This was organised as service companies of 121 officers and men enlisted for one year.
Existing Yeomanry and fresh volunteers quickly filled the new force, which was equipped to operate as Mounted infantry.
These included Paget's Horse, the Sharpshooters and the Roughriders, all recruited in London,[2][8] and the specialists of Lovat's Scouts.
A Third Contingent was recruited from late 1901 onwards, largely as new units, while the existing battalions were consolidated.
Fresh regiments were also raised, often on the basis of returned veterans, such as the City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders) and the 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), the North Irish and South Irish Horse, and the Lovat Scouts.