Hard Fighting: A History of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, 1900–1946This account, following on from Unicorns - The History of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry 1794- 1899, covers the Regiments war service between 1900 and 1945.During the Boer War the SRY formed part of the first volunteer unit to see active service overseas fighting the Boer Commandos as cavalry. For its role in the ill-fated 1915 Gallipoli campaign, the Regiment was awarded the Kings Colour and then fought Allenbys victorious campaign against the Turks.During the Second World War the Regiment initially saw service in Palestine, at the siege of Tobruk and the fall of Crete. After acting as Special Forces in Ethiopia, they were converted to armour and fought through from Alamein to Tripoli before returning to North-west Europe for D-Day and the advance to Germany. In so doing they won thirty Battle Honours and 159 awards including eighty-three for gallantry.General Sir Brian Horrocks later wrote no armoured regiment can show a finerrecord of hard fighting. Hence the title of this invaluable regimental history. |
Contents
Unhorsed | |
Abyssinia Tobruk Benghazi and Crete | |
Armoured Training | |
Battle of Alam el Halfa | |
Advance on Tripoli | |
Battle of Tebaga | |
From a Scent to a View | |
The Beginning of the End 1944 | |
Gallipoli | |
Palestine Redeployment | |
Palestine Reorganization and Repositioning | |
Palestine The Affair of Abu Tulul | |
A Peace Fit for Heroes | |
Battle for Normandy | |
Pursuit into Belgium | |
MARKET GARDEN Salient | |
Battle of Geilenkirchen | |
Operation BLACKCOCK | |
Final Advance | |
Authors Comment | |
Common terms and phrases
1st Armoured Division 2nd Mounted Division 3rd Imperial Yeomanry action advance ALH Brigade Allenby anti-tank guns Armoured Brigade Armoured Division armoured regiment artillery attack awarded an immediate battalion battle beach Boers bridgehead British Captain captured casualties Cavalry Division centre command counter-attack cover crew crossing desert Division’s east Eighth Army enemy enemy’s fighting fire force fought front Geilenkirchen German heavy Hejaz railway high ground hill horses immediate MC Imperial Yeomanry infantry infantry divisions initial Jig Green Kellett killed knocked kopje landing Lieutenant Colonel Lord Galway machine guns Major March Methuen miles Mounted Brigade moved night officers operation Palestine position railway re-supply regiment reinforcements Retford rifle road Sergeant shell Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry South Africa South Notts South Notts Hussars Stanley Christopherson Stuart Hills Tallents tanks Tobruk took town troop leader Turkish Turks valley volunteers whilst wounded XX Corps yards