Essex Yeomanry - 3rd Line Battalion
The need for trained reserves to be available for duty in France
with the main Essex Yeomanry plus the large number of volunteers
wishing to enlist led to the development of 2nd and then a 3rd
Essex Yeomanry Unit.
The 3rd line unit was formed in 1915 at Colchester with the
intention of serving abroad.
The first commander was Lt Colonel E Moore Tennant although he was
quickly succeeded by Major P C G Hayward MBE.
By 1915 the number of volunteers had slowed and Major Hayward
employed the unusual tactic of instructing 3 officers and 100 men to
march through Essex recruiting men as they went.
Many of these new recruits were posted to the 2/1st Essex Yeomanry
and the transfer overseas was cancelled with the 3/1st being reduced
to 2 Squadrons and allocated a recruiting role to fill vacancies in
the main Yeomanry and the 2/1st.
Subsequently it was used for the reception of officers and men who
had returned from the front after being wounded or suffering
illness.
The 3/1st was initially posted to Stanway, Colchester but in April
1916 it was posted to Aldershot as part of the 2nd Reserve Cavalry
Brigade although its duties remained unchanged in recruiting and
rehabilitation.
In 1917 there was another reorganisation of the Cavalry Units and
the 3/1st was disbanded and the men were moved to other units within
the 2nd Reserve Cavalry Brigade.
