The regiment was formed in 1794, originally as a series of independent troops based in the important towns of Kent, England, as part of the response to the French Revolutionary Wars.

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

[2] The first contingent of recruits contained 550 officers, 10,371 men with 20 battalions and 4 companies,[3] which arrived in South Africa between February and April, 1900.

[9] The 1st Line regiment was mobilised on 4 August 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War and was in the Canterbury area (under Second Army of Central Force[10]) until September 1915.

[11] It was dismounted and left Kent for Liverpool; on 24 September it boarded RMS Olympic and sailed the next day.

[13] The brigade, with the regiment, was withdrawn to Egypt in February 1916[14] and formed part of the Suez Canal Defences.

[13] The brigade served as part of the Suez Canal Defences from 14 March to 26 July attached to 42nd (East Lancashire) Division;[13] it then joined the Western Frontier Force.

[19] With the end of the war, the troops of 74th Division were engaged in railway repair work and education was undertaken while demobilisation began.

In March 1917 it resumed its identity as 2/1st Royal East Kent Yeomanry at Woodbridge, still in 3rd Cyclist Brigade.

In April 1918, the regiment moved with its brigade to Ireland and was stationed in County Mayo; there was no further change before the end of the war.

[14] Following the experience of the First World War, it was decided that only the fourteen most senior yeomanry regiments would be retained as horsed cavalry,[21] with the rest being transferred to other roles.

[24] The Royal East Kent Yeomanry (The Duke of Connaught's Own) (Mounted Rifles) was awarded the following battle honours:[1] South Africa 1900–01 Somme 1918, Bapaume 1918, Hindenburg Line, Épehy, Pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders 1918, Gallipoli 1915, Egypt 1916–17, Gaza, Jerusalem, Tell 'Asur, Palestine 1917–18 Designated as Mounted Rifles from 1856, the regiment achieved the unique destination amongst Yeomanry units of wearing rifle green uniforms.

The headdress was a scarlet peaked cap with black band, instead of the astrakhan busby of infantry rifles regiments.

[25] From 1903 to 1920 the Royal East Kent Yeomanry wore the standard khaki field dress of the British Army for training, active service and ordinary duties, with regimental insignia.