THE MONTGOMERYSHIRE YEOMANRY

Many in this community joined the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry which had its origin in 1803.  By 1813 it had three troops: Montgomery, Welshpool and Newtown and Albermule; a Berriew troop was added a little later. Initially it was subsumed into the Montgomeryshire Legion but was subsequently recognised as the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry Cavalry.  Following being activated to suppress rioting in 1819 two new troops were added: the Llangedwyn and Llanfyllin troops.  Then, in 1827, as a result of a War Office directive Yeomanry regiments were disbanded.  But it was reformed three years later with most of its original officers and men with troops based in Berriew, Newtown, Montgomery, Welshpool, and Llangedwyn. Its uniform was scarlet and black.

In the late 1830s the Regiment was reduced to four troops and in this period was used against the Chartist movement.  In 1862 it was again increased to six troops with the addition of Llanfyllin and Caerws Troops.  In 1893 the regiment was again reformed, this time into three squadrons and with the Denbighshire Hussars constituted the 15th Yeomanry Brigade. 

The outbreak of the South Africa War (Boar War) saw the regiment contribute two squadrons to the 9th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry; the 31st   squadron was commanded by Major Hallowes, the 49th by Captain R W Williams Wynne; some 240 officers and men deployed including a gun section of two Colt quick firing guns under Lieut Hutton.

In 1901 two fresh squadrons were raised numbered the 88th and 89th; Captain Mytton commanded the former and Captain Robertson the latter. In addition two further squadrons were contributed to the ‘new’ 9th Battalion. The various squadrons are reported to have served well but with some losses.  It is noteworthy that Captain Ardagh and R.W Williams Wynne were awarded the DSO and Sergents Grice, Vereker, and Niol, and Privates Dunn the DCM.

Following the South Africa War the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry was transferred to the Territorial Army with its headquarters in Welshpool and Squadrons in Llanfyllin, Welshpool, Newtown, and Llandrindod Wells. 

In the First World War
1/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry. Territorial Force. 04 Aug 1914 at: Headquarters: Welshpool; A Squadron : Llanfyllin; B Squadron : Welshpool; C Squadron : Newtown; D Squadron : Llandridod Wells; in the South Wales Mounted Brigade.
2/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry. Territorial Force. Formed at Welshpool in Sep 1914. Joined 2/1st South Wales Mounted Brigade.
3/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry. Territorial Force. Formed at Welshpool in Jun 1915. Joined the 6th Reserve Cavalry Regiment.
25th (Montgomery & Welsh Horse Yeomanry) Battalion. 4 March 1917: formed in Egypt from dismounted Montgomery and Welsh Horse Yeomanry.1 March 1917 : attached to 231st Brigade, 74th (Yeomanry) Division. Moved to France in early May 1918.

4 Pictures of the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry parading through Llanfyllin 1914 (?)

Officers 1913