Second World War The North Somerset Yeomanry was a part-time cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1798 to 1967.

It maintained order in Somerset in the days before organised police forces, and supplied volunteers to fight in the Second Boer War.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, it continued to operate in the mounted role and then as a specialist signals unit.

After Britain was drawn into the French Revolutionary Wars, the government of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger proposed on 14 March 1794 that the counties should form Corps of Yeomanry Cavalry that could be called on by the King to defend the country against invasion or by the Lord Lieutenant to subdue any civil disorder within the county.

The regiment became the North Somerset Yeomanry in 1814 with six troops:[3][4][5] Further troops were then added:[3][4][5] Although the Yeomanry generally declined in importance and numbers after the end of the French wars,[7] the North Somerset unit continued at strength, and was regularly called out to suppress riots, in 1810, 1812 and 1817 at Bath, among miners at Radstock in 1813 and 1817, and weavers at Frome in 1816 and 1822.

[8] Another long-serving CO was Richard Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork and Orrery, Lt-Col Commandant 1867–93, who afterwards became Honorary Colonel, while his son, Viscount Dungarvan, took over as CO.[11][12] For some years the Keynsham Troop was without any officers, and although its members were keen and turned out promptly when required, their appearance and discipline had deteriorated to the point where they were known locally as 'The Cossacks'.

The North Somerset Yeomanry was assigned as 'divisional troops' to 2nd Division of V Corps based at Warminster, alongside Regular Army and Militia units of infantry, artillery and engineers.

[11] This was never more than a paper organisation, but from April 1893 the Army List showed the Yeomanry regiments grouped into brigades for collective training.

[11] The Yeomanry was not intended to serve overseas, but due to the string of defeats during Black Week in December 1899, the British government realised that it was going to need more troops than just the regular army to fight the Second Boer War.

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

[17][20] The first company left Southampton on 31 January 1900, bound for Cape Town,[21] and the whole first contingent arrived in South Africa between February and April.

[4][11][25] The regiment's CO, Viscount Dungarvan was already serving in South Africa in February 1900 and was seconded to the IY as second-in-command of the 22nd Battalion in 1901–02.

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 1914, the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units.

Early in 1918, the regiment moved to Ireland with 4th Cyclist Brigade and was stationed in Dublin; there was no further change before the end of the war.

The regiment was disbanded on 21 June 1919 in Dublin, and the remaining personnel formed an improvised trench mortar battery.

On 'Black Friday', 13 February, the regiment lost its last horse and proceeded to the Royal Corps of Signals (RCS) Base Depot, where it was retrained.

The regiment formally transferred to the RCS as 4th Air Formation Signals (North Somerset Yeomanry) on 21 March 1942.

The units concerned were termed 'Air Formation Signals' (AFS), and their number expanded rapidly as the Second World War progressed.

Ideally there would be one AFS regiment assigned to each RAF Group or higher formation, but the fluid nature of air operations in the Middle and Far East theatres led to difficulty in meeting this target from Royal Signals resources, which was why the North Somerset Yeomanry was converted to the role.

As Eighth Army and the DAF advanced, new LGs could be rapidly established, the earlier ones being taken over by bomber squadrons in the rear.

[65][71][72] In 1943 a standardisation committee regularised the various HQ signal units, and AFS units were supposed to adopt the following organisation:[73] 4th AFS (NSY) served throughout the operations in the North African Campaign, including the Alamein and the advance into Tunisia, followed by the Allied invasion of Sicily and the greater part of the Italian Campaign.

In August 1944 the unit was relieved by 8th AFS and the Yeomanry were sent home under the 'Python' scheme having served overseas for four and a half years.

After home leave, the majority were then drafted to 14th AFS Regiment serving in North West Europe until the end of the war.

As late as 1898 the regiment's horse furniture retained the old steel collar chains instead of modern white head-ropes.

Instead, Khaki service dress was worn: 'frocks' (jackets) with four pockets and breeches, with a Slouch hat, the left side turned up, carrying a white-over-scarlet plume.

[81] The North Somerset Yeomanry was awarded the following battle honours (honours in bold are emblazoned on the guidon):[4] Honorary Distinction: Badge of the Royal Corps of Signals with year-date "1942–45" and four scrolls: "North Africa", "Sicily", "Italy", "North-West Europe" The following served as Colonel or Honorary Colonel of the unit:[11][82] A memorial in the form of a wooden camp letter box with inscribed bronze panels listing 99 members of the North Somerset Yeomanry who died in the First World War, and 28 from the Second World War is preserved at the Bishops Hull Army Reserve Centre at Taunton Deane.