Shropshire Yeomanry

The Shropshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1795, which served as a cavalry and dismounted infantry regiment in the First World War and as a cavalry and an artillery regiment in the Second World War. It was then amalgamated with the Shropshire Royal Horse Artillery.

In 1969, the regiment was replaced by No. 4 Squadron, 35 (South Midland) Signal Regiment (Volunteers) and the Shropshire Yeomanry Cadre. These later formed the Shropshire Yeomanry Squadron of theQueen's Own Mercian Yeomanry before their amalgamation into the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry.

75th (Shropshire Yeomanry) Medium Regiment, R.A.

On 1 September 1939, the Shropshire Yeomanry was a Horsed Cavalry Regiment, but in 1940, the Regiment lost its horses and converted to artillery. "A" Squadron and H.Q. Squadron formed 101 and 102 Batteries of the 75th Medium Regiment, R.A. On 20 December 1942 the Regiment, equipped with 4.5" howitzers, left Liverpool for Durban and Suez, arriving on 14 April 1943. 101 Battery was re-equipped with 5.5 howitzers, whilst 102 kept its 4.5s.

After intensive training, 101 battery moved through the desert to Tripoli, then went to Syracuse in Sicily and saw its first action. 102 Battery arrived in Sicily from Egypt on 7 August.

The Regiment served through the Italian campaign, sometimes in support of the 5th Army, sometimes with the 8th Army (at least parof the time with 6 AGRA), and saw action in many notable battles. These included the third battle of Monte Cassino, operations against the Gustav Line and the breakthrough, operations against the Hitler Line, actions at Arezzo and the occupation of Florence and Forlì.

The Regiment went on to serve in the Apennines against the Gothic Line and on to the final offensives of the 8th Army in Spring 1945. The end of the war found the 75th Medium Regiment in defensive positions facing Tito's Yugoslav army in Venezia Giulia.

76th (Shropshire Yeomanry) Medium Regiment, R.A.

After the conversion from Horsed Cavalry to Gunners in 1940, "B" Squadron and "C" Squadron formed the nucleus of the 76th Medium Regiment as 112 and 113 Batteries, and where equipped with Great War 60-pounders, although these were later replaced by 6-in. howitzers. From then until 1942, the Regiment was occupied in intensive training.

On 25 August 1942, now equipped with 5.5-in. howitzers, sailed from Gourock-on-Clyde, also by way of Durban, to the Suez Area, arriving in November. In January 1943, the Regiment left Egypt and motored by way of the Sinai Desert along the Trans-Jordan Pipeline to Baghdad to join the Persia and Iraq Force ("Paiforce").

In April, they moved to Syria and through a shortage of guns in Tunisia lost its own.

In May, more guns arrived and combined operations with further intensive training were carried out in the Suez Canal area. They left the Middle East in December 1943, and landed at Taranto, Italy, by the 9 December. 112 Battery had at this time 5.5-in. howitzers and 113 Battery 4.5s, but shortly after landing 112 lost its guns to another Yeomanry Regiment, receiving 4.5s in exchange.

On 15 December 1943 the Regiment moved up to the Sangro battle and took over from its sister-regiment in support of the 8th Army.

In February 1944, the Regiment moved across to Cassino and took part in the battles of 16 February to 15 March and the successful capture and break-through of 11 May, and then on to the Hitler Line.

The advance now went beyond Rome, with the Regiment supporting the 6th South African Armoured Division up to and including the fight for Florence, except for the Arezzo battle, with 6th Armoured Division.

In April 1945, the Regiment again moved across Italy to the east coast to join the final offensive with the 8th Army.

After the German surrender on 2 May 1945, the Regiment saw further action on the road to Austria. On VE Day, it, like its sister regiment, was watching Tito near Trieste.