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- Wiltshire Yeomanry during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

Wiltshire Yeomanry

Territorial Force:

  • 1/1st Battalion, Wiltshire Yeomanry
  • 2/1st Battalion, Wiltshire Yeomanry
  • 3/1st Battalion, Wiltshire Yeomanry

       The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry was a mounted unit of the Territorial Force with their HQ at The Butts, London Road, Chippenham, at the outbreak of war in 1914, they were part of 1st South Western Mounted Brigade.

    12th Jan 1916 Operations

    1st May 1916 On the Move

    5th May 1916 On the Move

    8th May 1916 Concentration

    9th May 1916 Orders

    10th May 1916 Orders

    11th May 1916 Preparations

    12th May 1916 School of Instruction

    13th May 1916 Postponement

    14th May 1916 Trench Raid

    15th May 1916 Instruction

    17th May 1916 Gas Alert

    18th May 1916 Orders  location map

    21st Mar 1917 Orders

    If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



  • Want to know more about the Wiltshire Yeomanry ?


    There are:6597 items tagged Wiltshire Yeomanry available in our Library

      These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


    Those known to have served with

    Wiltshire Yeomanry

    during the Great War 1914-1918.

    • Burchell DCM Ernest. A/Sgt. 2nd Btn.
    • Butler DCM. Edward H.. WO2. 6th Btn.
    • Gower William John. L/Cpl. 6th Battalian (d.2nd July 1916)

    All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please. Add a Name to this List

    More Wiltshire Yeomanry records.


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    • 12th March 2024

          Please note we currently have a massive backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 263705 your submission is still in the queue, please do not resubmit.

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        World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great battalion regiment artillery
        Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.






    263021

    A/Sgt. Ernest Burchell DCM 2nd Btn. Wiltshire Regiment

    263021_Ernest Burchell_6th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment_placque showing his DCM award

    Ernest Burchell, who was my grandfather, joined the Wiltshire Yeomanry on 5th of September 1914 at Marlborough and was posted to Number 1 Section of the 2nd Troop of B Squadron. His superiors were 2nd Lt A. Irwin, Sgt. 58 BRC Palmer and Sgt. 643 Drewitt. The other ranks in his section were: Pte. 1215 Maisey, Pte. 1213 Mace, Pte. 1214 Mace, Pte. 1483 Palmer, Pte. 1877 Hillier, and Pte. 1205 Langfear. The B Squadron commander was Major CS Awdry. This Squadron remained in England for the first part of the war in reserve. They carried out manoeuvres in Ashdown Forest in West Sussex and eventually ended up at Aldershot, where they were part of the South Western Mounted Brigade of the 41st Division.

    On 5th of May 1916, they sailed on the SS Rossetti from Southampton to Le Havre, France. Upon arrival in France, they didn't take up combat duties at the front, but they did carry out the important roles of intelligence-gathering, police duties, helping get supplies to the front, digging trenches, and assisting the Engineers with laying communication cables. Some of the Yeomanry (including Ernest) were employed as dispatch riders. During this period, Ernest had two horses that he was riding killed from shrapnel wounds and eventually went to using a motorbike to deliver the dispatches.

    On 25th of September 1917, the Yeomanry disbanded and Ernest joined the 6th Wiltshire Regiment. He spent his first day with his new unit in the front line trenches at Spoilbank, south of Ypres. As is well known, the 6th Wiltshires were almost wiped out in the following spring. His section was deployed at Spanbroekmolen, where he and 10 other soldiers were cut off during the Allied retreat. This gallant action earned my granddad the DCM. During phase 2 of the German Spring Offensive of 1918, Ernest and the 6th Wiltshires were involved in heavy fighting during the battles of Bapaume, Bailleul, and Mount Kemmel. Then followed a period of rest and training, after which Ernest was transferred to the 2nd Wiltshires on 13 May 1918 as Pte. 203241. On 23rd of June 1918, he was awarded the DCM, and on 2nd of July 1918 he was promoted to Acting Sergeant with pay.

    On 3rd of September 1918, during the 100 days march to victory, Ernest was wounded by a German sniper at Hinges. The family still has the bullet that narrowly missed his heart. He was shipped back to England and spent the remainder of the war recovering from his wound at the East Leeds War Hospital. He was demobilised on 1st of March 1919. He died in 1976, and I am writing a book about his early life.

    Ernest Burchell in 1918

    Michael Paul Burchell




    255885

    WO2. Edward H. Butler DCM. 6th Btn. Wiltshire Regiment

    Firstly, I am not a relative of Edward Butler. I am a medal collector and also mount medals for wear and undertake to frame medals and ephemera for relatives. I have just completed framing a group of six medals, a photograph, badges etc. and also a copy of the citation for his DCM taken from the London Gazette, October, 1918. His medals are: Distinguished Conduct Medal, British War Medal 1914 - 1919, Victory Medal 1914 - 1918, Territorial Force War Medal, Defence Medal 1939 - 1945 and Territorial Force Efficiency Medal.

    He was initially a WO2 with the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry then with the 6th Battalion, Royal Wiltshire Regiment. His Territorial Force Efficiency Medal (GvR) was awarded for service with the R.A.S.C. His citation reads: Sjt. E. H. Butler (Warminster) For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. After the enemy had succeeded in pressing back the right flank, he formed near him into a Lewis Gun team and covered the retirement of the troops on the right, and repulsed a frontal attack, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. By his courage and resource he saved a critical situation. (3rd Oct 1918)

    Roy Adams




    223006

    L/Cpl. William John Gower 6th Battalian Wiltshire Regiment (d.2nd July 1916)

    William Gower served with the 6th Battalian Wiltshire and was attached to the 1st/1st Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry when he was killed on the second day of the Battle of the Somme. He was 21 years old, the son of George Frank and Harriet Gower of 20 Premier St., Nechells, Birmingham.

    Tony Harris








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