During the French Revolutionary Wars of the 1790s a number of English and Welsh counties formed part-time units of Yeomanry Cavalry and Volunteer Infantry for home defence and internal security duties.

[3] However, after the short-lived Peace of Amiens broke down in 1803, under the leadership of Charles Watkin Williams-Wynn, Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire, the county rapidly two formed Troops of Yeomanry cavalry, at Montgomery and Welshpool by August 1803.

In view of the civil disturbances in north-east Wales, Charles Watkins-Wyn applied to reform the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry.

In the autumn of 1832 it provided the escort when the Duchess of Kent and Princess (later Queen) Victoria visited Powis Castle.

The worst trouble came in May 1839 when Chartist activities at Llanidloes led to the despatch of three police officers from London and the swearing-in of 200 Special constables.

The yeomanry immediately searched the town, making a number of arrests, uncovering arms caches, and restoring order.

Captain Aubone G. Fife, formerly of the 6th Dragoon Guards, appointed adjutant in 1882, laid great emphasis on musketry training, but this was hampered by the lack of suitable ranges for these more powerful and longer-range weapons.

[13][15] In March 1885 Aubone Fife was promoted to command the regiment, and was succeeded in turn on 2 February 1889 by Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn, 7th Baronet of Wynnstay.

In 1896 the Montgomeryshires were among the first yeomanry regiments to be re-equipped with the Martini–Metford .303 calibre carbine; reduced charge ammunition was supplied for safe use on the ranges.

[13][15] In 1897 Major Edward Pryce-Jones, MP, was transferred from the regiment to form a new 5th Volunteer Battalion, South Wales Borderers.

The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each for one year.

This included the Montgomeryshire Imperial Yeomanry, with RHQ at Brook Street drill hall, Welshpool, which raised an additional squadron at Rhayader in Radnorshire.

[7][13][34] In 1906 Major Robert Williams-Wynn, DSO, was promoted to command the regiment in succession to his brother, who became its Honorary Colonel the following year.

[49][50] When war was declared on 4 August 1914, the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry mobilised at Brook Street Drill Hall with Brevet Colonel Robert Williams-Wynn, DSO, in command.

7, c.9) which brought the TF into being, it was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country.

On 15 August the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units.

[49][50][51][60] The 1/1st SWMB embarked at Devonport on 4 March 1916 and sailed to Egypt in company with the 1/1st Welsh Border Mounted Brigade from 1st Mtd Division.

At first this was placed in the Suez Canal defences under 53rd (Welsh) Division, with 1/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry at Beni Salama, but in April it came under the command of Western Frontier Force.

[63][65] Attacking on 18 September the battalion was stopped by massed machine gun fire, suffering heavy casualties among its officers and NCOs.

For his actions on 18 September, a pre-war member of the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry serving with the 25th RWF, Lance-Sergeant William Herbert Waring, won a posthumous Victoria Cross.

[68] 2/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry was formed at Welshpool in September 1914 and trained with 2/1st South Wales Mounted Brigade at Carmarthen.

In September 1915 it moved to Southwold and the brigade joined 1st Mounted Division, replacing 1/1st SWMB as the latter prepared to sail to Egypt.

The regiment was disbanded in January 1917 with personnel transferring to the 2/1st Montgomeryshire Yeomanry or to the 4th (Reserve) (Denbighshire) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Oswestry.

[4][50][51] Wartime experience had proved that there were too many mounted units, and when the TF was reconstituted as the Territorial Army (TA), only the 14 most senior Yeomanry regiments were retained as horsed cavalry, the remainder being converted to other roles.

[7][76] One squadron of the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry combined with a company of the 1st Battalion, Herefordshire Regiment to form 332 (Radnorshire) Field Battery (Howitzers) at Llandrindod Wells, Radnorshire, as part of 83rd (Welsh) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, while the rest of the regiment formed two companies in the 7th (Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers (originally the 5th Volunteer Battalion, South Wales Borderers, see above) on 3 March 1920, and the yeomanry lineage was discontinued.

In 1820 or 1821 this was updated to the more modern uniform worn by the regular light dragoons of a black Shako with drooping white horsehair plume, a scarlet double-breasted Coatee with gold and crimson lancer girdle, and blue overalls with a red stripe.

In 1856 the Albert helmet, worn by regulars since 1847, was introduced, in black japanned metal, and then in 1860 an infantry-style single-breasted tunic was adopted.

[1][80][81] On the 1831, 1846 and 1856 helmet plates the dragon appeared within a garter belt inscribed with the motto, above which was a three-part scroll displaying 'MONTGOMERYSHIRE YEOMANRY CAVALRY'.

After the formation of the TF the brass collar badge and shoulder titles worn on the khaki field service dress were 'MONTGOMERY' with 'Y' (sometimes 'T' over 'Y') above.

The Queen's was a crimson swallowtail with in the centre the rose, thistle and shamrock surmounted by a crown; beneath were two gold scrolls, the upper with the Royal motto 'DIEU ET MON DROIT', the lower with the regimental title.