150-789: Second World War The North Somerset Yeomanry was a part-time cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1798 to 1967. It maintained order in Somerset in the days before organised police forces, and supplied volunteers to fight in the Second Boer War . It served on the Western Front in the First World War . At the outbreak of the Second World War , it continued to operate in the mounted role and then as
300-659: A Neutrality Pact in April 1941, and Japan adopted the doctrine of Nanshin-ron , promoted by the Navy, which took its focus southward and eventually led to war with the United States and the Western Allies. In Europe, Germany and Italy were becoming more aggressive. In March 1938, Germany annexed Austria , again provoking little response from other European powers. Encouraged, Hitler began pressing German claims on
450-578: A cautious French probe into the Saarland . The Western Allies also began a naval blockade of Germany , which aimed to damage the country's economy and war effort. Germany responded by ordering U-boat warfare against Allied merchant and warships, which would later escalate into the Battle of the Atlantic . On 8 September, German troops reached the suburbs of Warsaw . The Polish counter-offensive to
600-536: A 3rd Line was formed to act as a reserve, providing trained replacements for the 1st and 2nd Line regiments. The 1st Line regiment mobilised at Bath in August 1914 as part of the 1st South Western Mounted Brigade . In October 1914 it moved to Sussex with the brigade, but left it shortly afterwards. It landed in France on 3 November and joined the 6th Cavalry Brigade , 3rd Cavalry Division , on 13 November, replacing
750-698: A battalion commander. The withdrawal entailed a retreat across the devastated zone in front of the Hindenburg Line and the old Somme battlefields, and by the end of 26 March V Corps was back on the Ancre Heights, where the troops held off fresh Germans attacks on 27–28 March ( First Battle of Arras (1918) ) and 5 April ( Battle of the Ancre (1918) ). After the Flesquières fiasco, Byng insisted on Fanshawe being relieved of command. On 25 April, he
900-463: A peripheral part in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle to the south, and then 27th Division took part in the action at St Eloi (14–15 March 1915). In April 1915, V Corps shifted northwards, taking over the sector from St Eloi to St Julien from the French Army. Now, with three divisions under command (first the 5th Division and then the newly arrived 1st Canadian Division were added), V Corps held
1050-524: A pretext to initiate the invasion. The first German attack of the war came against the Polish defences at Westerplatte . The United Kingdom responded with an ultimatum for Germany to cease military operations, and on 3 September, after the ultimatum was ignored, Britain and France declared war on Germany. During the Phoney War period, the alliance provided no direct military support to Poland, outside of
1200-781: A pretext to worsen relations. On 29 August, Hitler demanded that a Polish plenipotentiary immediately travel to Berlin to negotiate the handover of Danzig , and to allow a plebiscite in the Polish Corridor in which the German minority would vote on secession. The Poles refused to comply with the German demands, and on the night of 30–31 August in a confrontational meeting with the British ambassador Nevile Henderson , Ribbentrop declared that Germany considered its claims rejected. On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland after having staged several false flag border incidents as
1350-507: A red cloak (the Life Guards were the only other cavalry to wear this in red rather than blue). As late as 1898 the regiment's horse furniture retained the old steel collar chains instead of modern white head-ropes. Some minor changes to this general pattern were adopted at the end of the 19th Century: a white foreign service pattern helmet was worn for a short period, and breeches were worn with blue puttees and ankle boots. Full dress
1500-428: A renewed German gas attack on V Corps. V Corps lost a further 323 officers and 8936 other ranks during the period 21–30 May. In October 1915, Allenby was promoted to command Third Army and Lt-Gen Hew Dalrymple Fanshawe was transferred from Cavalry Corps (23 October) to replace him at the head of V Corps. In February 1916, V Corps was still holding a sector of Second Army's line from St Eloi to Hooge. On 14 February,
1650-592: A result, Second Army was reduced to a single corps and its commander, Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien , resigned. Plumer was appointed to succeed Smith-Dorrien, and V Corps reverted to Second Army control, with Lt-Gen Edmund Allenby transferred from Cavalry Corps to take command. During the Battle of Frezenberg Ridge (8–13 May), the Germans shelled the 27th and 28th Divisions off the untenable ridge. V Corps lost 456 officers and 8935 other ranks during this battle. The following Battle of Bellewarde Ridge (24–25 May) involved
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#17327912214511800-475: A secret protocol that defined German and Soviet "spheres of influence" (western Poland and Lithuania for Germany; eastern Poland , Finland, Estonia , Latvia and Bessarabia for the Soviet Union), and raised the question of continuing Polish independence. The pact neutralised the possibility of Soviet opposition to a campaign against Poland and assured that Germany would not have to face the prospect of
1950-528: A signals regiment and two were disbanded. The remaining 25 regiments were converted to artillery brigades of the Royal Field Artillery between 1920 and 1922. As the 11th most senior regiment in the order of precedence , the regiment was retained as horsed cavalry. The regiment was still mounted at the outbreak of the Second World War . On 15 November 1939, it joined the newly formed 4th Cavalry Brigade in 1st Cavalry Division . It departed
2100-774: A similar pact and rejected ceding part of its territory to the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union invaded Finland in November 1939, and was subsequently expelled from the League of Nations for this crime of aggression. Despite overwhelming numerical superiority, Soviet military success during the Winter War was modest, and the Finno-Soviet war ended in March 1940 with some Finnish concessions of territory . In June 1940,
2250-643: A specialist signals unit. Postwar it joined the Royal Armoured Corps and later became infantry. Its lineage today is maintained by 93 (North Somerset Yeomanry) Squadron 39 (Skinners) Signal Regiment . After Britain was drawn into the French Revolutionary Wars , the government of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger proposed on 14 March 1794 that the counties should form Corps of Yeomanry Cavalry that could be called on by
2400-465: A surprise attack at St Eloi , preceded by mines but without the normal long preparatory bombardment. The attack was made on 27 March and was initially successful, but the weather and ground conditions were awful and 3rd Division was exhausted and unable to consolidate the position in the craters. After it was relieved by 2nd Canadian Division , there were still weeks of bitter trench fighting. On 4 April, Canadian Corps HQ, which had been responsible for
2550-531: A two-front war, as it had in World War I. Immediately afterwards, Hitler ordered the attack to proceed on 26 August, but upon hearing that the United Kingdom had concluded a formal mutual assistance pact with Poland and that Italy would maintain neutrality, he decided to delay it. In response to British requests for direct negotiations to avoid war, Germany made demands on Poland, which served as
2700-578: Is preserved at the Bishops Hull Army Reserve Centre at Taunton Deane . The Hollywood motion picture War Horse (2011) featured a fictional depiction of the regiment in France in 1914. Second World War Asia-Pacific Mediterranean and Middle East Other campaigns Coups World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions:
2850-527: The 10th Hussars who moved to the newly formed 8th Cavalry Brigade As such, it was one of only six yeomanry regiments to be posted to a regular cavalry division in the war. Trench warfare meant there was little scope for cavalry operations. Nevertheless, in 1915 the brigade and division took part in the Second Battle of Ypres (Battle of Frezenberg Ridge, 11–13 May) and the Battle of Loos (26–28 September). 1916 saw no notable actions, but in 1917
3000-672: The 27th Division and 28th Division , both composed of Regular Army battalions brought back from various Imperial postings. The two infantry divisions had taken over French trenches in front of the Messines-Wytschaete Ridge, south of the Ypres Salient . These trenches were wet and poorly protected, and the Indian-issue boots worn by many of the men were inadequate. They had to endure shelling and occasional trench raids as well as bad weather. V Corps played
3150-489: The 51st (Highland) Division ), but ended with a failure at Redan Ridge during the action known as the Battle of the Ancre . Winter Operations on the Ancre included the capture of Ten Tree Alley by 32nd Division of V Corps on 10–13 February 1917. When the Germans began their retreat to the Hindenburg Line (14 March – 5 April 1917) V Corps followed up slowly against rearguards. On 11 April, Fifth Army attacked
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#17327912214513300-696: The Alamein and the advance into Tunisia , followed by the Allied invasion of Sicily and the greater part of the Italian Campaign . In August 1944 the unit was relieved by 8th AFS and the Yeomanry were sent home under the 'Python' scheme having served overseas for four and a half years. After home leave, the majority were then drafted to 14th AFS Regiment serving in North West Europe until
3450-526: The Allies and the Axis powers . Nearly all the world's countries —including all the great powers —participated, with many investing all available economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities in pursuit of total war , blurring the distinction between military and civilian resources. Tanks and aircraft played major roles , with the latter enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and delivery of
3600-604: The Anglo-German Naval Agreement and the German–Polish declaration of non-aggression . The situation became a crisis in late August as German troops continued to mobilise against the Polish border. On 23 August the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact with Germany, after tripartite negotiations for a military alliance between France, the United Kingdom, and Soviet Union had stalled. This pact had
3750-578: The Army List after the Second Boer War. The Yeomanry was not intended to serve overseas, but due to the string of defeats during Black Week in December 1899, the British government realised that it was going to 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 the field was made, and a Royal Warrant
3900-448: The Army List from December 1875. This assigned Yeomanry units to places in an order of battle of corps, divisions and brigades for the 'Active Army', even though these formations were entirely theoretical, with no staff or services assigned. The North Somerset Yeomanry was assigned as 'divisional troops' to 2nd Division of V Corps based at Warminster , alongside Regular Army and Militia units of infantry, artillery and engineers. This
4050-689: The British Empire , with fighting in the Balkans , Mediterranean, and Middle East , the aerial Battle of Britain and the Blitz , and naval Battle of the Atlantic . Through a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany took control of much of continental Europe and formed the Axis alliance with Italy , Japan , and other countries. In June 1941, Germany led the European Axis in an invasion of
4200-467: The Colchester area in March 1916. On 31 March 1916, the remaining Mounted Brigades were ordered to be numbered in a single sequence; the brigade became the 15th Mounted Brigade and joined 4th Mounted Division . In July 1916, the regiment was converted to a cyclist unit in 6th Cyclist Brigade , 2nd Cyclist Division (4th Mounted Division redesignated). In November 1916 the 2nd Cyclist Division
4350-731: The Frome Selwood Troop of Volunteer Cavalry . The volunteers formed two troops, becoming a squadron in June 1804 when they united with the East Mendip Cavalry to become the Frome and East Mendip Regiment of Volunteer Cavalry . The regiment became the North Somerset Yeomanry in 1814 with six troops: Further troops were then added: Although the Yeomanry generally declined in importance and numbers after
4500-581: The German Revolution of 1918–1919 , and a democratic government, later known as the Weimar Republic , was created. The interwar period saw strife between supporters of the new republic and hardline opponents on both the political right and left. Italy, as an Entente ally, had made some post-war territorial gains; however, Italian nationalists were angered that the promises made by the United Kingdom and France to secure Italian entrance into
4650-853: The German invasion of Poland and the United Kingdom and France 's declaration of war on Germany two days later on 3 September 1939. Dates for the beginning of the Pacific War include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, or the earlier Japanese invasion of Manchuria , on 19 September 1931. Others follow the British historian A. J. P. Taylor , who stated that the Sino-Japanese War and war in Europe and its colonies occurred simultaneously, and
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4800-576: The Italian mainland , and Allied offensives in the Pacific—cost the Axis powers their initiative and forced them into strategic retreat on all fronts. In 1944, the Western Allies invaded German-occupied France at Normandy , while the Soviet Union regained its territorial losses and pushed Germany and its allies westward. At the same time, Japan suffered reversals in mainland Asia, while the Allies crippled
4950-553: The Japanese Navy and captured key islands . The war in Europe concluded with the liberation of German-occupied territories ; the invasion of Germany by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union, culminating in the fall of Berlin to Soviet troops; Hitler's suicide ; and the German unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945 . Following the refusal of Japan to surrender on the terms of the Potsdam Declaration ,
5100-695: The League of Nations as a force to preserve peace. Both Italy and Ethiopia were member nations, but the League did little when the former clearly violated Article X of the League's Covenant . The United Kingdom and France supported imposing sanctions on Italy for the invasion, but the sanctions were not fully enforced and failed to end the Italian invasion. Italy subsequently dropped its objections to Germany's goal of absorbing Austria . When civil war broke out in Spain, Hitler and Mussolini lent military support to
5250-731: The Nationalist rebels , led by General Francisco Franco . Italy supported the Nationalists to a greater extent than the Nazis: Mussolini sent more than 70,000 ground troops, 6,000 aviation personnel, and 720 aircraft to Spain. The Soviet Union supported the existing government of the Spanish Republic . More than 30,000 foreign volunteers, known as the International Brigades , also fought against
5400-690: The Rome–Berlin Axis . A month later, Germany and Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact , which Italy joined the following year. The Kuomintang (KMT) party in China launched a unification campaign against regional warlords and nominally unified China in the mid-1920s, but was soon embroiled in a civil war against its former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) allies and new regional warlords . In 1931, an increasingly militaristic Empire of Japan , which had long sought influence in China as
5550-671: The Royal Corps of Signals with year-date "1942–45" and four scrolls: " North Africa ", " Sicily ", " Italy ", " North-West Europe " The following served as Colonel or Honorary Colonel of the unit: A memorial in the form of a wooden camp letter box with inscribed bronze panels listing 99 members of the North Somerset Yeomanry who died in the First World War, and 28 from the Second World War
5700-552: The Somme Offensive . When V Corps took over, the line was held by the Guards , 6th and 20th (Light) Divisions . These were replaced by the fresh 2nd , 39th and 48th (South Midland) Division for the renewed attacks on the Ancre Heights, which continued from September to November 1916 with regular rotation of divisions as they became exhausted. V Corps finally took some of the 1 July objectives, such as Beaumont Hamel (by
5850-409: The Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact in April 1941. By contrast, the Germans were steadily making preparations for an attack on the Soviet Union, massing forces on the Soviet border. Hitler believed that the United Kingdom's refusal to end the war was based on the hope that the United States and the Soviet Union would enter the war against Germany sooner or later. On 31 July 1940, Hitler decided that
6000-421: The Stresa Front in April 1935 in order to contain Germany, a key step towards military globalisation ; however, that June, the United Kingdom made an independent naval agreement with Germany, easing prior restrictions. The Soviet Union, concerned by Germany's goals of capturing vast areas of Eastern Europe , drafted a treaty of mutual assistance with France. Before taking effect, though, the Franco-Soviet pact
6150-523: The Sudetenland , an area of Czechoslovakia with a predominantly ethnic German population. Soon the United Kingdom and France followed the appeasement policy of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and conceded this territory to Germany in the Munich Agreement , which was made against the wishes of the Czechoslovak government, in exchange for a promise of no further territorial demands. Soon afterwards, Germany and Italy forced Czechoslovakia to cede additional territory to Hungary, and Poland annexed
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6300-428: The Tanggu Truce was signed in 1933. Thereafter, Chinese volunteer forces continued the resistance to Japanese aggression in Manchuria , and Chahar and Suiyuan . After the 1936 Xi'an Incident , the Kuomintang and CCP forces agreed on a ceasefire to present a united front to oppose Japan. The Second Italo-Ethiopian War was a brief colonial war that began in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war began with
6450-466: The Trans-Olza region of Czechoslovakia. Although all of Germany's stated demands had been satisfied by the agreement, privately Hitler was furious that British interference had prevented him from seizing all of Czechoslovakia in one operation. In subsequent speeches Hitler attacked British and Jewish "war-mongers" and in January 1939 secretly ordered a major build-up of the German navy to challenge British naval supremacy. In March 1939, Germany invaded
6600-506: The Treaty of Craiova . The loss of one-third of Romania's 1939 territory caused a coup against King Carol II, turning Romania into a fascist dictatorship under Marshal Ion Antonescu , with a course set towards the Axis in the hopes of a German guarantee. Meanwhile, German-Soviet political relations and economic co-operation gradually stalled, and both states began preparations for war. In April 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway to protect shipments of iron ore from Sweden , which
6750-401: The United Kingdom and France to declare war on Germany. Poland was divided between Germany and the Soviet Union under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact , in which they had agreed on " spheres of influence " in Eastern Europe. In 1940, the Soviets annexed the Baltic states and parts of Finland and Romania . After the fall of France in June 1940, the war continued mainly between Germany and
6900-540: The War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas. Later,
7050-426: The Wehrmacht rapidly advanced to the Channel and cut off the Allied forces in Belgium, trapping the bulk of the Allied armies in a cauldron on the Franco-Belgian border near Lille. The United Kingdom was able to evacuate a significant number of Allied troops from the continent by early June, although they had to abandon almost all their equipment. On 10 June, Italy invaded France , declaring war on both France and
7200-414: The Ypres Offensive and V Corps HQ was made available to command reserves. V Corps' staff for the Ypres Offensive comprised: On 7 September, V Corps relieved XIX Corps , taking command of 9th (Scottish) Division and 55th (West Lancashire) Division in the line. On 20 September, V Corps was assigned stiff objectives for the Battle of the Menin Road , and the 55th Division took heavy casualties. For
7350-451: The aftermath of World War I and the rise of fascism in Europe and militarism in Japan . Key events leading up to the war included Japan's invasion of Manchuria , the Spanish Civil War , the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War , and Germany's annexations of Austria and the Sudetenland . World War II is generally considered to have begun on 1 September 1939, when Nazi Germany , under Adolf Hitler , invaded Poland , prompting
7500-543: The only two nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II was the deadliest conflict in history, resulting in 70 to 85 million deaths , more than half being civilians. Millions died in genocides , including the Holocaust of European Jews, as well as from massacres, starvation, and disease. Following the Allied powers' victory, Germany , Austria , Japan , and Korea were occupied, and war crimes tribunals were conducted against German and Japanese leaders . The causes of World War II included unresolved tensions in
7650-404: The reunification of East and West Germany to take place and resolved most post–World War II issues. No formal peace treaty between Japan and the Soviet Union was ever signed, although the state of war between the two countries was terminated by the Soviet–Japanese Joint Declaration of 1956 , which also restored full diplomatic relations between them. World War I had radically altered
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#17327912214517800-409: The Allies were attempting to cut off . Denmark capitulated after six hours , and despite Allied support , Norway was conquered within two months. British discontent over the Norwegian campaign led to the resignation of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain , who was replaced by Winston Churchill on 10 May 1940. On the same day, Germany launched an offensive against France . To circumvent
7950-400: The Axis war against the Soviet Union, in Romania's case partially to recapture territory ceded to the Soviet Union . In early June 1940, the Italian Regia Aeronautica attacked and besieged Malta , a British possession. From late summer to early autumn, Italy conquered British Somaliland and made an incursion into British-held Egypt . In October, Italy attacked Greece , but the attack
8100-413: The Bath and Keynsham Troops forming the Right Squadron, the two Frome Troops the Frome or Right Centre Squadron, Ston Easton and East Harptree the Centre Squadron, the Mells Troops the Mells or Left Centre Squadron, while the Shepton and Batcombe Troops formed the Left Squadron. Two years later this organisation was abandoned in favour of two divisions: Bath Division: Frome Division: From 1820 to 1840
8250-433: The Battles of Havrincourt (12 Sept), Epehy (18 Sept), St Quentin Canal (29 Sept-2 Oct), Beaurevoir (3–5 Oct) and Cambrai (8–9 Oct). In the Final Advance in Picardy, V Corps was in the pursuit to the River Selle (9–12 Oct), the Battle of the Selle (17–25 Oct) and the Battle of the Sambre (4 Nov). V Corps crossed the Canal du Nord unopposed on 30 September and occupied the Hindenburg Main and Support Lines when
8400-421: The Blitz , but largely ended in May 1941 after failing to significantly disrupt the British war effort. Using newly captured French ports, the German Navy enjoyed success against an over-extended Royal Navy , using U-boats against British shipping in the Atlantic . The British Home Fleet scored a significant victory on 27 May 1941 by sinking the German battleship Bismarck . In November 1939,
8550-489: The British dug in for about a week, preparing for the next offensive beginning on 1 November. V Corps renewed its advance on 4 November with an attack into the Forest of Mormal . The advance was now in the nature of a pursuit, held up only by rearguards and the dreadful condition of the road. When the Armistice ended hostilities on 11 November 1918, V Corps was within a mile or two of the Franco-Belgian border, with cavalry out in front. ( The Corps should not be confused with
8700-490: The CO, Lt-Col H.E. Morton, was notified that the NSY was to convert to the Air Formation Signals (AFS) role. On 'Black Friday', 13 February, the regiment lost its last horse and proceeded to the Royal Corps of Signals (RCS) Base Depot, where it was retrained. The regiment formally transferred to the RCS as 4th Air Formation Signals (North Somerset Yeomanry) on 21 March 1942. The Yeomanry in general have been accused of being blinkered over their mechanisation. Morton objected that
8850-405: The European Axis declaring war on the US. Japan conquered much of coastal China and Southeast Asia , but its advances in the Pacific were halted in mid-1942 after its defeat in the naval Battle of Midway ; Germany and Italy were defeated in North Africa and at Stalingrad in the Soviet Union. Key setbacks in 1943—including German defeats on the Eastern Front, the Allied invasions of Sicily and
9000-432: The Flesquières Line. Although offering strong defences, the Flesquières position formed a dangerous salient in front of the British line. When the Germans opened their Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918, one of their first objects was to pinch it out. Accordingly, they did not attack frontally, but drenched the salient's defenders (2nd Division and 63rd (Royal Naval) Division) with mustard gas , causing many casualties in
9150-415: The French 5th Army Corps , which took part in the Battle of France in 1940, nor with the US V Corps of the US First Army , which took part in the D-Day landings of 6 June 1944 . ) In the early part of the Second World War , V Corps was based at Bhurtpore Barracks in Tidworth Camp within Southern Command . Lieutenant-General Claude Auchinleck was briefly its commander from 14 June 1940 until he
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#17327912214519300-410: The French possessions of Syria and Lebanon , assisted by the Free French . With the situation in Europe and Asia relatively stable, Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union made preparations for war. With the Soviets wary of mounting tensions with Germany, and the Japanese planning to take advantage of the European War by seizing resource-rich European possessions in Southeast Asia , the two powers signed
9450-482: The Germans blew mines and attacked and captured The Bluff , held by 17th Division, which suffered casualties of 67 officers and 1227 men, including 311 missing, of whom around a hundred were captured and many others buried in mine craters. The ground was recaptured on 1 March using innovative artillery preparation techniques pioneered by V Corps' artillery commander Brig-Gen H.C.C. Uniacke. Meanwhile, on 28 February, Fanshawe ordered 3rd Division to begin preparations for
9600-471: The Germans withdrew to the Beaurevoir Line, which it overran on 8 October. For the follow-up on 9 October there were no trenches or wire in front, so Shute's orders were for open warfare, and no barrages were fired, the artillery moving up behind the infantry in support. As a result, V Corps gained more ground than formations that made conventional setpiece attacks behind a barrage. Reaching the River Selle German resistance stiffened, but V Corps got outposts over
9750-426: The Germans, and the last large operational unit of the Polish Army surrendered on 6 October . Despite the military defeat, Poland never surrendered; instead, it formed the Polish government-in-exile and a clandestine state apparatus remained in occupied Poland. A significant part of Polish military personnel evacuated to Romania and Latvia; many of them later fought against the Axis in other theatres of
9900-420: The King to defend the country against invasion or by the Lord Lieutenant to subdue any civil disorder within the county. A meeting of householders at Frome in Somerset on 2 May 1798 resolved to form a military association to defend the town. Its services were accepted on 2 June, and the Frome Troop of Cavalry was formed. A condition of service was that it should not be required to march more than 10 miles from
10050-450: The Nationalists. Both Germany and the Soviet Union used this proxy war as an opportunity to test in combat their most advanced weapons and tactics. The Nationalists won the civil war in April 1939; Franco, now dictator, remained officially neutral during World War II but generally favoured the Axis . His greatest collaboration with Germany was the sending of volunteers to fight on the Eastern Front . In July 1937, Japan captured
10200-452: The Royal Navy putting three Italian battleships out of commission after a carrier attack at Taranto , and neutralising several more warships at the Battle of Cape Matapan . Italian defeats prompted Germany to deploy an expeditionary force to North Africa; at the end of March 1941, Rommel 's Afrika Korps launched an offensive which drove back Commonwealth forces. In less than a month, Axis forces advanced to western Egypt and besieged
10350-441: The Second World War and was substantially reorganised in 1942 for participation in Operation Torch . It fought through the Tunisia Campaign and later the Italian Campaign . In 1876, a Mobilisation Scheme for the forces in Great Britain and Ireland, including eight army corps of the 'Active Army', was published. The '5th Corps' was headquartered at Salisbury comprising the units of Southern Command . In 1880, its order of battle
10500-423: The Soviet Union occupied the entire territories of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as the Romanian regions of Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina, and the Hertsa region . In August 1940, Hitler imposed the Second Vienna Award on Romania which led to the transfer of Northern Transylvania to Hungary. In September 1940, Bulgaria demanded Southern Dobruja from Romania with German and Italian support, leading to
10650-421: The Soviet Union , opening the Eastern Front and initially making large territorial gains. Japan aimed to dominate East Asia and the Asia-Pacific , and by 1937 was at war with the Republic of China . In December 1941, Japan attacked American and British territories in Southeast Asia and the Central Pacific , including Pearl Harbor in Hawaii , which resulted in the US and the UK declaring war against Japan, and
10800-641: The Soviet Union and Mongolia . The Japanese doctrine of Hokushin-ron , which emphasised Japan's expansion northward, was favoured by the Imperial Army during this time. This policy would prove difficult to maintain in light of the Japanese defeat at Khalkin Gol in 1939, the ongoing Second Sino-Japanese War and ally Nazi Germany pursuing neutrality with the Soviets. Japan and the Soviet Union eventually signed
10950-756: The Soviet Union should be eliminated and aimed for the conquest of Ukraine , the Baltic states and Byelorussia . However, other senior German officials like Ribbentrop saw an opportunity to create a Euro-Asian bloc against the British Empire by inviting the Soviet Union into the Tripartite Pact. In November 1940, negotiations took place to determine if the Soviet Union would join the pact. The Soviets showed some interest but asked for concessions from Finland, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Japan that Germany considered unacceptable. On 18 December 1940, Hitler issued
11100-503: The US dropped the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August. Faced with an imminent invasion of the Japanese archipelago , the possibility of further atomic bombings, and the Soviet declaration of war against Japan and its invasion of Manchuria , Japan announced its unconditional surrender on 15 August and signed a surrender document on 2 September 1945 , marking
11250-581: The United Kingdom and France guaranteed their support for Polish independence ; when Italy conquered Albania in April 1939, the same guarantee was extended to the Kingdoms of Romania and Greece . Shortly after the Franco - British pledge to Poland, Germany and Italy formalised their own alliance with the Pact of Steel . Hitler accused the United Kingdom and Poland of trying to "encircle" Germany and renounced
11400-489: The United Kingdom attacked on 3 July in an attempt to prevent its seizure by Germany. The air Battle of Britain began in early July with Luftwaffe attacks on shipping and harbours . The German campaign for air superiority started in August but its failure to defeat RAF Fighter Command forced the indefinite postponement of the proposed German invasion of Britain . The German strategic bombing offensive intensified with night attacks on London and other cities in
11550-1028: The United Kingdom in January 1940, transited across France, and arrived in Palestine at the end of the month where it served as a garrison force under British Forces, Palestine and Trans-Jordan , to relieve Regular units. From 20 March 1941 the regiment was in 5th Cavalry Brigade . In June and July 1941, it took part in operations against the Vichy French in Syria , its members earning one Military Cross , two Military Medals , and six Mentions in Dispatches . The intention had been to convert 1st Cavalry Division into an armoured division, but there were insufficient tanks and instructors in Middle East Forces to carry this out. Finally, on 1 August 1941,
11700-461: The United Kingdom. The Germans turned south against the weakened French army, and Paris fell to them on 14 June. Eight days later France signed an armistice with Germany ; it was divided into German and Italian occupation zones , and an unoccupied rump state under the Vichy Regime , which, though officially neutral, was generally aligned with Germany. France kept its fleet, which
11850-660: The United States was assisting China and the Western Allies, and had amended the Neutrality Act to allow "cash and carry" purchases by the Allies. In 1940, following the German capture of Paris, the size of the United States Navy was significantly increased . In September the United States further agreed to a trade of American destroyers for British bases . Still, a large majority of the American public continued to oppose any direct military intervention in
12000-606: The Yellow River ; this manoeuvre bought time for the Chinese to prepare their defences at Wuhan , but the city was taken by October. Japanese military victories did not bring about the collapse of Chinese resistance that Japan had hoped to achieve; instead, the Chinese government relocated inland to Chongqing and continued the war. In the mid-to-late 1930s, Japanese forces in Manchukuo had sporadic border clashes with
12150-631: The bungler was mainly responsible for clinging to the salient. I will exonerate Fanshawe, who is merely stupid'. Regardless of who was responsible, the setback at the Flesquières salient was nearly disastrous, and led to a dangerous gap opening up between Third and Fifth Army. V Corps attempted to form a defensive flank to Third Army, but the Germans penetrated the gap, and the corps withdrew again on 24 March. During this period (the First Battle of Bapaume , ) V Corps' command structure descended into 'extraordinary confusion and lack of orders', according to
12300-454: The capital Nanking in December 1937. After the fall of Nanking, tens or hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed combatants were murdered by the Japanese . In March 1938, Nationalist Chinese forces won their first major victory at Taierzhuang , but then the city of Xuzhou was taken by the Japanese in May. In June 1938, Chinese forces stalled the Japanese advance by flooding
12450-537: The command of Lt-Col G.C. Glyn, DSO , who had taken command on 10 March. Under the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 ( 7 Edw. 7 , c.9 ) which brought the TF into being, it was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, after the outbreak of war, TF units were invited to volunteer for ' Imperial Service '. On 15 August 1914,
12600-403: The conflict well into 1941. In December 1940, Roosevelt accused Hitler of planning world conquest and ruled out any negotiations as useless, calling for the United States to become an " arsenal of democracy " and promoting Lend-Lease programmes of military and humanitarian aid to support the British war effort; Lend-Lease was later extended to the other Allies, including the Soviet Union after it
12750-526: The creation of a " New Roman Empire ". Adolf Hitler , after an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the German government in 1923, eventually became the Chancellor of Germany in 1933 when Paul von Hindenburg and the Reichstag appointed him. Following Hindenburg's death in 1934, Hitler proclaimed himself Führer of Germany and abolished democracy, espousing a radical, racially motivated revision of
12900-472: The days before the attack. On the evening of 21 March, unaware of the depth of the German penetration against the neighbouring Fifth Army, Third Army ( Gen Sir Julian Byng ) only ordered V Corps to withdraw 4000 yards to its intermediate defence line in the salient. In the following days, as the situation on the flanks deteriorated, Byng had to issue hasty orders to extricate V Corps from the trap. The Official Historian, Sir James Edmonds , wrote in 1932 that 'Byng
13050-649: The directive to prepare for an invasion of the Soviet Union. V Corps (United Kingdom) Second World War : Tunisia Campaign Italian Campaign V Corps was an army corps of the British Army that saw service in both the First and the Second World Wars . It was first organised in February 1915 and fought through the First World War on the Western front . It was recreated in June 1940, during
13200-812: The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian Empires. To prevent a future world war, the League of Nations was established in 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference . The organisation's primary goals were to prevent armed conflict through collective security, military, and naval disarmament , as well as settling international disputes through peaceful negotiations and arbitration. Despite strong pacifist sentiment after World War I , irredentist and revanchist nationalism had emerged in several European states. These sentiments were especially marked in Germany because of
13350-591: The division saw action in the Battle of Arras (First Battle of the Scarpe, 9–12 April). At other times, the regiment served in the trenches as part of a dismounted regiment under the command of the brigade commander. The regiment left 6th Cavalry Brigade on 10 March 1918. Originally it was slated to become a cyclist unit, then to form a machine gun battalion with the Leicestershire Yeomanry . The German spring offensive forestalled this plan, and
13500-596: The division was converted into the 10th Armoured Division and the North Somerset Yeomanry was transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps in September, but all the tanks arriving in the Middle East were urgently required for Western Desert Campaign and there were none to spare for the Yeomanry. The regiment remained in Syria with 5th Cavalry Brigade until December 1941 when it returned to Palestine. On 10 February 1942
13650-535: The earlier ones being taken over by bomber squadrons in the rear. All this imposed a heavy burden on the AFS units maintaining communications as the fighting ebbed and flowed. In 1943 a standardisation committee regularised the various HQ signal units, and AFS units were supposed to adopt the following organisation: 4th AFS (NSY) served throughout the operations in the North African Campaign , including
13800-602: The end of May completed the German conquest of the Balkans. Partisan warfare subsequently broke out against the Axis occupation of Yugoslavia , which continued until the end of the war. In the Middle East in May, Commonwealth forces quashed an uprising in Iraq which had been supported by German aircraft from bases within Vichy-controlled Syria . Between June and July, British-led forces invaded and occupied
13950-580: The end of the French wars, the North Somerset unit continued at strength, and was regularly called out to suppress riots, in 1810, 1812 and 1817 at Bath, among miners at Radstock in 1813 and 1817, and weavers at Frome in 1816 and 1822. The actions of the Yeomanry in the 'Battle of Frome' in 1816 were discussed in Cobbett's Political Register . In 1817 the regiment adopted a squadron organisation, with
14100-732: The end of the war. After the war the regiment reverted to the Royal Armoured Corps and became the armoured regiment of 16th Airborne Division . It later merged with 44th/50th Royal Tank Regiment to become the North Somerset Yeomanry/44th Royal Tank Regiment on 31 October 1955, redesignated in April 1965 as the North Somerset and Bristol Yeomanry . When the TA was reduced into the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve in 1967,
14250-511: The end of the war. World War II changed the political alignment and social structure of the world, and it set the foundation of international relations for the rest of the 20th century and into the 21st century. The United Nations was established to foster international cooperation and prevent conflicts, with the victorious great powers—China, France, the Soviet Union, the UK, and the US—becoming
14400-575: The first step of what its government saw as the country's right to rule Asia , staged the Mukden incident as a pretext to invade Manchuria and establish the puppet state of Manchukuo . China appealed to the League of Nations to stop the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. Japan withdrew from the League of Nations after being condemned for its incursion into Manchuria. The two nations then fought several battles, in Shanghai , Rehe and Hebei , until
14550-598: The fluid nature of air operations in the Middle and Far East theatres led to difficulty in meeting this target from Royal Signals resources, which was why the North Somerset Yeomanry was converted to the role. The regiment absorbed 4th AFS , which was already supporting the RAF in the theatre, and subsequently provided signal support (telephone and telegraph landlines, and despatch riders) for the Desert Air Force (DAF) in
14700-534: The following days, V Corps struggled to plug the gap and hold the line. On 28 April, the BEF was subjected to renewed Germans attacks and Plumer was given an enlarged command – 'Plumer's force', comprising the Cavalry Corps , 3rd (Lahore) Division , 50th (Northumbrian) Division and brigades from 4th and 5th Division in addition to V Corps – and was ordered to organise a withdrawal to the 'Frezenberg Line'. As
14850-864: The former Chinese imperial capital of Peking after instigating the Marco Polo Bridge incident , which culminated in the Japanese campaign to invade all of China. The Soviets quickly signed a non-aggression pact with China to lend materiel support, effectively ending China's prior cooperation with Germany . From September to November, the Japanese attacked Taiyuan , engaged the Kuomintang Army around Xinkou , and fought Communist forces in Pingxingguan . Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek deployed his best army to defend Shanghai , but after three months of fighting, Shanghai fell. The Japanese continued to push Chinese forces back, capturing
15000-445: The high educational standard of his men meant that they should be 'used to better purpose', which ignored the high standards required for the technically demanding new role envisaged for the regiment. Several of his officers requested transfers to other arms and there were complaints about being converted into the 'Somerset Latrine Inspectors'. To maintain esprit de corps only the minimum numbers of RCS officers and NCOs were brought into
15150-562: The highly mobile fighting that characterised the Western Desert Campaign . In 1942 the DAF's two fighter wing HQs could leapfrog forwards in the advance, and they were split into several flying wings of two squadrons, each with its own landing ground (LG). Three flying wing LGs linked by land-line to their parent wing HQ formed a 'fighter airfields area'. As Eighth Army and the DAF advanced, new LGs could be rapidly established,
15300-525: The invasion of the Ethiopian Empire (also known as Abyssinia ) by the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy ( Regno d'Italia ), which was launched from Italian Somaliland and Eritrea . The war resulted in the military occupation of Ethiopia and its annexation into the newly created colony of Italian East Africa ( Africa Orientale Italiana , or AOI); in addition it exposed the weakness of
15450-494: The new line at Bullecourt , with the 62nd Division of V Corps in action alongside I Anzac Corps . The same forces met the German attack on Lagnicourt on 15 April 1917. V Corps took part in the second attack on Bullecourt with the 7th Division, the 58th (2/1st London) Division and the 62nd (West Riding) Division. The Corps lost approximately 300 officers and 6500 other ranks between 3 and 17 May. After Bullecourt, Fifth Army HQ and many of its divisions moved north to prepare for
15600-502: The permanent members of its security council . The Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers , setting the stage for the Cold War . In the wake of European devastation, the influence of its great powers waned, triggering the decolonisation of Africa and Asia . Most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery and expansion . World War II began in Europe on 1 September 1939 with
15750-633: The point where they were known locally as 'The Cossacks'. It was disbanded in May 1842, but many of its members transferred to other troops of the regiment or joined the Gloucestershire Yeomanry Cavalry . In 1854 on the outbreak of the Crimean War , 342 out of 398 men in the regiment volunteered to serve in any part of the United Kingdom . Following the Cardwell Reforms a mobilisation scheme began to appear in
15900-589: The political European map with the defeat of the Central Powers —including Austria-Hungary , Germany , Bulgaria , and the Ottoman Empire —and the 1917 Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia , which led to the founding of the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, the victorious Allies of World War I , such as France, Belgium, Italy, Romania, and Greece, gained territory, and new nation-states were created out of
16050-599: The port of Tobruk . By late March 1941, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia signed the Tripartite Pact ; however, the Yugoslav government was overthrown two days later by pro-British nationalists. Germany and Italy responded with simultaneous invasions of both Yugoslavia and Greece , commencing on 6 April 1941; both nations were forced to surrender within the month. The airborne invasion of the Greek island of Crete at
16200-544: The rank of major-general and later took command of a second-line Territorial division in Home Forces). He was replaced by his elder brother, Lt-Gen Edward Arthur Fanshawe , promoted from command of 11th (Northern) Division . On 16 August 1916, V Corps HQ was transferred from Second Army to Reserve Army (later renamed Fifth Army ) to take over the sector on the River Ancre, where fighting had bogged down during
16350-588: The regiment merged with the West Somerset Yeomanry and the Somerset TA battalion of the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry to become A Company (North Somerset and Bristol Yeomanry) in the combined Somerset Yeomanry and Light Infantry. In 1969 the battalion was reduced to a cadre of eight men, but in 1971, two companies, A and B (Somerset Yeomanry Light Infantry) Companies, reformed in 6th Battalion The Light Infantry (Volunteers). A Company
16500-525: The regiment moved to Ireland with 4th Cyclist Brigade and was stationed in Dublin ; there was no further change before the end of the war. The regiment was disbanded on 21 June 1919 in Dublin, and the remaining personnel formed an improvised trench mortar battery. The 3rd Line regiment was formed in 1915 and in the summer it was affiliated to a Reserve Cavalry Regiment at Tidworth . In the summer of 1916 it
16650-527: The regiment was remounted and returned to the Cavalry Corps . From April 1918 it was split up with a squadron joining each regiment in 6th Cavalry Brigade ( 3rd Dragoon Guards , 1st Dragoons and 10th Hussars). The 2nd Line regiment was formed in 1914 and in January 1915 it joined 2/1st South Western Mounted Brigade . In May it was in the Calne area, it moved in September to the Canterbury area and to
16800-409: The regiment's uniforms took place in 1888 when they were altered to conform with that of the 6th Dragoon Guards : white metal Dragoon helmet with white plume, blue Dragoon tunic with white collar, cuffs, piping, shoulder cords and Austrian knot on the sleeve, blue overalls or breeches with double white stripes. A blue cavalry cloak could be worn over this uniform, but by 1894 the regiment had adopted
16950-695: The regiment: amongst the officers only Morton and the adjutant were replaced, Lt-Col V.W. Hawkins, RCS, taking over as CO. In 1938 the War Office and Air Ministry had agreed that the Army would provide all communications (except wireless) for the Royal Air Force (RAF) deployed overseas. The units concerned were termed 'Air Formation Signals' (AFS), and their number expanded rapidly as the Second World War progressed. Ideally there would be one AFS regiment assigned to each RAF Group or higher formation, but
17100-610: The regimental headquarters was at Mells Park , home of Thomas Strangways Horner, commanding officer (CO) from 1804 to 1839, when he was succeeded by his son. Another long-serving CO was Richard Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork and Orrery , Lt-Col Commandant 1867–93, who afterwards became Honorary Colonel , while his son, Viscount Dungarvan , took over as CO. For some years the Keynsham Troop was without any officers, and although its members were keen and turned out promptly when required, their appearance and discipline had deteriorated to
17250-722: The remainder of Czechoslovakia and subsequently split it into the German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and a pro-German client state , the Slovak Republic . Hitler also delivered an ultimatum to Lithuania on 20 March 1939, forcing the concession of the Klaipėda Region , formerly the German Memelland . Greatly alarmed and with Hitler making further demands on the Free City of Danzig ,
17400-627: The river on 10 October. Third Army attacked and crossed the Selle 12–17 October. Between 8 and 19 October, V Corps, which had done much of the fighting, suffered 5740 casualties. The advance was renewed on 20 October, with V Corps seizing a series of ridges in four planned bounds. On 23–4 October, it took a series of objectives, crossing the German Hermann II position. By now, the Germans were showing little fight, and V Corps' night attacks were able to take positions with few casualties. Even so,
17550-433: The sector south of St Eloi, changed places with V Corps, the first time that a whole corps of the BEF relieved another. On 30 April, V Corps was the victim of a gas attack by the Germans on the line in front of the Messines-Wytschaete Ridge at the Gas attacks at Wulverghem , followed by an attack on the trenches, but the raiders were driven out. On 4 July, H.D. Fanshawe was relieved from command of V Corps (he reverted to
17700-422: The short jacket or coatee was now blue with red facings and wide lapels forming a 'plastron' front, and the trousers were French Grey with a single red stripe. In 1842 a black Light Dragoon Shako replaced the helmet, but some time between 1851 and 1854 the regiment adopted a Heavy Dragoon helmet in white metal with a drooping black plume, possibly because the regimental adjutant at the time, Capt Francis Haviland,
17850-410: The significant territorial, colonial, and financial losses imposed by the Treaty of Versailles . Under the treaty, Germany lost around 13 percent of its home territory and all its overseas possessions , while German annexation of other states was prohibited, reparations were imposed, and limits were placed on the size and capability of the country's armed forces . The German Empire was dissolved in
18000-428: The slouch hat. However, a blue parade or substitute full dress was reintroduced by 1906 for ceremonial parades and 'walking out', with a blue frock and peaked cap with white band. From 1910 the Regular Army cavalry pattern was gradually introduced for service dress. The North Somerset Yeomanry was awarded the following battle honours (honours in bold are emblazoned on the guidon ): Honorary Distinction : Badge of
18150-447: The start or prelude to World War II. The exact date of the war's end also is not universally agreed upon. It was generally accepted at the time that the war ended with the armistice of 15 August 1945 ( V-J Day ), rather than with the formal surrender of Japan on 2 September 1945, which officially ended the war in Asia . A peace treaty between Japan and the Allies was signed in 1951. A 1990 treaty regarding Germany's future allowed
18300-415: The strong Maginot Line fortifications on the Franco-German border, Germany directed its attack at the neutral nations of Belgium , the Netherlands , and Luxembourg . The Germans carried out a flanking manoeuvre through the Ardennes region, which was mistakenly perceived by the Allies as an impenetrable natural barrier against armoured vehicles. By successfully implementing new Blitzkrieg tactics,
18450-419: The succeeding Battle of Polygon Wood , the frontline divisions were relieved, and V Corps attacked with the 3rd and 59th (2nd North Midland) Divisions . On 1 December, V Corps HQ was transferred to Third Army and relieved IV Corps along part of the line that had been captured during the Battle of Cambrai . The very next day, the Germans made a heavy counter-attack, and V Corps was forced to withdraw to
18600-419: The town. Other troops were formed at about the same time at Road , Wolverton, Mells , Beckington and Bath . These independent troops all served until the Treaty of Amiens in 1802 when they were disbanded. The peace was short-lived and Britain declared war on France again in May 1803, beginning the Napoleonic Wars . The Frome Volunteers offered their services again in July and were accepted on 17 August as
18750-415: The two wars became World War II in 1941. Other proposed starting dates for World War II include the Italian invasion of Abyssinia on 3 October 1935. The British historian Antony Beevor views the beginning of World War II as the Battles of Khalkhin Gol fought between Japan and the forces of Mongolia and the Soviet Union from May to September 1939. Others view the Spanish Civil War as
18900-407: The war were not fulfilled in the peace settlement. From 1922 to 1925, the Fascist movement led by Benito Mussolini seized power in Italy with a nationalist, totalitarian , and class collaborationist agenda that abolished representative democracy, repressed socialist, left-wing, and liberal forces, and pursued an aggressive expansionist foreign policy aimed at making Italy a world power, promising
19050-475: The war. Germany annexed western Poland and occupied central Poland ; the Soviet Union annexed eastern Poland ; small shares of Polish territory were transferred to Lithuania and Slovakia . On 6 October, Hitler made a public peace overture to the United Kingdom and France but said that the future of Poland was to be determined exclusively by Germany and the Soviet Union. The proposal was rejected and Hitler ordered an immediate offensive against France, which
19200-404: The west halted the German advance for several days, but it was outflanked and encircled by the Wehrmacht . Remnants of the Polish army broke through to besieged Warsaw . On 17 September 1939, two days after signing a cease-fire with Japan , the Soviet Union invaded Poland under the supposed pretext that the Polish state had ceased to exist. On 27 September, the Warsaw garrison surrendered to
19350-464: The whole first contingent arrived in South Africa between February and April. Upon arrival, the IY battalions were sent throughout the zone of operations. The North Somerset Yeomanry raised the 48th (North Somerset) Company for the IY, which arrived in South Africa on 23 March 1900 and served in 7th Battalion, IY. The company served until 1901, earning the regiment its first Battle honour : South Africa 1900–01 . The regiment's CO, Viscount Dungarvan
19500-402: The whole south-eastern and eastern part of the Ypres Salient. Between 17 and 22 April, 5 Division succeeded in capturing Hill 60 after underground mines had been fired. On 22 April, the Germans launched the Second Battle of Ypres with the first cloud gas attack , which virtually destroyed the French divisions in the north of the salient and drove in the flank of 1st Canadian Division. Over
19650-483: The world order , and soon began a massive rearmament campaign . France, seeking to secure its alliance with Italy, allowed Italy a free hand in Ethiopia , which Italy desired as a colonial possession. The situation was aggravated in early 1935 when the Territory of the Saar Basin was legally reunited with Germany, and Hitler repudiated the Treaty of Versailles, accelerated his rearmament programme, and introduced conscription. The United Kingdom, France and Italy formed
19800-554: Was invaded by Germany. The United States started strategic planning to prepare for a full-scale offensive against Germany. At the end of September 1940, the Tripartite Pact formally united Japan, Italy, and Germany as the Axis powers . The Tripartite Pact stipulated that any country—with the exception of the Soviet Union—that attacked any Axis Power would be forced to go to war against all three. The Axis expanded in November 1940 when Hungary , Slovakia , and Romania joined. Romania and Hungary later made major contributions to
19950-423: Was a former officer in the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) . The jacket was now plain and single-breasted without the plastron front and worn with a white pouch belt over the left shoulder. In 1879 a new light dragoon tunic was taken into use, with Hussar lacing across the front, and white instead of red trouser stripes. A blue pillbox forage cap with a white band became the undress headgear. A major change in
20100-410: Was a light cavalry (Tarleton) helmet, a blue jacket with buff collar (and probably cuffs), and buff breeches. When the troop reformed in 1803 the helmet was retained, with a white feather Hackle , but the jacket was changed to scarlet with black facings and white breeches. By 1820 the regiment had adopted a uniform that conformed with the Regular Light Dragoons: the old Tarleton helmet was retained, but
20250-419: Was a surplus of cavalry . The commission decided that only the 14 most senior regiments were to be retained as cavalry (though the Lovat Scouts and the Scottish Horse were also to remain mounted as "scouts"). Eight regiments were converted to Armoured Car Companies of the Royal Tank Corps (RTC), one was reduced to a battery in another regiment, one was absorbed into a local infantry battalion, one became
20400-401: Was affiliated to the 11th Reserve Cavalry Regiment , also at Tidworth. Early in 1917 it was absorbed in the 6th Reserve Cavalry Regiment , still at Tidworth. The regiment reformed in the TF on 7 February 1920. Postwar, a commission was set up to consider the shape of the Territorial Force ( Territorial Army from 1 October 1921). The experience of the First World War made it clear that there
20550-505: Was already serving in South Africa in February 1900 and was seconded to the IY as second-in-command of the 22nd Battalion in 1901–02. The Imperial Yeomanry were trained and equipped as mounted infantry. After the Boer War all Yeomanry regiments were termed Imperial Yeomanry until 1907, with an establishment of HQ and four squadrons with a machine gun section. In 1903 the North Somerset Imperial Yeomanry had HQ and A Squadron at Bath, B Squadron at Wells, and C Squadron at Bristol, while D Squadron
20700-452: Was as follows: V Corps was mobilised in July 1876 under the command of General the Hon Sir Augustus Spencer for summer training around the Wylye Valley in Wiltshire. The corps scheme had been dropped by 1881. The 1901 Army Estimates (introduced by St John Brodrick when Secretary of State for War ) allowed for six army corps based on the six regional commands: V Corps was to be formed by Northern Command with headquarters in York . It
20850-414: Was being formed. The Imperial Yeomanry were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908. The North Somerset Yeomanry (TF) was affiliated to the regular Dragoons and was organised as follows: The North Somerset Yeomanry formed part of the TF's 1st South Western Mounted Brigade . The North Somerset Yeomanry were mobilised on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914 under
21000-406: Was broken up and the regiment was merged with the 2/1st Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry to form 10th (Wiltshire and North Somerset) Yeomanry Cyclist Regiment in 4th Cyclist Brigade in the Ipswich area. In March 1917 it resumed its identity as 2/1st North Somerset Yeomanry , still in 4th Cyclist Brigade at Ipswich. In July it was at Wivenhoe and in November at Walton-on-the-Naze . Early in 1918,
21150-494: Was issued on 24 December. This officially created the Imperial Yeomanry (IY). The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each. In addition to this, many British citizens (usually mid-upper class) volunteered to join the new force. The first contingent of recruits contained 550 officers , 10,371 men with 20 battalions of four companies . The first company left Southampton on 31 January 1900, bound for Cape Town , and
21300-444: Was never more than a paper organisation, but from April 1893 the Army List showed the Yeomanry regiments grouped into brigades for collective training. They were commanded by the senior regimental commanding officer (CO) but they did have a Regular Army Brigade major . The North Somerset Yeomanry together with the West Somerset Yeomanry formed the 4th Yeomanry Brigade, headquartered at Taunton . The Yeomanry brigades disappeared from
21450-403: Was postponed until the spring of 1940 due to bad weather. After the outbreak of war in Poland, Stalin threatened Estonia , Latvia , and Lithuania with military invasion, forcing the three Baltic countries to sign pacts allowing the creation of Soviet military bases in these countries; in October 1939, significant Soviet military contingents were moved there. Finland refused to sign
21600-446: Was promoted to take over Southern Command on 19 July 1940. He was succeeded by Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery from 22 July 1940 until 27 April 1941, when he was transferred to command XII Corps . Order of Battle Autumn 1940 The Dorset County Division was also under the corps' command during 1941. The Corps was then included as part of the Allied land forces, British First Army , in Operation Torch (8 November 1942),
21750-421: Was replaced as GOC of V Corps by Lt-Gen Cameron Shute , promoted from command of 32nd Division. (Fanshawe later commanded XXIII Corps in England.) During the Allied counter-offensive known as the Second Battle of the Somme (1918) , V Corps took part in the Battle of Albert (21–23 Aug) and the Second Battle of Bapaume (31 Aug – 3 Sept). Then, during the Battles of the Hindenburg Line, V Corps participated in
21900-657: Was repulsed with heavy Italian casualties; the campaign ended within months with minor territorial changes. To assist Italy and prevent Britain from gaining a foothold, Germany prepared to invade the Balkans, which would threaten Romanian oil fields and strike against British dominance of the Mediterranean. In December 1940, British Empire forces began counter-offensives against Italian forces in Egypt and Italian East Africa . The offensives were successful; by early February 1941, Italy had lost control of eastern Libya, and large numbers of Italian troops had been taken prisoner. The Italian Navy also suffered significant defeats, with
22050-441: Was required to go through the bureaucracy of the League of Nations, which rendered it essentially toothless. The United States, concerned with events in Europe and Asia, passed the Neutrality Act in August of the same year. Hitler defied the Versailles and Locarno Treaties by remilitarising the Rhineland in March 1936, encountering little opposition due to the policy of appeasement . In October 1936, Germany and Italy formed
22200-408: Was subsequently disbanded and B Company evolved to become B (Somerset Light Infantry) Company, The Rifle Volunteers in 1999. In 2000, the North Somerset Yeomanry designation was revived for the Headquarters Squadron of 39 (Skinners) Signal Regiment and, in 2008, that squadron, as 93 (North Somerset Yeomanry) Squadron , became the Regiment's Support Squadron. The original uniform of the Frome Troop
22350-434: Was swept away when the Yeomanry Cavalry were converted into the Imperial Yeomanry in 1902. Instead, Khaki service dress was worn: 'frocks' (jackets) with four pockets and breeches, with a Slouch hat , the left side turned up, carrying a white-over-scarlet plume. The frock did retain a white trefoil knot on the sleeve until 1911. The peaked Service cap came into use in 1904 to replace the pillbox cap, but later took over from
22500-514: Was to comprise 27 artillery batteries (18 Regular, 6 Militia and 3 Volunteer) and 25 infantry battalions (4 Regular, 13 Militia and 8 Volunteers). Under Army Order No 38 of 1907, the corps titles disappeared, but Northern Command continued to be a major administrative organisation. V Corps was organised within Second Army of the British Expeditionary Force on 18 February 1915 under the command of Sir Herbert Plumer , who had been commanding Northern Command in England. Initially, V Corps comprised
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