Hello Jake, My Grandad was in A Squadron Queen's Own Yprkshire Dragoons. According to my Auntie he was an expert horseman and could do crazy things on a horse a bit like you see at rodeos. I didn't really believe her until I noticed on his service records that he spent 6 weeks at Weedon Equestrian School, which is no longer there, unfortunately. I don't know if the whole regiment went there or not, I don't know. Check this out. Do you have your Great Grandfather's Tag Number and/or his service records? You can order these records from the MoD if you have certain information. I also went to the National Archives in 2016 to research the regiment and came back with quite a bit of information. Most interesting is how they got all the way to Palestine. Let me know if you need any help. Chris
The video looks a though it depicts a Guards Regiment, with cap badges and undershirt I don`t think that QOYD went there to train......as my uncle never mentioned it...but could be wrong. The QOYD were out in Palestine when war broke out, so it wasn`t a case of making it there, they were at the curtain raising. My uncle used to `break` the horses in and regularly had to have new specs.....and specs....not being allowed in the Household Cavalry, he could not get past the medical officer in 1946!(specs not allowed). `B` Squadron was disbanded in 1942 whilst out in the desert, and then mechanised
Hi Michael, The video wasn't intended to be footage of the Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons, just an example of what went on there. My Grandad Stones' service records show him at Weedon from 16.10.39 to 25.11.39. Whoever else was there with him I don't know, I was just speculating as to whether the whole regiment would have received this training or he received it for a specific task whilst out in Palestine. He was an instructor and trained officers. My Auntie told me this and from his service records he was posted to PRTD, which was the Palestine Recruit Training Depot, at various times and attached to The Buffs, or the East Kent Regiment. The Palestine Regiment was a formation of Arab & Jewish Palestinian units of the East Kent Regiment ("The Buffs") and so I believe that he trained the Arab and Jewish officers. After war broke out on 3rd September 1939, it wasn't until 18th January 1940 that the whole of the Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons Regiment, several hundred horses and all, left Louth Station for Southampton docks, my Grandad included, eventually arriving in Haifa in modern day Israel on 29th January 1940. I can let you have a full break down of their movements from Yorkshire to Palestine if you like. Chris
Does anybody have any tales of the QOYD having to shoot their horses when they became mechanised? My Grandad did. It must have been pretty horrendous.
That's really funny !!! OK how about this "...having to shoot their horses when their regiment became mechanised" That works doesn't it?
Hi Chris, I couldn't find any personal accounts of men having to shoot their horses in the final days of the QOYD as a mounted regiment in the Hobbs' book. Apparently in the normal course of events the farrier-major was given the unenviable task of shooting horses that had reached the end of their working life. Those horses considered worthy of saving were taken to a remount depot. Regards ...
That's interesting. I definitely remember a mention of him shooting his horse. My Auntie definitely spoke about it about a year ago. When I started researching my Grandad Stones and the QOYD I asked her the question directly as I remembered that it had come up in family conversation a few times over the decades. Whether he had to have his horse shot for the reasons that you mention above and that got misinterpreted between Grandad, Auntie and me I don't know, but until now I had this picture in my mind that "You're all moving to armoured corps and you've all got to shoot your own horses". I think I can now put this notion to bed thank you, Cee.
Chris, I wouldn't doubt he shot his own horse. I'm sure that happened with some men. It would be a huge waste, however, to kill them all, especially the young and healthy, when they could be put to use in some other way. I didn't intend to question the truthfulness of your grandfather's story but merely to show there were possibly other factors that came into play. Regards ...
My uncle was sent to Palestine before war was declared along with the Scots Greys and so was out there when hostilities began. Mainly I understand to guard various pipelines.When they disbanded horseback activities they did indeed shoot their own horses, some having their own mounts right from the early thirties. Uncles was his own horse he took from the farm when he enlisted.Some (don`t know about juniors ,but my Uncle a Sergeant the Warrant Officer) had cameras....I still have the camera he took and all the photos of various things out in the desert...Arabs on horseback around watering holes etc York museum only had around 17 artefacts of the regiment...and i think I have far more than that It would be nice if a regimental museum could be set up around Doncaster as the HQ of QOYD was at Copley Hall.
The shooting of the majority of horses was down to the fact that the enemy was approaching ...I think upon Crete...and had to take those drastic measures...and from then were incorporated into mechanised units and The KOYLI
Michael, I totally agree about some sort of "thing" in Doncaster, whatever form that may take. You seem to have quite a splendid collection, which I'd love to have a look at and I think a Museum would probably be a "destination" with various waypoints in between. Maybe a stall at a fair or something like that could be a starting point in the Doncaster area to generate interest from passers by who may coincidentally have some connection, or know someone who was in the QOYD and start the ball rolling, much like this forum is doing.
Wish I had the complete set of my uncles kit, but he must have kept back these memento`s when they merged into the KOYLI, these being: Dress cap,embroidered shoulder patch,lapel badges,cap badges,shoulder badges,pins,silver spurs,topped crop with QOYD insignia,an A3 semi sepia photo in dress/riding uniform.....and a whole host of pics, and camera,going through the desert right into Italy. Another interesting story...but not allied..An old friend told me in the eighties, he was at Monte Cassino , and as a sergeant was with his men who were short of rations and had not eaten for two days. They were carting ammo boxes up and down the hillsides on mules, until one private said ` I`m so hungry I could eat one of those mules`....and kept on saying it. Eventually my sergeant said ` If you were to kill a mule and get ready to eat the mule.... then get ready to cart the ammo on your back`......Somehow one of the mules did die.....and the private was made to carry the ammo boxes on his back! Any way....QOYD....used to `borrow` one of the tanks` wing tops whilst in the desert......just drop an egg on it and fry within seconds!....Many many stories
Did you know that the KOYLI Museum is moving in a couple of years to a new building where the girl's school on the corner is. It may be possible to get in there before they move it.
Michael, I missed your photo of B Squad first time around (Post #55). I was able to stitch it together using the ICE program. A great photo - thanks so much! Regards ...
