Essex Yeomanry The Essex Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army raised in 1797 . The regiment recruited volunteers from the county of Essex in the East of England . The Essex Yeomanry is currently a troop within the Inns of Court & City and Essex Yeomanry ( ICCEY ) Signal Squadron . History . Origins . The Essex Yeomanry was raised in 1797 during the Napoleonic Wars as a number of independent troops . Its Band was formed in 1809 . The regiment was brought together as the Essex Yeomanry Cavalry in 1814 . The regiment was disbanded in 1828 ; but , with the expansion of the volunteer movement in the 1850s , the regiment was re - raised as the West Essex Yeomanry Cavalry in 1857 . The regiment was disbanded again in 1877 , but an Essex Troop continued to serve under command of the Loyal Suffolk Hussars . Essex Imperial Yeomanry . In 1902 , the Essex Imperial Yeomanry was raised with 4 sabre squadrons , 1 machine gun section , and its regimental headquarters at Colchester Garrison . In 1908 , the regiment was renamed the Essex Yeomanry and transferred to the Territorial Force . World War I . In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 ( 7 Edw . 7 , c . 9 ) , which brought the Territorial Force into being , the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country . However , on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914 , many members volunteered for Imperial Service . Therefore , TF units were split in August and September 1914 into 1st Line ( liable for overseas service ) and 2nd Line ( home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas ) units . Later , a 3rd Line was formed to act as a reserve , providing trained replacements for the 1st and 2nd Line regiments . 1 / 1st Essex Yeomanry . The Essex Yeomanry Cavalry Regiment was mobilised at the outbreak of war . The regiment joined the Royal Horse Guards and the 10th Royal Hussars in France in November 1914 as part of 8th Cavalry Brigade . In April 1918 , the 1st Essex Yeomanry was broken up as reinforcements for three other cavalry regiments . Lieutenant Colonel Whitmore of the EY was appointed to command the 10th Royal Hussars , the only Territorial officer without previous regular service to command a regular cavalry regiment . Other officers included members of the Towers family , whose descendants subsequently hung portraits of their menfolk in uniform at Ashridge , where they can still be seen today . 2 / 1st Essex Yeomanry . The 2 / 1st Essex Yeomanry was raised at Colchester and later served as garrison troops in Ireland during the war . 3 / 1st Essex Yeomanry . The 3 / 1st Essex Yeomanry was raised at Colchester and later absorbed into the 4th Reserve Cavalry Regiment in 1917 . Essex RHA . In addition , 1 / 1st ( Essex Yeomanry ) Battery , RHA was mobilised at Colchester in 1914 . The battery was a reserve Royal Horse Artillery formation aligned to the Essex Yeomanry . The battery served attached to 8th Cavalry Brigade in France from 1914 - 1918 . Between the Wars ( 1918 – 1939 ) . The regiment was reconstituted in 1920 as part of the Territorial Army with regimental headquarters at Colchester . In 1921 , the regiment was converted from cavalry to artillery and became 104th ( Essex Yeomanry ) Brigade , Royal Field Artillery . In 1932 , with regimental headquarters and 413 Battery transferred to Chelmsford , the regiment gained a 339 ( Essex Royal Horse Artillery ) Battery based at Colchester . In 1938 , the regiment was renamed 104th ( Essex Yeomanry ) Regiment , RHA . World War II . At the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 , the " 104th ( Essex Yeomanry ) Regiment , RHA " formed a duplicate regiment as part of the increase in British military manpower . The second Essex Yeomanry regiment was designated 147 Regiment RHA ( Essex Yeomanry ) . 104th ( Essex Yeomanry ) Regiment , RHA . The first line regiment went to the Middle East in 1940 and served in most of the Western Desert battles , notably Battle of El Alamein and the Siege of Tobruk . The regiment went on to fight in the Italian Campaign and was stood - down in Austria in 1946 . 147th ( Essex Yeomanry ) Regiment , RHA . The new regiment landed on the beaches of Normandy on D - Day , 1944 . The regiment fought with the British 8th Armoured Brigade as a spearhead unit through France , Belgium , the Netherlands , and into Germany . The regiment stood - down in 1946 . Post - war . 1945 – 1969 . The Essex Yeomanry was re - raised on 1 June 1947 as 304th ( EY ) Field Regiment RA with HQ at Chelmsford and batteries at Colchester ( P ) , Southend ( Q ) , and Harlow ( R ) . The title RHA was restored in February 1955 and shoulder chains were added to the green No . 1 dress . 1969 – 2010 . The Essex Yeomanry tradition was continued through the men and women of the Territorial Army who served as members of 70 ( Essex Yeomanry ) Signal Squadron , which formed part of 71 Yeomanry Signal Regiment in the Royal Corps of Signals . The squadron headquarters and 881 Troop were located in Chelmsford , with 882 Troop based in Harlow . Members of the squadron wore the Green Beret of the Essex Yeomanry and were liable for active duty under the Reserve Forces Act 1996 ; soldiers from the Squadron contributed to operations in Afghanistan , Bosnia , Kosovo and Iraq . On 25 April 2009 , 70 ( Essex Yeomanry ) Signal Squadron was awarded the freedom of Harlow . Following the announcement in the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday , 28 April 2009 , concerning the restructuring of Royal Signals Territorial Army , Harlow TA Centre was closed on 1 October 2009 . 70 ( Essex Yeomanry ) Signal Squadron amalgamated with 68 ( Inns of Court & City Yeomanry ) Signal Squadron to form 68 ( Inns of Court & City and Essex Yeomanry ) Signal Squadron . The official parade where the two Squadron fell out and then fell back in as one Squadron occurred on Saturday , 26 June 2010 . Present day . With the closure of Harlow TA Centre on 1 October 2009 , and the Squadron ' s amalgamation , 907 ( Essex Yeomanry ) Signal Troop was reformed at Chelmsford TA Centre as part of the Inns of Court & City and Essex Yeomanry with TA Centres at Chelmsford , Lincoln ' s Inn and Whipps Cross . Soldiers from the Squadron continue to contribute to operations in Afghanistan & Cyprus . Essex Yeomanry Band . The Essex Yeomanry Band is one of the oldest established Military band s in the East of England , being originally formed in 1809 . The Band is today a self funding organisation and is based is the City of Chelmsford , Essex . History . The History of the Band , especially in its formative years , is somewhat sketchy , and not so clearly documented as that of the Essex Yeomanry Regiment . Trumpeters were used by all Cavalry Regiments as a means of giving commands . The first real evidence of an Essex Yeomanry Band ( then on Horse back ) , was recorded in 1809 . In 1830 , the Commanding Officer of the West Essex Yeomanry was financially supporting the Band out of his own pocket . An engraving of 1846 shows a black drummer mounted on a white horse , sporting a plumed turban . The other mounted bandsmen wore the Yeomanry uniform of the period . In 1877 , the West Essex Yeomanry was disbanded , but later reformed to be become the Waltham Abbey Town Band . However , this newly formed band proudly continued to wear the Yeomanry uniform . The Essex Yeomanry became gunners in 1921 , but still retained the Band . The musicians were now dismounted , but continued to entertain all those who heard them play . By 1937 , the band was in full dress uniform of the Regiment , complete with plumed brass helmets . During the Second World War , the Essex Yeomanry Band was disbanded , but later reformed in 1947 . This was a difficult time for the players , as all the uniforms had been destroyed with the bombing of Chelmsford in 1943 . In 1952 , official recognition of the band was given by the War Office , but like the Regiments was withdrawn in 1968 . Today , as a result of work given by successive Directors of Music , Bandmaster s and the loyalty of musicians , the Band now operates on a self - supporting basis . Members pay an Annual Subscription towards the band ' s upkeep , together with income from concerts . The band gives concerts at a wide range of events such as public concerts , bandstand s , private functions and events for organisations such as ex servicemen ' s charities . The current Director of Music is Major Danny Greer A . R . C . M . Danny trained at the Royal Military School of Music and is a former Bandmaster to the Royal Highland Fusiliers .