OY Stories – Imperial Yeomanry
Oxfordshire Imperial Yeomanry
The Anglo-Boer War 1899 – 1902
A Royal Warrant, dated 24th December 1899 provided for the creation of the Imperial Yeomanry as a volunteer cavalry force, which would be recruited from the yeomanry, until now only employed on home service and now required to serve and fight overseas or from civilians who possessed the requisite qualifications for cavalry service. The new force to be armed and organised as mounted infantry to counter the fast-moving Boers in the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa.
Enthusiastic yeomen from the regiment together with civilians from the county volunteered and two Companies were raised in Oxfordshire the 40th and 59th. The Companies were formed into Battalions, the 10th and 15th comprising companies from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Captain Arnold H. Butler Commanded the 40th company and Captain Hollingwood B. Magniac the 59th.
Whilst mostly on patrols the yeomanry also proved themselves useful as scouts and outriders on the open veldt in South Africa, skirmishing on the flanks of marching columns, and pursuing the Boer commandos who used hit and run tactics.
