After Britain was drawn into the French Revolutionary Wars, Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger proposed on 14 March 1794 that the counties should form a force of Volunteer Yeoman Cavalry (Yeomanry) 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.

However, the peace quickly broke down and a meeting convened by Earl Fitzwilliam (now the Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding) on 16 July 1803 resolved to re-raise it under the command of Lt-Col Francis Ferrand Foljambe of Aldwark, MP.

James Stuart-Wortley (later created Lord Wharncliffe), a politician and former colonel in the 1st Foot Guards, assumed command of the Southern Regiment in 1810 and held it for 35 years.

William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, Viscount Milton (later 6th Earl Fitzwilliam) became Colonel on 4 May 1846 and remained in command for 40 years, with several of his brothers and sons serving as officers in the regiment, as well as members of the Stuart-Wortley family.

[10] The 1st WYCC was reorganised into eight troops in 1871:[3][4][5][15] Earl Fitzwilliam became honorary colonel of the regiment on 25 December 1886 when his younger son the Hon Charles Wentworth-FitzWilliam (a former captain in the Royal Horse Guards and major of the 1st WYY since 26 May 1873) took command as Lt-Col.[4][13][16] Having been Hussars, the regiment progressively adopted Dragoon style, and was officially renamed the Yorkshire Dragoons in 1889.

The 1st West Yorkshire Yeomanry were part of the Cavalry Brigade of VII Corps based at Doncaster, alongside three Regular cavalry regiments and a Royal Horse Artillery battery, while the 2nd West Yorkshire Yeomanry were assigned as 'divisional troops' to 3rd Division of VIII Corps based at Northampton, alongside Regular and Militia units of infantry, artillery and engineers.

[3][4][5][16] 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 they were going to need more troops than just the regular army.

An equipment and emergency fund was set up and by 2 January 1900 13th Yeomanry Brigade had enrolled 330 volunteers (180 from the Dragoons) at Leeds.

[3][23][24][25][26][27] Along with two companies from Nottinghamshire, the 9th and 11th served in the 3rd Battalion, IY, which was placed under the command of Temporary Lt-Col George Younghusband from the Indian Army.

On 5 April Methuen learned of the presence of a small Boer Commando led by the French Comte de Villebois-Mareuil and ordered the IY and other mounted troops to saddle up at once.

[30][31][32] Boshof had been a dismounted action, but at Rooidam on 5 May the Yorkshire Dragoons seized a kraal at a gallop, which allowed them to secure a kopje from which they could enfilade the Boers' main position.

On 14 May Methuen marched on Hoopstad and then continued into Orange Free State protecting the flank of Lord Roberts' main army.

[34] Methuen's Column now took part in the pursuit of de Wet's force south down the railway towards Kroonstad, beginning with a sharp action at Renoster River on 24 June.

The 'Great de Wet Hunt' began in earnest in August, with Methuen personally leading a column including the 1st Yeomanry Brigade.

On 12 August the column engaged the Boers at Mooi River Bridge for four hours, capturing guns and wagons and freeing British prisoners.

[30][36] Lieutenant Alexis Charles Doxat, who had gone out to South Africa in 11th Company, became reconnaissance officer to Maj-Gen Douglas's column and won a Victoria Cross at Zeerust on 20 October 1900, galloping back to rescue a man who had lost his horse.

Among the regiment's officers was the Hon Edward Wood, MP, later (as Viscount Halifax) Viceroy of India and Foreign Secretary.

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.

Although in these battles there was no mounted fighting, the men were often called upon to support infantry attacks with their Hotchkiss machine guns.

The regiment was stationed in the Cologne area until demobilisation in July 1919, when Lord Scarborough received a letter of appreciation from the Corps Commander.

From July until December, the regiment garrisoned the Jebel Druse, prior to moving to Azib to train for mountain warfare.

On 13 February 1942 came the news that they were to be reroled and on 1 March the men said goodbye to their horses; by a matter of a day, the Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons gained the distinction of being the last active cavalry regiment in the British Army.

The regiment suffered considerable casualties in the congested minefield areas prior to the breaking of the line on 2 November, when the 1st Armoured Division started the pursuit it led as far as Timimi.

[76] After a period of training, the regiment moved up to Florence, reverting to the command of 1st Armoured Division for the attack on the Gothic Line.

The original men of the Yorkshire Dragoons, who had served four and a half years abroad (less six officers), were sent home at the end of August, prior to the attack.

The original uniforms were such poor quality that they were replaced the following year, when new pattern 'Tarleton' light cavalry helmets were issued with 'Y.W.R.C' on the front band and probably a buff 'turban' (but re-using the same bearskin crest) and the shorter red jackets were given buff silk cord trimmings and white metal shoulder-wings for the men, with silver fringes for the officers.

By 1808 the plain jacket had acquired lacing in Hussar style (silver for officers, white for other ranks), and by ca 1819 the Tarleton helmet had been replaced by a Light Dragoon Shako with silver/white band around the top.

The regiment also obtained blue regular cavalry cloaks with white collars by about 1893–4, and officers wore a black sabretache from 1898.

This became the universal uniform for the Imperial Yeomanry regiments at home from 1901, but the regulations were later relaxed and full dress returned for ceremonial occasions.

[85][86][87] In Elland, West Yorkshire, there is an elaborate wall plaque to James Hemingway of the Imperial Yeomanry, 'Elland's First Volunteer', who died at Kimberley in 1901.