The 191st (Hertfordshire and Essex Yeomanry) Field Regiment was a unit of Britain's Royal Artillery (RA) formed during World War II.

The unit started to form on 21 December and immediately adopted the designation 'Herts and Essex Yeomanry', with the following organisation:[1][2][3][4][5][6] The second-in-command of 147th (EY) Fd Rgt, Major J.R. Cochrane, a Regular Army officer, was promoted to lieutenant-colonel to command the new regiment, which took over billets and Nissen huts at Hovingham and Slingsby, North Yorkshire, previously occupied by 86th (HY) Fd Rgt.

[12][13] 42nd Armoured Division was broken up in October 1943, and after a period of uncertainty 191st (H&EY) Fd Rgt went to Ramillies Barracks, Aldershot, where it was ordered to mobilise as part of 2nd Canadian Army Group Royal Artillery (AGRA).

Supported by concentrations from 191st Fd Rgt, these units took all their objectives before nightfall, and defensive fire (DF) missions broke up the German counter-attacks on 12 June.

[2][20] On 17 June the regiment moved to Bretteville-l'Orgueilleuse where in addition to supporting 9th Canadian Bde it was to take part in the barrage preceding Operation Epsom.

Over 700 guns were assembled to support this attack around the western edge of Caen, but the operation was delayed until 26 June by a storm in the English Channel that disrupted the landing of supplies and reinforcements.

It had been firing in support of 15th (Scottish) Division, which advanced towards the bridges over the River Odon but was held up by German strongpoints and lost the protection of the artillery's creeping barrage.

[25][26] The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders spearheaded the next day's attack supported by 191st Fd Rgt's guns, even though these had been unable to get forward and the FOOs were now at the extreme range of their radios.

As the Canadians slowly cleared the houses of Caen, Lt-Col Hope with Maj Pearson of 532 Bty got ahead of them and were the first Allied troops to reach the Abbaye aux Hommes and liberate thousands of refugees sheltering there.

This operation opened with a massive bombing programme by RAF Bomber Command and the US Eighth and Ninth Air Forces, assisted by a 'flak suppression' barrage by the British and Canadian artillery on every known German anti-aircraft ('Flak') position.

534 Battery followed 3rd Division forward next morning, but the wagon lines were attacked by a German 88mm Self-propelled gun and on 22 July B Trp of 532 Bty was forced out of its position by continued mortaring.

Lieutenant-Colonel Hope was later awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his work as artillery adviser to the commander of 34th Tank Bde during the street-fighting on 11 September.

[38][39][40][41] After a few days out of the line, 191st Fd Rgt moved up the coast to join 4th Special Service Bde besieging the isolated German garrison in Dunkirk.

Here Lt-Col Hope was appointed artillery adviser to 4th Special Service Bde in 'Force T' for the planned attack on Walcheren, while the second-in-command, Major Proudlock, was left in command of the regiment, which would form part of 'Clarkeforce'.

The fight for this point, supported by fire from 191st Fd Rgt, took most of the remaining afternoon, but the bridge was seized before it could be completely demolished, and Clarkeforce pushed across it and into Wuustwezel from the rear.

The spearhead of Clarkeforce was held up by enemy-held woods, and at last light, Major Proudlock called in fire from every divisional and AGRA gun within range (about 200) to devastate this woodland.

On 22 October, the advance continued towards Esschen, 191st Fd Rgt moved up to Nieuwmoer, despite pockets of enemy resistance along the route, which ambushed some of the force's rear echelon vehicles.

Major Proudlock was awarded the DSO for his work under fire to direct the artillery support, which involved three field, two medium and two heavy anti-aircraft regiments as well as his own.

This was 10 miles (16 km) away across poor country for armour, so Clarkeforce was disbanded and the division carried out a conventional infantry advance (Operation Humid), supported by 191st Fd Rgt firing from the outskirts of Roosendaal.

On 2 December the regiment rendezvoused south of the Maas and fired off all its remaining ammunition at the enemy-held bank, including red, white and blue smoke shells.

Most of the technical assistants and driver-operators (still wearing their regimental badges) were formed into divisional counter-mortar observation teams for 43rd (Wessex), 49th (West Riding) and 52nd (Lowland) Divisions.

Although strictly unofficial and not conforming to Army Council Instructions, the badge (worn on both arms) was well-regarded by members of the regiment who nicknamed it the 'Goat and Cutlasses'.

Uniquely, it was adopted by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission instead of an authorised cap badge to be carved on the headstones of members of the regiment who died on service.

[15][59] 191st Field Regiment is included on the Hertfordshire Yeomanry's World War II memorial tablet unveiled in St Albans Abbey on 19 September 1954.