The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry (SNIY) is a reserve light cavalry regiment created in 2014 as part of the restructuring of the British Army's Army Reserve. It is operationally paired with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, based at Leuchars Station in Fife, Scotland. The regiment has numerous squadrons across Scotland and Northern Ireland.
| The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 31 October 2014 – present |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Light cavalry Yeomanry |
| Role | Close-quarters combat Cold-weather warfare Desert warfare Forward observer Maneuver warfare Patrolling Raiding Reconnaissance Screening Urban warfare |
| Size | Regiment |
| Part of | 19th Brigade |
| Regimental Headquarters | Redford Barracks, Edinburgh |
| Motto(s) | Per Vigilans (Ever Vigilant) |
| Colors | Deep Brunswick Green with St Andrew's Blue over and under |
| March |
|
| Anniversaries | 24 May - Hitler Line (North Irish Horse) |
| Equipment | Jackal 2 / Coyote TSV Land Rover FFR |
| Battle Honours | South Africa 1900-02, Marne 1914, St Quentin Canal, Cambrai 1918, Gallipoli, Jerusalem, Dunkirk, N.W. Europe 1944-45, Djebel Rmel, Tunis, Longstop Hill, Hitler Line, Gothic Line |
| Website | Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel of the Regiment | Col Melfort Campbell |
| Insignia | |
| Administrative Corps | Royal Armoured Corps |
| Arm Badge | Maple Leaf for North Irish Horse (Battle Honour from Hitler Line) |
| Tartan | A Squadron - Hunting Erskine and Royal Stewart for pipers B Squadron - Ulster Tartan (modern) C Squadron - Murray of Atholl (modern) E Squadron - "Hound's Tooth" tartan for pipe bag covers |
History
editOn 31 October 2014, under the Army 2020 plan, the Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry was formed from the regimental headquarters of the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry and three squadrons of the Queen's Own Yeomanry.[1][2] The new regiment was also to include the Lothians and Border Horse, which was re-raised shortly thereafter.[3] As of October 2021, it consists of:[4]
- Regimental headquarters, at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh
- A (Ayrshire (Earl of Carrick's Own) Yeomanry) Squadron, in Ayr[5][6]
- B (North Irish Horse) Squadron, in Belfast and Coleraine[7]
- C (Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse) Squadron, in Cupar[8]
- E (Lothians and Border Horse) Squadron, at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh[9] — E Sqn acts as the Command and Support Squadron of the regiment.[10]
In accordance with the Strategic Defence and Security Review (2020), the regiment is paired with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in the light cavalry role. It is primarily equipped with the Jackal reconnaissance vehicle, having converted from the RWIMIK platform.[11] The regiment was formerly under the control of 51st Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Scotland, but came under control of 19th Brigade in 2022;[12] it is the only army reserve armoured unit in Scotland and Northern Ireland.[1][2]
In 2018, the regiment was present with its first regimental guidon by Frank Ross, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, on behalf of the Sovereign.[1]
Recruitment
editThe regiment recruits soldiers from around the Scottish counties of Lanarkshire, Lothian, Angus and Ayrshire, and from Northern Ireland.[13]
Lineage
edit| 1908 Haldane Reforms | 1957 Defence White Paper | 1966 Defence White Paper | 1992 Options for Change | 1998 Strategic Defence Review | 2012 Army 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayrshire (Earl of Carrick's Own) Yeomanry | A Squadron, Queen's Own Yeomanry | A Squadron, Scottish Yeomanry | A Squadron, Queen's Own Yeomanry | A Squadron, Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry | |
| North Irish Horse | D Squadron, Royal Yeomanry | North Irish Horse (Independent Squadron) | B Squadron, Queen's Own Yeomanry | B Squadron, Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry | |
| Fife and Forfar Yeomanry | Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse | (Suspended Animation) | C Squadron, Scottish Yeomanry | C Squadron, Queen's Own Yeomanry | C Squadron, Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry |
| Scottish Horse | |||||
| Lothian and Border Horse | Queen's Own Lowland Yeomanry | (Suspended Animation) | HQ Squadron, Scottish Yeomanry | (Suspended Animation) | E Squadron, Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry |
| Lanarkshire Yeomanry | B Squadron Scottish Yeomanry | (Suspended Animation) | |||
| Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry | |||||
Freedoms
editThe regiment has received the freedom of several locations throughout its history; these include:
6 May 2014: South Ayrshire ("A" Squadron).[14]
1 February 2016: Mid and East Antrim ("B" Squadron).[15]- 6 July 2019: East Lothian ("E" Squadron).[16][17]
- 2 April 2022: Edinburgh ("E" Squadron).[18][19][20]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ a b "New Military Unit from the United Kingdom Trains with Michigan Army National Guard in Denmark". DVIDS. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ "Summary of Army 2020 Reserve Structure and Basing" (PDF). British Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ "The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry". MOD. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ "A (Ayrshire (EOCO) Yeomanry) Sqn". MOD. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ "The history of a Scottish squadron is published". Scottish Field. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ "B (North Irish Horse) Sqn". MOD. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ "C (FFY/SH) Sqn". MOD. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ "E (Lothians and Border Yeomanry) Sqn". MOD. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ^ "Army 2020, Army Reserve Changes" (PDF). 3 December 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Royal Scots Dragoons Guards receive new jackal vehicles" (Press release). MOD. 20 November 2013.
- ^ "Future Soldier Guide" (PDF). British Army. 2021. p. 45.
- ^ "Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
- ^ "HRH Prince of Wales Takes Salute from The Queen's Own Yeomanry". 6 May 2014.
- ^ "Freedom of the Borough for the North Irish Horse". 1 February 2016.
- ^ Sharp, Mary (27 May 2019). "Freedom of East Lothian for Army squadron with historic links to county". East Lothian Courier.
- ^ "Freedom of East Lothian granted". East Lothian Council. 6 July 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ "Edinburgh Squadron of the Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry to receive Freedom of the City". The City Council of Edinburgh. 25 November 2021.
- ^ Stephen, Phyllis (2 April 2022). "Freedom of the City bestowed upon The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry". The Edinburgh Reporter. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
- ^ Sivills-McCann, David (4 April 2022). "Scottish and NI Yeomanry follow in footsteps of Mandela and Connery". Forces News. Retrieved 6 April 2022.