Queen's Own Yeomanry

Queen's Own Yeomanry is a British Army Reserve regiment formed in 1971 that performs armoured reconnaissance and surveillance tasks. The regiment has links to historic yeomanry units, maintains regional squadrons across northern England and Scotland, and is integrated with Regular Army formations for operations, training, and mobilization.

History

The regiment traces lineage to historic county yeomanry such as Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, Lancashire Hussars, Yorkshire Hussars, Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry, West Riding Yeomanry, Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, Lothians and Border Horse, Royal Scots Greys, Northumberland Hussars, East Riding Yeomanry, Nottinghamshire Yeomanry, Derbyshire Yeomanry, Cumberland Yeomanry, and Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry. It was established during the Cold War era alongside units like the Territorial Army (United Kingdom), British Army of the Rhine, 1st Armoured Division (United Kingdom), and formed ties with regiments such as the Royal Dragoon Guards, Royal Tank Regiment, and Household Cavalry. Post-Cold War restructuring including the Options for Change review and the Strategic Defence Review affected its organization, aligning it with new concepts from the Army 2020 programme and later Future Soldier reforms. Its antecedent squadrons saw action or mobilization during conflicts and campaigns including the Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and have peacetime affiliations with formations like 3 Commando Brigade, 16 Air Assault Brigade, and divisional headquarters such as 1st (United Kingdom) Division.

Organisation and Structure

Regimental sub-units reflect regional identity and are stationed in towns linked to historic yeomanry such as Newcastle upon Tyne, Carlisle, York, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Middlesbrough, Dundee, Edinburgh, Inverness, Leicester, Derby, Chesterfield, Huddersfield, Halifax, Wakefield, and Doncaster. Command relationships place the regiment under higher headquarters like 3rd (United Kingdom) Division, while cooperative arrangements integrate personnel with units including the Household Cavalry Regiment, Royal Yeomanry, Queen's Royal Hussars, Queen's Royal Lancers, Light Dragoons, 10th Signal Regiment, 32 Signal Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, Adjutant General's Corps, and Royal Army Medical Corps. Training venues and ranges used by the regiment include Warcop Training Area, Otterburn Training Area, Sennelager Training Area, BATUS, Castlemartin Training Area, and Lulworth Ranges. The regiment's structure has mirrored reforms from organizations such as the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), the Army Recruiting and Training Division, and joint force arrangements involving Ministry of Defence Police and Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association oversight.

Roles and Equipment

Primary roles include armoured reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, and liaison with formations such as Infantry Division (United Kingdom), Armoured Brigade Combat Team, and Joint Helicopter Command. Equipment historically employed includes reconnaissance vehicles and reconnaissance platforms like the Scimitar (FV107 Scimitar), Scorpion (FV101 Scorpion), CVR(T), and more modern systems such as the Jackal (MWMIK), Foxhound (Protected Patrol Vehicle), Ajax (armoured fighting vehicle), Wolfhound (vehicle), and surveillance systems like the Ajax (Scout SV family). Support and communications equipment interoperates with units operating systems such as the Bowman (Soldier System), Javelin (missile), General Dynamics, and support from corps platforms including Mastiff (vehicle), MOWAG vehicles, and logistics fleets managed alongside Royal Corps of Transport antecedents. Night vision and targeting gear link with capabilities fielded by formations like Army Air Corps and systems deployed on platforms such as the Warthog (ATV).

Deployments and Operations

Personnel from the regiment have deployed on operations integrated with formations and campaigns such as Operation Telic, Operation Herrick, Operation Granby, Operation Shader, United Nations Protection Force, and multinational arrangements including NATO missions, International Security Assistance Force, and Multinational Division South. Sub-units provided reinforcements and reconnaissance detachments embedded with units like the 1st Armoured Division (United Kingdom), 3 Commando Brigade, 16 Air Assault Brigade, Brigade Reconnaissance Force, Armoured Reconnaissance Squadron, and coalition partners including United States Army, Royal Marines, Canadian Armed Forces, and Australian Army. Peacetime tasks have included civil support alongside agencies such as Police Service of Northern Ireland, Scottish Ambulance Service, Border Force, Local Resilience Forums, and cooperation with NATO exercises like Exercise Joint Warrior and Exercise Allied Spirit.

Recruitment, Training, and Insignia

Recruitment draws on counties with historic yeomanry traditions including Northumberland, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Fife, Lothian, and Borders. Training pipelines leverage establishments such as the Army Foundation College, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Army Training Centre Pirbright, Infantry Battle School, Specialist Weapons School, and reserve-specific schemes directed by Army Recruiting and Training Division and Cadet Forces. Trade training and promotion align with qualification frameworks from the Ministry of Defence and civilian accreditation bodies such as the Institute of Leadership & Management and City & Guilds. The regiment's cap badges, stable belts, and insignia reflect antecedent regimental heraldry tied to units like the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry, Yorkshire Hussars, Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, and Lothians and Border Horse, and wear traditions maintained in events such as Remembrance Sunday and regimental anniversaries linked to historic battles like Waterloo and Balaclava.

Category:Yeomanry regiments of the British Army