Yeomanry become Infantry

In March 1916 the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade and South Wales Mounted Brigade, comprising six yeomanry regiments, were posted to Egypt.

Welsh Border Mounted Brigade	|	South Wales Mounted Brigade
Shropshire Yeomanry Cheshire Yeomanry Denbighshire Yeomanry		Pembroke Yeomanry Montgomery Yeomanry Glamorganshire Yeomanry

The Brigades had been dismounted in November 1915, and their cavalry equipment handed in and changed for infantry. In Egypt the two Brigades were amalgamated to form the 4th Dismounted Brigade. Although trained as yeomanry they were to be utilised as infantry and served on Suez Canal defences, and in operations against the Senussi throughout 1916.

By November 1916 Cheshire Yeomanry knew that it was to be formed into an infantry battalion. However, because the establishment of an infantry battalion was so much greater than that of a cavalry regiment it would be necessary for some amalgamations to create  new battalions. Cheshire Yeomanry were to amalgamate with Shropshire Yeomanry to form a Battalion of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, and the yeomanry regiments undertook a period of infantry training in preparation for their new role.

Voyage to Egypt

Since September 1914 Cheshire Yeomanry had been stationed in Norfolk on defence duties. They had experienced coastal bombardment and Zeppelin bombing raids and completed much training. In November 1915 the Regiment received their orders to go abroad dismounted. All cavalry equipment had to be handed in and changed for infantry. November orders were cancelled and the Yeomanry continued to do dismounted training. Such infantry training included route marches, bayonet exercises, bomb throwing and rifle shooting.

Finally, in February 1916 orders were again received that the Regiment were to go abroad and that they would sail on 3 March 1916.

The last parade of the Regiment in Norfolk took place at 7:30pm on the evening of 2 March before marching to Lowestoft Station. The train finally left Lowestoft at 8:45pm bound for Devonport.

It is at this time that the Cheshire Yeomanry War Diary commences. A War Diary is a daily record of operations, intelligence reports and other events, kept for each battalion by an appointed officer. It is not a personal diary. Specialist units, such as military hospitals, also kept war diaries.

The War Diary of Cheshire Yeomanry for this period is concise, recording just the barest of facts:

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events
Lowestoft	1/3/16		Regiment in billets at Lowestoft
	2/3/16	8.45pm	Regiment entrained at Lowestoft
	3/3/16	9.30am	Arrived at Devonport & embarked on HMT Haverford
		6pm	Left Devonport. Strength 25 Officers. Other Ranks 451

HMT Haverford

HMT Haverford was a 12,000 ton troop ship, originally a passenger cargo vessel, built in 1901.

Doubt and Despondency

Initial excitement for Cheshire Yeomanry who early experienced the coastal bombardment of Yarmouth and Zeppelin bombing raids over Norfolk, largely gave way in 1915 to a period of many months with little to report.

Zeppelin raids became more common through 1915. There was thought that they were guided by signal lights from land, possibly vehicle head lights. Several times road blocks were set up in an attempt to catch the offending car, but to no avail. No such vehicle was ever seen.

The Regiment remained at Langley Park until 26 July 1915. At this time, they moved to Somerleyton Park and took over a new sector of coast at Lowestoft, about four miles from camp.

News circulated in September that more Yeomanry regiments were to go abroad dismounted, however for some reason this did not include the Cheshire Yeomanry. In Lt.-Col. Verdin’s history of the regiment he notes that “by the end of October the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade, and the South Wales Mounted Brigade in the same Division, contained between them the only six Yeomanries still left in the country.”

Yeomanry Regiments within these Brigades comprised:

Welsh Border Mounted Brigade

• Shropshire Yeomanry
• Cheshire Yeomanry
• Denbighshire Yeomanry

South Wales Mounted Brigade

• Pembroke Yeomanry
• Montgomery Yeomanry
• Glamorganshire Yeomanry 

Spirit of the Times

In September 1914 the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade moved to Norfolk for coastal defence purposes. The following letter by a man serving with the Brigade in the Royal Army Medical Corps provides some indication of the 'spirit of the times'.

Chester Chronicle - Saturday, 3 October 1914 CHESHIRE AND THE WAR RUNCORN MAN WITH THE R.A.M.C. NEWS OF MR. DE KNOOP We have received an interesting letter from a Runcorn man, Mr. C. Faulkner, of Bold-st., who is serving with the Cheshire Royal Army Medical Corps in Suffolk. That body, he says, attached to the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade, comprising the Shropshire Yeomanry, Shropshire Royal Horse Artillery, Denbighshire Hussars, Cheshire Yeomanry, and the Transport and Supply Column, numbering in all about 3,000 men, “and every one ready and waiting the call to the field of action.” “We have been here four weeks,” writes Mr. Faulkner, “during which time a great many have gone to the front. Twenty of our men left here a fortnight ago to fill the places of some members of the Royal Army Medical Corps who were cut up while doing their duty to their wounded comrades, and to their country, at the battle of Mons. There were touching scenes when we parted with twenty chums, but most of the sorrow was due the fact that we were not going. Still we hope to meet them at the front some time next month. While we have been here we have chiefly been concerned with accident cases, arising out of ‘preparations,’ and it is interesting to know that we have not had more than an average of 23 sick men, day by day, which is an excellent record, and proves the good health the brigade. “It was my pleasure to meet Mr. Jersey de Knoop yesterday, and to find him as genial a soldier as is a politician. He was inoculated at our hospital here with amo-toxin (typhoid serum) and has left for abroad to-day (Thursday) to take up his active duties. I could not help being impressed by his kindliness and courtesy. The Welsh Border Mounted Brigade, which includes many from Cheshire, have volunteered to a main, and have been accepted for the front.

Well Ordered Bustle and Activity

Cheshire Yeomanry’s Mobilisation and Move to Norfolk, 1914

The Chalmondsbury Flower Show at the beginning of August 1914 included a military tournament. Reportedly great skill was shown by members of the Cheshire Yeomanry and Shropshire Yeomanry in the prize events, which included tent pegging, lemon cutting, potato race and Victoria Cross race. From these genteel times the yeomanry shifted onto a war footing during the month.

On the 4th August 1914 the United Kingdom declared war with Germany and the the next day the Territorial Army was mobilised. Cheshire Yeomanry mobilisation took place at its pre-war training centres:

• Regimental Headquarters: Chester
• "A" (Tatton) Squadron: Knutsford
• "B" (Eaton) Squadron: Chester
• "C" Squadron: Northwich
• "D" Squadron: Macclesfield

The Regimental Sports, advertised to take place on 12th August, were cancelled.

Manchester Evening News reported on 10 August that the "C" Squadron of the Cheshire Yeomanry, quartered at Northwich and drawing from an area covering Northwich, Tarporley, Nantwich and Audlem, had practically completed the purchase of horses and were well mounted. It was also noted that the Northwich football field, the Drill Field, had been converted into a camp, the horses being stabled beneath the covered stands.

Within a week "C" Squadron were on the move to a new camp. After several false alarms the men received orders to leave the Drill Field on Saturday 15 August and the Chester Chronicle (22 August) described the departing camp preparation as in a "state of well ordered bustle and activity".