page_title: Suffolk Yeomanry
section_title: Imperial Yeomanry
hierarchical_section_title: Suffolk Yeomanry / Imperial Yeomanry
caption_attribution_description: English: Group of the Suffolk Yeomanry. Courtesy of the Spanton-Jarman Collection, Bury St Edmunds Past and Present Society, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England.
context_page_description: The Duke of Yorks Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army. Originally formed as a volunteer cavalry force in 1793, it fought in the Second Boer war as part of the Imperial Yeomanry. In the World War I the regiment fought at Gallipoli, in Palestine and on the Western Front. The unit was subsequently converted into a Royal Artillery unit, serving in the anti-tank role North Africa, Italy and France during World War II. The lineage is maintained by No. 677 Squadron AAC.
context_section_description: Following a string of defeats during Black Week in early December 1899, the British government realised that it would need more troops than just the regular army to fight the Second Boer War. On 13 December, the decision to allow volunteer forces to serve in South Africa was made, and a Royal Warrant was issued on 24 December. This officially created the Imperial Yeomanry (IY). The force was organised as county service companies of approximately 115 men signed up for one year, and volunteers from the Yeomanry and civilians (usually middle and upper class) quickly filled the new force, which was equipped to operate as Mounted infantry. The Loyal Suffolk Hussars raised the 43rd and 44th (Suffolk) Companies. A company of the Loyal Suffolk Hussars first left Southampton on 31 January 1900, bound for Cape Town. These two companies, which landed in South Africa  on 23 February and 28 March respectively, served in 12th Battalion, IY. In addition, Capt (now Lt-Col) Colvin of the Essex Troop commanded the 20th (Rough Riders) Battalion IY, which was raised on 17 March 1900 in the City of London and landed in South Africa on 3 May.
  In May and June the 12th Bn IY was serving as Corps Troops with Lord Roberts' main army north of the Orange River. The First Contingent of the Imperial Yeomanry completed their year's term of service in 1901, the two Suffolk companies having earned the regiment its first Battle honour: South Africa 1900–01.
  The Imperial Yeomanry were trained and equipped as mounted infantry. The concept was considered a success and before the war ended the existing Yeomanry regiments at home were converted into Imperial Yeomanry, with an establishment of HQ and four squadrons with a machine gun section. This included the Loyal Suffolk Hussars. A new regiment of Essex Yeomanry was also formed on the basis of the Suffolk Hussars' Essex Troop, and commanded by Lt-Col Colvin.
caption: Group portrait of the Suffolk Yeomanry
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