This section contains information about the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, which was a separate entity to that of the Wiltshire Regiment. The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry now exists as 2 squadrons of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry.
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (RWY) – History
The Yeoman Cavalry of Wiltshire was formed at the Bear Inn, Devizes on 12 May 1794 in response to threat of French invasion and from that day, Devizes remains the regiment’s spiritual home. In the early 1800s the Yeomanry helped to quell riots, most notably the Swing Riots in Wiltshire in November 1830. In 1831 they were awarded the prefix “Royal” in recognition of the role they played in civil defence.
In 1864 the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry escorted the Prince of Wales (later H. M. King Edward VII) through Savernake Forest, for which they were granted the title of Prince of Wales Own, adopted the 3 Feathers motif and the motto “Ich Dien”.
The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry held many exercises in Wiltshire in the second half of the 19th century, which culminated in them serving in South Africa in the Second Boer War. To enable them to serve overseas, all British Yeomanry regiments were re-branded as Imperial Yeomanry, but the county yeomanry units tended to serve together. The 1st and 2nd Companies of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry became the 1st Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry. Later, the 63rd Company of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry became the 16th Battalion of the Imperial Yeomanry.
The regiment fought as cavalry in France at the start of the Great War and then as infantry in the trenches, taking part in many of the great battles including Ypres, Passchendaele, the Somme and Messines.
In 1939, the regiment was re-mobilised as a mounted unit and fought in Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and North Africa. In 1941, it converted to mechanised units, with many of the tanks named after towns and pubs in Wiltshire. The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry played a crucial role, spearheading the attack at El Alamein alongside the New Zealand Division. Their heroism was recognised by the New Zealanders who granted the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry the honour of wearing the New Zealand Fern Leaf on their vehicles.
In 2003, members of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry took part in the Invasion of Iraq, in a specialist reconnaissance role.
In more recent decades the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry soldiers have deployed on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently two squadrons or the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry remain – ‘B’ Squadron and ‘Y’ Squadron within the Royal Wessex Yeomanry.
Information related to Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
The following documents – which relate to the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry – have been transcribed and contributed by our members:
| Military Matters 1850-1899 | Short news reports, including one for the Wiltshire Yeomanry. |
| Army Manoeuvres 1898 | The Order of Battle and a detailed report of a major exercise between the Southern and Northern forces in 1898, involving numerous Regiments gathered in Wiltshire, including the Wiltshire Regiment and Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry. |
| Army Manoeuvres (2) 1898 | Another report of the major training exercise in 1898 between the Southern and Northern forces, involving numerous Regiments gathered in Wiltshire, including the Wiltshire Regiment and Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry. |
| The Fallen in South Africa – Proposed Tablet in Swindon | List of men who fell in South Africa, during the Second Boer War. Based on an article originally published in the Swindon Advertiser, Friday, 24 June 1904. Additional information has been added the the original data in the article. Includes men from Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry and 2nd Bn. Wiltshire Regiment |
| WWI Volunteers by Parish (Wiltshire Telegraph), 1914 | Detailed listing of 1,600+ Wiltshire men who enlisted, as reported by the Wiltshire Telegraph, August – September 1914. The list includes men enlisting into the Wiltshire Regiment, other Army regiments, The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry and the Royal Navy. |
| First World War – Casualty Coverage | Please see the Wiltshire Regiment page (of this Military section of the WOPC website) which contains links to lists of soldiers published in the Wiltshire Telegraph during the First World War years of 1914, 1915, 1916 & 1917. Those lists cover casualties (killed in Action, Wounded, Sick, Missing and Prisoners of War) of both Wiltshire Regiment AND Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry. |
| First World War – Enlistments | Detailed listing of 1,600+ Wiltshire men who enlisted, as reported by the Wiltshire Telegraph, August – September 1914. The list includes men enlisting into the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, the Wiltshire Regiment, other Army regiments, and the Royal Navy. |
Please let us know if you would like to submit any historical information or interesting personal articles about the RWY and Wiltshire.
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry – Graves & Memorials
The WOPC is currently researching the location of memorials to the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, other than those held in individual parish locations. One memorial is within Salisbury Cathedral, which commemorates the fallen of Wiltshire in the Second Boer War and mentions 4 officers by name and 44 non-commissioned officers and men (not by name) of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry.
As of June 2025, the WOPC had identified over 200 personnel, from the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, who served and fell during the Boer War, First World War and Second World War.
If a member of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry with a Wiltshire connection died in service, then any images of their individual grave or memorial (UK or Overseas), that we have received from our members, may be found via the Military Gallery link on the relevant parish page on this website.
If a member of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry with no direct Wiltshire connection – other than serving in the Regiment – died in service, then any images of their individual grave or memorial (UK or Overseas), that we have received from our members, may be found this gallery:
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry – Graves & Memorials
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry – Gallery
The link below holds images, provided by members, which refer generally to the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry. These will include any historical photographs, postcards, uniforms, insignia and other artefacts.
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry Gallery
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry – Useful Links/Archives
| Army Service Records (IWM) | The Imperial War Museum (IWM) guide on where to find Army Service Records |
| Army Family History (IWM) | The Imperial War Museum (IWM) guide on Tracing your Army Family History |
| Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry Cavalry (National Archives) | The National Archives list of records held at Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre |
| Royal Wessex Yeomanry | The British Army (mod.uk) | The official Ministry of Defence Army site for the Royal Wessex Yeomanry, which includes the Swindon and Salisbury squadrons of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry |
| RWY Regimental Archive | This is held at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, Cocklebury Road, Chippenham, SN15 3QN Tel: 01249 705500 |
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry – Related Books
These are books that the WOPC has found useful in researching information about the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry.
| The Annals Of The Yeomanry Cavalry Of Wiltshire, Volume I (2 parts) & Volume II (Henry Graham, 1886, 1894 & 1908) | These volumes cover the period from 1894 to 1908, obviously from the perspective of over a century ago, with detailed insight into certain events. Contains many muster rolls and a complete listing of the casualties of the Wiltshire Yeomanry in the Boer War. |
| Royal Wilts, The History of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, 1920 – 1945 (Lieut.-Colonel P.W. Pitt, T.D., 1946) | The story of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry from its reformation after the First World War until it was stood down in 1946. |
| 1939-1945 As I Remember -The Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry At War (L. C. Wheeler, Edited by Stephen Keoghane, 2021) | Personal experiences of a soldier in the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry during WWII. |
| Primus In Armis – An Illustrated History of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (Stephen Keoghane, 2021) | Probably the most well-known book about the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry. As the title implies, this is the story of the regiment from the early days to the modern era told with reference to excellent photographs. |
