Also affectionately known as the “Queer Objects On Horseback”
The regiment was formed on the creation of the Territorial Force in April 1908 and placed under orders of the 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade. It was headquartered in Oxford with the squadrons being headquartered as follows:
- A Squadron: Oxford
- B Squadron: Woodstock (with drill stations at Witney and Bicester)
- C Squadron: Henley-on-Thames (Watlington, Theme and Goring-on-Thames)
- D Squadron: Banbury (Deddington, Chipping Norton, Shipton, Charlbury and Burford)
1/1st Oxfordshire Yeomanry
- August 1914 : moved to Reading, brigade coming under orders of 1st Mounted Division. By 15 August the brigade had moved to Norfolk.
- 29 August 1914 : moved to Churn and brigade transferred to 2nd Mounted Division.
- 19 September 1914 : left brigade, landed at Dunkirk in France and placed under GHQ orders.
- In so doing, the regiment became the first Territorial unit to embark for a theatre of war and the first to see action.
- 31 October 1914 : joined 2nd Cavalry Brigade in 1st Cavalry Division.
- 11 November 1914 : transferred to 4th Cavalry Brigade in 2nd Cavalry Division.
2/1st Oxfordshire Yeomanry
- Formed as a Second-Line regiment in September 1914, under orders of 2/2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade.
- April 1915 : moved to King’s Lynn area and brigade under orders of 2/2nd Mounted Division.
- July 1916 : converted to a cyclist unit, under orders of 9th Cyclist Brigade in 1st Mounted Division (then renamed 2/2nd Mounted). The 9th Cyclist Brigade was later renamed 5th Cyclist Brigade. Regiment moved at some point to near Canterbury.
- February 1917 : transferred to 4th Cyclist Brigade at Ipswich. Moved in July to Wivenhoe, then in November to Frinton and Manningtree.
- January 1918 : moved with brigade to Ireland and spent rest of war at Dublin.
3/1st Oxfordshire Yeomanry
- Formed as a Third-Line training unit at Oxford around May 1915.
- Summer 1916 : affiliated to 8th Reserve Cavalry Regiment.
- February 1917 : absorbed into 2nd Reserve Cavalry Regiment at the Curragh.
In the 1917 renumbering of the Territorials, the Oxfordshire Yeomanry issued numbers from the block 285001-290000. Corps of Hussars.