Formation and early history The Kirkcaldy Troop was raised in 1797 but, after becoming the Fife Yeomanry Cavalry in 1803, it was disbanded in 1828. The unit was re-raised as the Fife Yeomanry Cavalry in 1831 but was disbanded again in 1838. The unit was re-raised as the Forfarshire Yeomanry in 1856 but disbanded again in 1862. In 1901 the 1st Fifeshire Mounted Rifle Volunteer Corps and the 1st Forfarshire Light Horse Volunteer Corps amalgamated to form the Fifeshire and Forfarshire Imperial Yeomanry. The word "Imperial" was dropped from the title on the formation of the Territorial Force in 1908.
First World War 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.
1/1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry They were dismounted and eventually became the 14th (FFY) Battalion of the
Black Watch. As part of the
74th (Yeomanry) Division they served in Egypt and Palestine in 1917 and 1918 before moving to France in 1918.
2/1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry The 2nd Line regiment was formed in September 1914 and in January 1915 was assigned to the
2/1st Highland Mounted Brigade. On 31 March 1916, the remaining Mounted Brigades were ordered to be numbered in a single sequence; the brigade was numbered as
1st Mounted Brigade and joined the
1st Mounted Division in
Norfolk. In July 1916, the 1st Mounted Division was reorganised as the
1st Cyclist Division and the regiment was transferred as a mounted unit to the
2nd Mounted Brigade in the new 1st Mounted Division (the former
3rd Mounted Division) in the
Brentwood area. with the rest being transferred to other roles. As a result, on 6 January 1921, the Regiment was one of eight converted and reduced to
2nd (Fife and Forfar) Armoured Car Company, Tank Corps, later renumbered as
20th (Fife and Forfar) Armoured Car Company, Royal Tank Corps. On 30 April 1939, it was transferred to the
Royal Armoured Corps. By 1939, it had become clear that a new European war was likely to break out, and the doubling of the Territorial Army was authorised, with each unit forming a duplicate. The Lothians were expanded to an armoured regiment in August 1939 as the
1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and formed a duplicate
2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in the same month.
Second World War as used by the 1st FFY in World War II
1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry The 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry landed in France as reconnaissance regiment for the
51st (Highland) Infantry Division in the
British Expeditionary Force in September 1939 and then took part in the
Dunkirk evacuation in June 1940. The battalion later served in the United Kingdom with the
28th Armoured Brigade in the
9th Armoured Division until August 1944 when it moved to North West Europe and saw action at the
crossing of the Rhine with the
31st Armoured Brigade in the
79th Armoured Division in March 1945.
2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry The 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry took part in the
Normandy landings with the
29th Armoured Brigade in the
11th Armoured Division in June 1944. It subsequently saw action in
Operation Epsom in June 1944,
Operation Goodwood in July 1944,
Operation Bluecoat in August 1944 and the
Battle of the Bulge in December 1944.
Post-war When the Territorial Army was re-formed in May 1947, the regiment resumed its pre-war role as an Armoured Car Regiment. It amalgamated with the
Scottish Horse to form the
Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse in 1956. ==Memorials==