Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse

Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse
Cap badge of the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse
Active	1956–present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Yeomanry
Role	Light cavalry
Size	Since 1992 only one squadron
Part of	Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry
Garrison/HQ	HQ at Yeomanry House, Cupar
Nickname(s)	The Highland Cavalry
Motto(s)	Pro Aris et Focis (For Hearth and Home)
March	Quick - Wee Cooper of Fife (band); The Scottish Horse (pipes and drums) Slow - The Garb of Old Gaul (band); Bonnie Dundee (pipes and drums)
Commanders
Honorary Colonel	Colonel Sir James Lindsay Bt.[1]
Notable commanders	Duke of Atholl Sir John Gilmour 2nd Bt Sir John Gilmour, 3rd Bt Earl of Lindsay
Insignia
Regimental Tartan (Murray of Atholl)

The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse is adopted as the C squadron of the Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry as a Light Cavalry Squadron.[2] It is a Yeomanry Squadron of the British Territorial Army (Army Reserve). It was formed following the amalgamation of The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and The Scottish Horse regiments. Because of the geographic spread of the regiment C Squadron is administered by 51st (Scottish) Brigade.

The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry is the only yeomanry regiment that serves in the formation reconnaissance role, equipped with the Scimitar and Spartan armoured reconnaissance vehicles. On mobilisation, it would reinforce one of the regular army formation reconnaissance regiments. The squadron provided personnel for active service during Operation TELIC, where they served with their regular counterparts in the Royal Armoured Corps.

The FFY/SH and its antecedent regiments have won numerous battle honours and one Victoria Cross.

History

Scimitar vehicles previously used by the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse Squadron

The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and the Scottish Horse on 1 November 1956.[3] In 1967 the regiment was put into suspended animation (and not allowed to recruit).[3]

In 1969 the squadron was reduced to a cadre strength and became sponsored by 153 (Highland) Transport Regiment.[3] The cadre was disbanded in 1975.[3] However, the lineage was revived when C (Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse) Squadron, the Scottish Yeomanry, was formed with a reconnaissance role in 1992.[3] The squadron transferred to the Queen's Own Yeomanry in 1999.[3]

The unit's guidon was paraded at a ceremony to mark the receipt of the Queen's Own Yeomanry's first guidon from the Prince of Wales in 2007.[4] The squadron transferred from the Queen's Own Yeomanry to the Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry in 2013.[5]

The squadron operates in a light cavalry role and is primarily equipped with the Land Rover RWMIK reconnaissance vehicle.[6]

Decorations and awards

The squadron inherited one Victoria Cross winner from its predecessor regiments: Lieutenant Colonel William English, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in 1901 in South Africa whilst serving as a lieutenant in the Scottish Horse.[7]

Notable members of the regiment

Notable members of the regiment include Robert AG Douglas-Miller, the one-time owner of Jenners department store in Edinburgh.[8]

Honorary Colonels and Commanding Officers

Honorary colonels and commanding officers have been as follows:

	Honorary Colonels	Commanding Officers/ Officer Commanding
The FFY/SH Regiment (1956–1967)	Col R Appleby Bartram MC TD DL(1956-1957[9]) Col Earl of Lindsay DL(1957[10]-1962[11]) Col RMTC Campbell-Preston OBE MC TD JP DL (1962[11]-1967[12]) Col Sir William Walker Kt. TD DL[13]	Lt Colonel HRS Stewart TD Lt Colonel N Mathewson TD Lt Colonel M Anstice MC
The FFY/SH Cadre (1967–1975)	Col Sir William Walker Kt TD DL Col Sir John Gilmour Bt DSO TD JP DL MP	Maj MGN Walker (1969[14]-1972) Maj IS Taylor TD (1972[15]-1975[16])
The FFY/SH Suspended Animation (1975–1992)	None	None
C(FFY/SH) Squadron of The Scots Yeo (1992–1999)	Col MJC Anstice MC TD DL	Maj C Roads (1992–1994) Maj I Thornton-Kemsley TD (1994–1996) Maj WHR Wilson (1996–1999)
C(FFY/SH) Squadron of The QOY (1999–present)	Col Sir John Gilmour, 4th Bt (-present)	Maj WHR Wilson (1999–2000) Maj NWE Potter TD (2000–2002) Maj MC Hutchinson TD (2002–2007) Maj C Chayko (2007–2008) Maj NWE Potter TD (2008–present)

Battle honours

Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse holds the combined battle honours of The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, and Scottish Horse.[3] This table shows the squadron's battle honours and which regiment they originate from:

	Battle Honours of the FFY/SH	Battle Honours of the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry[17]	Battle Honours of the Scottish Horse[18]
Second Boer War	South Africa 1900–02	South Africa 1900–01	South Africa 1900–02
First World War	Somme 1918 Bapaume 1918 Hindenburg Line Épehy Beaurevoir Selle Sambre Pursuit to Mons France and Flanders 1918 Macedonia 1916–18 Gallipoli 1915 Rumani Egypt 1915–17 Gaza Jerusalem Tell 'Asur Palestine 1917–18	Somme 1918 Bapaume 1918 Hindenburg Line Épehy       Pursuit to Mons France and Flanders 1918   Gallipoli 1915   Egypt 1915–17 Gaza Jerusalem Tell 'Asur Palestine 1917–18	Beaurevoir Selle Sambre   France and Flanders 1918 Macedonia 1916–18 Gallipoli 1915 Rumani Egypt 1915–16
Second World War	Dunkirk Cheux Bourguebus Ridge Le Perier Ridge Scheldt Ourthe Rhineland Rhine North-West Europe 1940, 44-45 Honorary Distinction: Badge of the Royal Regiment of Artillery with year-dates "1943–45" and three scrolls: "North-West Europe", "Sicily" and "Italy"	Dunkirk Cheux Bourguebus Ridge Le Perier Ridge Scheldt Ourthe Rhineland Rhine North-West Europe 1940, 44-45	Honorary Distinction: Badge of the Royal Regiment of Artillery with year-dates "1943–45" and three scrolls: "North-West Europe", "Sicily" and "Italy"

Uniform

The cap badge of the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse is a mounted knight (The Thane of Fife) with a cross of St Andrew behind. The cross contains both laurel and juniper leaves.[19]

Alliances

Alliances are as follows:

•  Scotland - Atholl Highlanders
•  Australia - 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers
•  South Africa - Solomon Mahlangu Regiment

See also

• Category:Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse officers
• No. 679 (The Duke of Connaught's) Squadron AAC

References

1. "No. 63516". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 November 2021. p. 19472.
2. "C Squadron - Cupar - British Army Website". 15 July 2017. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
3. "The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse 1956-present at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 25 February 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
4. "Guidon Parade of The Queens Own Yeomanry". The Courier. 20 September 2007. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011.
5. "C (Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse) Squadron". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
6. "Royal Scots Dragoons Guards receive new jackal vehicles" (Press release). Ministry of Defence. 20 November 2013.
7. "No. 27362". The London Gazette. 4 October 1901. p. 6481.
8. "No. 41519". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 October 1958. p. 6241.
9. "No. 41054". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 April 1957. p. 2508.
10. "No. 41124". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 July 1957. p. 4151.
11. "No. 42689". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 May 1962. p. 4359.
12. "No. 44283". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 April 1967. p. 3807.
13. "No. 44283". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 April 1967. p. 3812.
14. "No. 45251". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 December 1970. p. 13662.
15. "No. 45867". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1973. p. 88.
16. "No. 46557". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 April 1975. p. 5515.
17. "The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 1 March 2007. Retrieved 1 March 2007.
18. "The Scottish Horse at regiments.org by T.F.Mills". Archived from the original on 15 July 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2007.
19. "Introduction". The Thane of Life. Retrieved 13 November 2017.

External links

• Official Website