Lothians and Berwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry

[RoyalScotsVols]

The Lothians & Berwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry were formed in 1888 and consisted of two troops from East Lothian, one from Berwickshire and one from Midlothian before being joined by a troop from West Lothian in 1892.

In 1899 the War Office announced the formation of a new force of mounted infantry to be known as the ‘Imperial Yeomanry’. In the Second Boer War (1899-1902), the Regiment provided two contingents forming part of the ‘6th (Scottish) Battalion, Imperial Scottish Yeomanry’. The war resulted in an increase in the number of serving personnel and in 1901 the Regiment was designated The Lothians and Berwickshire Imperial Yeomanry with one squadron drawn from East Lothian and Berwickshire, two from Edinburgh and the Lothians and, for the first time, one from the Borders. The regiment had its headquarters in Dunbar where the war memorial pictured below was erected in 1902 to commemorate eleven men lost in the Second Boer War. Panels were later added to commemorate those lost in the First and Second World Wars.


In 1908 the regiment was transferred to the Territorial Force and renamed The Lothians & Borders Horse.

 

[RoyalScotsVols]

Pictured below is an officers helmet of the Lothians and Berwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry likely to date from the 1890's. It is in the 1871 Albert pattern style comprising a silvered skull, chin chain attached by two rose pattern ear bosses, fluted spike with ball and a white horse hair plume of the regimental style. The good quality helmet plate shows a four-pointed star with St Andrews cross, overlaid with the intertwined letters ‘VR’, surrounded by the moto ‘Nemo Me Impune Lacessit’ (No-one provokes me with impunity). This is enclosed within a crown topped garter bearing the moto ‘Honi Soit Qui Mal y Pense’ (Shame on he who thinks evil of it). Around the circlet is a wreath of thistles, below which are the four scrolls bearing the name of the regiment. Also shown is a painting by R Simkin of a senior officer of the regiment whose helmet would have been in this style.

 

[RoyalScotsVols]

The Other Ranks pattern of helmet was similar to the above but generally of a lesser quality.

Also shown is a representation of the uniform from a cigarette card of the period and the 1891 painting by Robert Payton Reid 'Lothians & Berwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry resting on Belhaven Sands'. Belhaven Sands is a stretch of coast just outside Dunbar where the regiment was headquartered at that time.

 

[chinstrap]

Hi Jamie,

I have a trooper’s helmet to this unit but have coveted a really good example of the officer’s helmet for years. What a nice piece!

Patrick

 

[RoyalScotsVols]

Hi Jamie,

I have a trooper’s helmet to this unit but have coveted a really good example of the officer’s helmet for years. What a nice piece!

Patrick

Thanks Patrick,

The officers versions are very scarce - I was indeed fortunate to find this one a few years ago.

Cheers,

Jamie