Bases
The regiment was formed on the creation of the Territorial Force in April 1908 and placed under orders of the South Eastern Mounted Brigade. It was headquartered in Maidstone with the squadrons being headquartered as follows:
A Sqn: Bromley (and drill stations at Catford and Woolwich)
B Sqn: Dartford (Rochester, Gravesend, Sevenoaks and Woolwich)
C Sqn: Tunbridge Wells (Tonbridge and Hawkhurst)
D Squadron: Maidstone (West Malling, Westminster and Woolwich)
1/1st West Kent Yeomanry
Under command of the South Eastern Mounted Brigade.
August 1914 : moved with the brigade to Canterbury.
24 September 1915 : dismounted, the brigade sailed from Liverpool to Gallipoli, landing on 8 October 1915 and coming under orders of 42nd (East Lancashire) Division.
January 1916 : withdrew from Gallipoli and moved to Mudros.
February 1916 : moved to Egypt where brigade was absorbed into 3rd Dismounted Brigade on Suez Canal defences.
July 1916 : brigade moved to join the Western Frontier Force.
1 February 1917 : with East Kent Yeomanry formed 10th Bn, the Buffs and came under orders of 230th Brigade in 74th (Yeomanry) Division.
7 May 1918 : landed at Marseilles and spent rest of war on Western Front.
2/1st
Formed as a Second-Line regiment in September 1914 and remained at home throughout the war.
Under orders of 2/1st South Eastern Mounted Brigade.
March 1916 : at Canterbury. Brigade renamed 14th Mounted Brigade and came under orders of 4th Mounted Division.
July 1916 : moved to 3rd Mounted Brigade in 1st Mounted Division near Maidstone.
October 1916: Converted into a cyclist unit and merged with 2/1st East Kent Yeomanry to form 9th (East and West Kent) Yeomanry Cyclist Regiment under orders of 3rd Cyclist Brigade in Ipswich area.
March 1917 : remained in brigade but resumed original identity. Now at Woodbridge.
April 1918 : moved with brigade to Ireland and then remained there, first at Dublin and then Claremorris.
3/1st
Formed as a Third-Line training unit in 1915.
June 1915 : affiliated to 3rd Reserve Cavalry Regiment at Canterbury.
Summer 1916 : to Crowborough.
November 1916 : to Tunbridge Wells.
February 1917: disbanded. Personnel posted to 2/1st and some transferred to 4th Reserve Bn, the Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment).
In the 1917 renumbering of the Territorials, the West Kent Yeomanry issued numbers from the block 250001-255000. Corps of Hussars.
Links
42nd (East Lancashire) Division