Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry
| Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry | |
|---|---|
| Active | from 1794 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Yeomanry |
| Size | World War One Two regiments World War Two One regiment |
| Part of | Territorial Force Royal Armoured Corps |
| Motto(s) | Loyal unto Death |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Lt ColonelFrancis Willey, 2nd Baron Barnby Lt Colonel Sir Albert Bennett, 1st Baronet Colonel E O Kellett DSO MP Lt Col S D Christopherson DSO MC US Silver Star |
The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry (SRY) is one of the five squadrons of the Royal Yeomanry (RY), an armoured regiment of the Territorial Army. Designated as 'S' Squadron, the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry's current role is to support the Formation Reconnaissance Regiments and the Joint Chemical Biological Nuclear and Radiological Regiment on operations by providing skilled CBRN reconnaissance soldiers.
Originally raised as the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry in 1794, the Regiment was used on several occasions in the 19th Century to maintain law and order. Since 1900, the Regiment saw overseas service during the Second Boer War and both World Wars, earning 44 battle honours during these campaigns. The Squadron has contributed to the Royal Yeomanry's operational deployments to Iraq from 2003 to date.
History
The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry was raised in the summer of 1794 as the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Cavalry, and is the fourth senior regiment of Yeomanry.
The Regiment did not see active service until a mounted squadron was sent to South Africa in 1900, followed by another squadron a year later, earning the Sherwood Rangers their first battle honour.
In the First World War the 1/1st Sherwood Rangers served in Egypt as cavalry. In 1915 it was despatched to Gallipoli performing an infantry role and served as such for three months, receiving the "King's Colour" in recognition of its gallantry. The Regiment then returned to Egypt as cavalry, serving thereafter in North Greece and Palestine, taking part in the great cavalry advance from Gaza to Aleppo. The Sherwood Rangers won 13 battle honours for the First World War. The 2/1st Sherwood Rangers remained in Britain throughout the war, initally as part of the 2/2nd Mounted Division later as bicycle troops.
Between the wars the Regiment continued as a cavalry unit, mobilising in that role in 1939 to move to Palestine. However, in 1940 it converted to Artillery and took part in the defence of both Tobruk and Benghazi as well as the battle for Crete. In 1941 the Regiment converted to armour initially with Grant Sherman and Crusader tanks and served in most of the major 8th Army tank battles in North Africa, including Alam El Halfa and El Alamein. The Regiment landed in France on D-Day equipped with DD swimming Sherman and Sherman Firefly tanks and was in the thick of the fighting around Caen and on the advance across northern France and Belgium. The recce troop was the first British unit to fight on German soil in 1944.
The Sherwood Rangers were involved in further hard fighting around the Rhine and had pushed onto Bremen and beyond by the end of the war. The Regiment's record in the Second World War is evidenced by 30 battle honours and 159 awards to its Yeomen.
In 1947 the Sherwood Rangers were revived as an armoured regiment, converting to reconnaissance in 1961. In 1964 the Regiment converted back to tanks before, in 1967, being reduced and reformed as a reconnaissance squadron of the newly created Royal Yeomanry. Fighting (Sabre) Troops (1-5) were equipped with , initially, a combination of Ferret and Alvis Saladin armoured cars and later with CVR(W) Fox. SHQ troop started in Alvis Saracen and a Ferret Scout Car; later having available FV105 Sultan ACV and FV104 Samaritan Armoured Ambulance. Support (Boot) Troop were initially equipped with Saracen and then CVR(T) Spartan APCs. This lasted for 25 years until 1992 when the Sherwood Rangers were moved to become B Squadron of the Queen's Own Yeomanry, where they operated as recce for the ACE Rapid Reaction Corps, during which period sabre troops were re-equipped with CVR(T) Scimitar and Sabre.The squadron rejoined the Royal Yeomanry as Challenger 2 reserves in 1999 and converted to the formation CBRN reconnaissance role in 2006.
Operating with logistical support provided by an Admin troop equipped with "4 tonners" and Land Rovers, the Unit, also had an element of REME LAD (Light Aid Detachment) who were equipped with first a Scammel then Foden recovery vehicle, then a Spartan (which ought to have been a Samson) CVRT recovery vehicle.
References
Lindsay TM, Sherwood Rangers, Burrup Mathieson and co. 1952
Douglas Keith, Alamein to Zem Zem . Bantam books 1985
Hills Stuart, By Tank into Normandy, Cassell 2003