More Flint and Denbigh Yeomanry

[Peter Brydon]

My interest in the Territorial Artillery of the North West arises because a number of Liverpool/North West Territorial Infantry and Yeomanry battalions ended up as Artillery.

I recently a acquired a small booklet on 103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteers ) Regiment R.A. (V) 1967-2001. This shows the order of battle as at 1st April 1967 which includes B Troop, Flint and Denbigh Yeomanry based at Prestatyn, being part of 208 (3rd West Lancashire) Battery.

I have always found it difficult to quite get my head around the changes that took place in 1967 when the T.A. was replaced by The Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve. The booklet explains why the Flint and Denbigh became a Troop in the Lancashire Artillery Volunteers albeit the troop was disbanded in 1969.
As it says in the booklet, the thirty two North West T.A. Gunner units in existence in the mid 1950`s were reduced to one in 1967.

With thanks to Andy P I have managed to obtain a pair of anodised collars which I believe were worn by B Troop. These are a nice addition to my North West R.A. collection.

Litchfield ( The Territorial Artillery ) mentions Flintshire and Denbigh Yeomanry R.A. (T) with Headquarters at Prestatyn which appears to be a seperate unit to B Troop which was a Volunteer unit. He does not mention the Volunteer unit. The Territorial unit was reduced to a cadre in 1969 and in 1971 transferred to Infantry to form B Company, 3rd (V) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

I hope I have understood the history but if I am in error I would be happy to be corrected.

P.B.

[GriffMJ]

All those amalgamations in quick time .... just confusion

[Peter Brydon]

Griff,

Completely agree and any histories of any of those units which were formed in 1967 and which were short lived ( if any of their histories were in fact written ) are not easily found despite the fact that some of these units wore some interesting insignia.

There is an excellent article in the MHS Bulletin No.190 of November 1997 by the late Lt.Col. Tony Moore which deals with" R Kings/Liverpool Scottish Battery R.A." which existed 1967-1968 and which had an interesting background and wore a mixture of insignia of both 5 Kings and The Liverpool Scottish.

Peter

[Mike B]

Great research ...
I imagine Artillery is particularly confusing given JBM Frederick lineage of British Land Forces 1660 - 1978 has two volumes. Volume 1 appears to cover all land forces other than Artillery, with the equally voluminous Volume 2 dedicated specifically to Artillery.
All the best
Mike

[Peter Brydon]

Mike,

As you say difficult enough with Territorial Artillery seeming to change their numbers on a regular basis. but after 1967 the water becomes very muddy indeed.

" R Kings/ Liverpool Scottish Battery" was part of The West Lancashire Regiment RA,TA formed as a Home Defence TAVR III unit in 1967 from 359 (4th West Lancs ) Medium Regiment, as they could only raise 2 Batteries, surplus members of 5th Kings and The Liverpool Scottish ( who were becoming parts of The Lancastrian and Highland Volunteers ) formed R Battery.

It appears that one seven day camp was held for the Regiment in 1967 and with no bounty and no guns and limited training the Regiment was reduced to a Cadre in 1969.

I have an order of Service for a Remembrance Sunday Service for "Cadre, The West Lancashire Regiment, Royal Artillery"- picture of front page attached, I dont know the date but it must be post 1969.

So another post 1967 unit that only in effect lasted a couple of years.

Peter

[Mike B]

This thread has opened my eyes ... some great items - the Cadre piece must be a rare thing. The scope for research must be virtually boundless, with the compilation of unit 'family trees' extremely rewarding.
Mike