Kent Yeomanry

Formation Following the experience of the First World War, it was decided that only the fourteen most senior yeomanry regiments would be retained as horsed cavalry, with the rest being transferred to other roles. As a result, on 20 August 1920, the Royal East Kent (The Duke of Connaught's Own) Yeomanry (Mounted Rifles) was amalgamated with the West Kent Yeomanry (Queen's Own) to form the Kent Yeomanry and simultaneously re-roled as field artillery to form 6th (Kent) Army Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. In 1921 the regiment regained its yeomanry title and was renumbered as the 97th (Kent Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Within the brigade, two batteries were subtitled "Duke of Connaught's Own Yeomanry", 385th at Canterbury and 386th at Ashfordand two were subtitled "Queen's Own Yeomanry"387 at Bromley and 388 at Maidstone. The brigade's HQ was also at Maidstone. The final change came in 1938 as artillery brigades became regiments, and the unit became 97th (Kent Yeomanry) Army Field Regiment, RA in November. By 1939 it became 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. 97 (Kent Yeomanry) Army Field Regiment, RA formed 143 Field Regiment, RA. Second World War 97 (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 97 (Kent Yeomanry) Army Field Regiment mobilized on 3 September 1939 at Maidstone under Eastern Command with 385 (Duke of Connaught's Own Yeomanry) and 387 (Queen's Own Yeomanry) Batteries. The regiment joined the BEF in May 1940, initially with III Corps During the Battle of France, the regiment saw action at Saint-Valery-en-Caux in June 1940; after the German advance the regiment destroyed its guns and equipment and headed to Dunkirk for evacuation in Operation Dynamo. Field regiments had been organised in 1938 into two 12-gun batteries. The experience of the BEF in 1940 showed the problem with this organisation: field regiments were intended to support an infantry brigade of three battalions. This could not be managed without severe disruption to the regiment. As a result, field regiments were reorganised into three 8-gun batteries. The third battery (470) was formed in the regiment at Great Baddow in March 1941. The regiment dropped the "Army" designation on 13 September Armed with sixteen 25 pounders, the regiment served with 7th Armoured in the Second Battle of El Alamein. On 20 December it was placed under command of GHQ, Middle East Forces and 470 Field Bty was reformed for the regiment. The Regimental HQ with 385, 387 and 470 Batteries were placed in suspended animation on 15 December 1945. It spent the early part of the war in Iceland. While there, it was reorganised from two 12-gun batteries to three 8-gun batteries when the third battery (507) was formed in the regiment in May 1941. It was authorised to use the "Kent Yeomanry" designation from 17 February 1942. The division began landing in Normandy on 12 June 1944 (D-Day + 6) Later they were also in action around Le Havre (Operation Astonia) as part of the First Canadian Army, at the Turnhout Canal On 1 May 1961, the regiment was amalgamated with 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) to form Kent and County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters). ==Insignia==

Upon conversion to artillery the regiment opted to wear the Royal Artillery cap and collar badges rather than their original yeomanry badges, although shoulder chains were authorised for wear on walking out dress for all ranks. During World War II special regimental pattern buttons for service dress were adopted by officers of 97 Field Regiment. These were flat, gilt, and engraved with the white horse of Kent over a scroll inscribed 'INVICTA' over the letters KY. Brass KY shoulder titles were worn on battledress by all ranks, and while in the Middle East officers wore a khaki drill slip-on shoulder strap below the rank badges with KY embroidered in white. An embroidered regimental arm badge consisting of the white horse on a black diamond was worn on the right arm by all ranks. The buttons, shoulder titles and arm badge continued to be worn after the war by 297 LAA Rgt until conversion to RAC in 1961. ==Battle Honours==

The Kent Yeomanry was the custodian of the battle honours of The Royal East Kent Mounted Rifles (The Duke of Connaught's Own) and The West Kent Yeomanry (Queen's Own). ==See also==