J.GRIFFIN               Aug. 1905

141       Bandsman           J.P.HATTON                Feb. 1905

638       Private            T.C.HIGGS                 May 1908

224       Sergeant           P.HODDELL                 Feb. 1905

30        Sergeant           E.H.HOPKINS               Feb. 1905

236       Private            W.HUGGINSON               Feb. 1905

7         S.S.M.             F.W.HUNT                  Feb. 1905

429       Private            C.G.HUTTON                Nov. 1907

243       S.Q.M.S.           E.P.JARRETT               Feb. 1905

235       L/Cpl.             E.J.LARNER                Feb. 1905

468       Sergeant           W.LYONS                   July 1905

264       Private            E.MAIDMENT                Feb. 1905

45        Sergeant           G.MATHEWS                 Feb. 1905

598       L/Cpl.             E.J.MATTHEWS              Feb. 1908

242       S.Q.M.S.           M.PEARCE                  Feb. 1905

4         R.Q.M.S.           A.PERRIS                  Feb. 1905

618       Saddler            A.S.PHILLIPS              May 1908

547       Private            F.PHILLIPS                May 1907

496       Private            D.PRICE                   May 1907

297       L/Sgt.             J.RUSSELL                 Feb. 1905

252       Farrier Sgt.       A.SPREADBURY              Feb. 1905

543       L/Sgt.             G.D.THOMAS                Feb. 1905

466       L/Sgt.             G.TURK                    Feb. 1906

41        Sergeant           A.VIZARD                  Feb. 1905

19        R.S.M.             W.R.WALKER                Feb. 1905

34        Sergeant           F.WELCH                   Feb. 1905

344       Sergeant           A.M.WILLIAMS              Feb. 1905

483       Corporal           J.E.WILLIAMS              May 1907

565       Private            W.J.WILLIAMS              Nov. 1907


                   THE CORONATION

The Coronation of King George V took place on June 22nd 1911. 26 men of the Regiment were selected to join the 1st Battalion of the Coronation Brigade.
The Yeomanry were positioned along Hyde Park Corner.

Coronation Detachment:

Commanding Officer:  Major W.H.PLAYNE

                     R.S.M. J.HEATHER

'A' Squadron:        Sgt. G.TURK   Corp. F.R.E.KENWARD  Pte. G.CORSON
                     Pte. G.HYATT  Pte. P.W.MILLARD     Pte. E.ROCK

'B' Squadron:        S.Q.M.S. E.L.DONNE  L/Cpl. C.C.GODWIN  Pte. J.CROSS
                     Pte. F.T.T.PARSLOW  Pte. J.E.SCARROTT

'C' Squadron:        Sgt. E.L.DONNE   Pte. T.F.CLARKE   Pte. E.M.COWLES
                     Pte. F.DAY       Pte. T.JONES      Pte. C.PEARCE

'D' Squadron:        S.S.M. W.S.BRACHER  Sgt. W.J.YOUNG  L/Cpl. J.C.BLANCH
                     L/Cpl. H.W.FUSSELL  Pte. H.S.BOULD  Pte. L.G.C.HOLLOWAY
 

The Coronation Medal was awarded to:

                     Lieutenant-Colonel R.P.SANDEMAN

                     Major W.H.PLAYNE

                     Captain S.W.ADDERLEY

                     R.S.M. J.HEATHER

                     Private J.CROSS


Gallipoli ............  Egypt              The Gloucestershire Regiment