Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry The Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry was a Yeomanry Cavalry Regiment of the British Army that was formed in 1828 . The regiment was part of the Imperial Yeomanry during the Boer War and would remain in Great Britain for the first years of the Great War . In 1917 , the regiment sailed to France , to fight in the trenches as dismounted troops . They were converted to an artillery unit in 1920 and remained as gunners until 1967 when , after many amalgamations , the title disappeared . Boer War . Due to the string of defeats during Black Week in December , 1899 , the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army . On December 13 , 1899 , the decision to allow volunteer forces to serve in the Second Boer War was made . A Royal Warrant was issued on December 24 , 1899 that officially created the Imperial Yeomanry . The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each . In addition to this , many British citizens ( usually upper - middle class ) volunteered to join the new regiment . Although there were strict requirements , many volunteers were accepted with substandard horsemanship / marksmanship ; however , they had significant time to train while awaiting transport . The first contingent of recruits for the Imperial Yeomanry comprised 550 officer s and 10 , 371 men in 20 battalion s , each generally with four companies . The battalions arrived in South Africa between February and April , 1900 . On arrival , the regiment served throughout the zone of operations . < br > The Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry provided troops for the 24th ( Westmorland and Cumberland ) Company , 8th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry . World War I . During World War I , the Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry was redesignated the 1 / 1st Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry , and second ( 2 / 1st ) and third line ( 3 / 1st ) regiments were created for service . During World War I , the unit was known to have had a wireless section and armoured cars provided by private means . 1 / 1st Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry . The 1 / 1st was mobilised in August 1914 and attached to the Welsh Border Mounted Brigade . In the spring of 1915 , the regiment was split : A squadron ' s personnel were divided between the three other Sqns , which were then each assigned to an Infantry Division located in the United Kingdom - B Sqn to 15th ( Scottish ) Infantry Division ; C Sqn to 18th ( Eastern ) Division ; Regimental Headquarters and D Sqn to 20th ( Light ) Division . The three squadrons ( and , of course , the divisions to which they were attached ) arrived in France that summer . B Squadron was attached to the 1st Cavalry Division for the first half of April 1916 ; C and D squadrons were both attached to the 2nd Cavalry Division for a short period in the following month . On 15 May 1916 , the regiment reformed and served as XI Corps Cavalry Regiment . In June 1917 , it was announced that , due to manpower shortages , the Regiment would be dismounted and retrained as infantry . On completion of the conversion , the regiment was redesignated as the 7th ( Westmoreland and Cumberland Yeomanry ) Battalion , the Border Regiment . 2 / 1st Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry . The 2 / 1st was formed in September 1914 . By July 1915 , it was under the command of the 2 / 1st Western Mounted Brigade , which was later redesignated as the 21st Mounted Brigade . In July 1916 , the regiment converted to a cyclist battalion under the command of the 14th Cyclist Brigade , which was later renumbered as the 10th Cyclist Brigade . The regiment did not see any active service and remained in Great Britain until May 1918 , when it moved to Ireland . 3 / 1st Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry . Formed in 1915 , the Regiment remained in the United Kingdom . It was absorbed by the 2nd Reserve Cavalry Regiment in February 1917 . In September 1917 , the personnel were transferred as infantry to the 5th ( Reserve ) Battalion , The Durham Light Infantry . Inter - War . When the Territorial Forces reformed in 1920 , the regiment converted to artillery , forming the 2nd ( Cumberland Yeomanry ) Army Brigade , RFA . This two - battery brigade was redesignated as the 93rd ( Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry ) Army Brigade , RFA in 1921 . In 1923 , the brigade was joined by the two Cumberland Artillery batteries from the 51st ( East Lancashire and Cumberland ) Brigade , RFA and redesignated as the 51st ( Westmorland and Cumberland ) Brigade , RFA . The four batteries were the 203rd ( Cumberland ) , 204th ( Cumberland ) , 369th ( Westmorland Yeomanry ) and 370th ( Cumberland Yeomanry ) . With the union of the RFA , RGA and RHA to form the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 1 June 1924 , the brigade was redesignated as the 51st ( East Lancashire and Cumberland ) Brigade , RA . In November 1938 , the Royal Artillery renamed its brigades as regiments . In 1939 , as part of the general duplication of the Territorial Army , the 51st Regiment transferred the 304th and 369th batteries to the 109th Field Artillery Regiment RA . World War II . 51st ( Westmoreland & Cumberland ) Field Artillery Regiment . The 51st ( Westmoreland & Cumberland ) Field Artillery Regiment TA , began the war as part of the 42nd ( East Lancashire ) Division . In April 1940 , the 203rd battery sailed to Norway and took part in the brief Norwegian Campaign . The regiment sailed to north Africa towards the end of the year , where it was originally attached to the 6th Australian Division . The regiment saw action in the Western Desert , serving with the 7th Armoured Division ( Desert Rats ) in November 1941 and in the siege of Tobruk with the 9th Australian Division . In February 1942 , the regiment served in Ceylon as part of the 16th Brigade . In February 1943 , it moved to India , where it joined the 70th Infantry Division . In September 1943 , it was placed in suspended animation .