Norfolk Yeomanry 1908-1914

This post will look at numbering in the Norfolk Yeomanry between 1908 and 1914.

The regiment was raised in 1901 as the Norfolk (King's Own) Imperial Yeomanry and when it became the Norfolk Yeomanry (King's Own Royal Regiment) in 1908, it continued with the numbering series it had used when it was the Imperial Yeomanry. Most of the men who joined in 1908 were former Norfolk Imperial Yeoman - joining the newly constituted regiment with their old Imperial Yeomanry numbers. So for instance, 882 David Amiss joined on the 1st April 1908 but his number dates to a year earlier - 13th April 1907 - when he joined the Imperial Yeomanry. Starting from 1 in 1901 and only reaching 882 by April 1907 also illustrates just how slowly many yeomanry regiments recruited.

By 1914 the Norfolk Yeomanry was headquartered at Castle Market Street, Norwich, with its four squadrons disposed as follows:

A Squadron: Norwich
B Squadron: North Walsham
C Squadron: Fakenham
D Squadron: King's Lynn

The regiment formed part of the Eastern Mounted Brigade which was administered from Colchester in Essex.

1134 joined on25th June 1909
1220 joined on 26th April 1910
1281 joined on 16th March 1911
1339 joined on 16th February1912
1455 joined on 24th July 1913
1494 joined on 16th January 1914
1587 joined on 8th August 1914
1674 joined on 15th September 1914
1813 joined on 13th October 1914
1955 joined on 2nd November 1914

Two reserve units, the 2/1st and 3/1st, were formed during the First World War and both drew their numbers from the same series above.

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