Royal Devon Yeomanry The Royal Devon Yeomanry was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army , formed in 1920 . It participated in World War II and now forms a squadron of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry . Antecendents . 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 7 June 1920 , the Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry was amalgamated with the Royal North Devon Yeomanry to form the Royal Devon Yeomanry and simultaneously transferred to the Royal Artillery to form 11th ( Devon ) Army Brigade , RFA . Pre war . The brigade / regiment underwent a number of redesignations before the outbeark of World War II . In 1921 it was renumbered and regained its yeomanry title as 96th ( Devon Yeomanry ) Army Brigade , RFA and in 1922 became 96th ( Devonshire Yeomanry ) Army Brigade , RFA . In 1923 it regained its royal title as 96th ( Royal Devon Yeomanry ) Brigade , RFA . Another title change came in 1924 as the Royal Field Artillery was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery as 96th ( Royal Devon Yeomanry ) Field Brigade , RA . The final change came in 1938 as artillery brigades became regiments , hence 96th ( Royal Devon Yeomanry ) Field Regiment , RA . In 1939 , the Territorial Army was " duplicated " - existing units formed a second unit . 96th ( Royal Devon Yeomanry ) Field Regiment , RA formed 142nd ( Royal Devon Yeomanry ) Field Regiment , RA . World War II . Field regiments were 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 . 96th ( Royal Devon Yeomanry ) Field Regiment , RA . 96th Field Regiment served in the Home Forces for most of the war , moving to India in January 1945 . At the outbreak of the war , 96th Field Regiment was part of 45th Division . Initially commanding two batteries - 381 from Torverton and 382 from Totnes - the third battery ( 469 ) was formed in the regiment at Knottingley in December 1940 . It transferred to 61st Division in June 1944 before being posted to India . In the Far East , it supported 81st ( West Africa ) Division and 25th Indian Division in preparation for Operation Zipper . 142nd ( Royal Devon Yeomanry ) Field Regiment , RA . 142nd Field Regiment also initially served in the Home Forces , before moving to Sicily and Italy from July 1943 . At the outbreak of the war , 142nd Field Regiment was also part of 45th Division . Initially commanding two batteries - 383 from Torrington and 384 from South Molton - the third battery ( 506 ) was formed in the regiment at Bircotes on 5 November 1940 . It was authorised to use the " Royal Devon Yeomanry " designation from 17 February 1942 . 142nd Field Regiment fought in Sicily from July 1943 and in Italy thereafter under command of 8th Army , taking part in most of the major actions of that campaign including the landings in Sicily and Anzio and the Battle of Monte Cassino . Throughout the campaign the regiment was armed with Bishop self - propelled guns . For its support to the Canadian Division it was awarded the right to wear the Maple Leaf of Canada . Post war . Both regiments were reformed in 1947 as 296th ( Royal Devon Yeomanry ) Field Regiment , RA ( at Exeter ) and 342nd ( Royal Devon Yeomanry ) Medium Regiment , RA . In 1950 , 342nd Medium Regiment was amalgamed into 296th Field Regiment and in 1956 absorbed 256th ( Wessex ) Light Anti - Aircraft Regiment , RA . 296th Field Regiment survived until 1967 . On 1 April 1967 the regiment was amalgamated with the 4th Battalion , The Devonshire Regiment to form The Devonshire Territorials ( Royal Devon Yeomanry / The 1st Rifle Volunteers ) . In the process it was reduced to squadron strength as " A " Squadron . This had a brief , two year , existence and throughout that time was kept very short of equipment and training time . It was reduced to cadre in 1969 . With a change of government policy , in 1971 the Territorials were again reformed , and on 1 April a new regiment was born incorporating three old and distinguished cavalry regiments . " A " and " C " Squadrons were formed from the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars , " B " Squadron from the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry , and " D " Squadron from the old Royal Devon Yeomanry . The regiment is called the Royal Wessex Yeomanry . The Royal Devon Yeomanry now serves as D Squadron , Royal Wessex Yeomanry based in North Devon ( Barnstaple ) and South Devon ( Paignton ) . It provides trained replacement crewmen for the Regular Army ' s Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank . The Royal Devon Yeomanry Museum is incorporated in the North Devon Museum , The Square Barnstaple .