Lincolnshire Yeomanry
| Lincolnshire Yeomanry | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1794–1920 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 British Army
|
| Type | Yeomanry |
| Size | Maximum three Regiments in World War I |
| Engagements |
South Africa 1900–1902 World War I Second Battle of Gaza Third Battle of Gaza Battle of Beersheba |
The Lincolnshire Yeomanry was a volunteer cavalry unit of the British Army from 1794–1920.
Independent Troops of Yeomanry were raised from 1794 and served until 1828. The Lincoln Light Horse comprised four troops and a further ten existed. Re-raised in 1831 the North Lincoln Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry served until 1846 when it was disbanded.
On 13 December 1899, the decision to allow volunteer forces serve in the Second Boer War was made. Due to the string of defeats during Black Week in December 1899, the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army, thus issuing a Royal Warrant on 24 December 1899. This warrant officially created the Imperial Yeomanry. The Lincolnshire Yeomanry was raised in May 1901.
The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each. In addition to this, many British citizens (usually mid-upper class) volunteered to join the new regiment. Although there were strict requirements, many volunteers were accepted with substandard horsemanship/marksmanship, however they had significant time to train while awaiting transport.
The first contingent of recruits contained 550 officers, 10,371 men with 20 battalions and 4 companies, which arrived in South Africa between February and April 1900. Upon arrival, the regiment was sent throughout the zone of operations.
In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw. 7, c.9) which brought the Territorial Force into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service. Therefore, TF units were split in August and September 1914 into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. Later, a 3rd Line was formed to act as a reserve, providing trained replacements for the 1st and 2nd Line regiments.
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