West Riding Royal Horse Artillery

The West Riding Royal Horse Artillery was a Territorial Force Royal Horse Artillery battery that was formed in the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1908. It saw active service as field artillery with 52nd (Lowland) Division in Egypt during the First World War before being broken up at the end of 1916. Post-war, it was reconstituted as a Royal Field Artillery battery.

Formation
The Territorial Force (TF) was formed on 1 April 1908 following the enactment of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw.7, c.9) which combined and re-organised the old Volunteer Force, the Honourable Artillery Company and the Yeomanry. On formation, the TF contained 14 infantry divisions and 14 mounted yeomanry brigades. Each yeomanry brigade included a horse artillery battery and an ammunition column.

On 18 March 1908, West Riding Royal Horse Artillery (Territorial Force) was proposed as a new unit to be raised from amongst the 4th West Yorkshire Artillery Volunteers, RGA. It was recognized by the Army Council on 21 July 1908. The unit consisted of
 * Battery HQ at Wentworth Woodhouse, Rotherham
 * West Riding Battery at Rotherham
 * Yorkshire Mounted Brigade Ammunition Column also at Rotherham

The unit was equipped with four Ehrhardt 15-pounder guns and allocated as artillery support to the Yorkshire Mounted Brigade.

First World War
The battery was embodied with the Yorkshire Mounted Brigade on 4 August 1914 and apparently remained in Yorkshire. The yeomanry regiments left the brigade for other formations in 1915 and it ceased to exist.

The battery, along with the Essex and Hampshire RHA, joined V Lowland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (T.F.) when it was formed on 13 January 1916 at Leicester. Before departing for the Middle East, the battery were re-equipped with four 18 pounders.

The brigade embarked between 15 and 18 February 1916 at Devonport and arrived at Port Said on 2 March. It joined 52nd (Lowland) Division at El Qantara on 17 March in the Suez Canal Defences. The brigade was renumbered as CCLXIII Brigade, RFA (T.F.) on 28 May and the battery as C/CCLXIII Battery on the same date. On 15 September, the brigade was renumbered as CCLXIV Brigade, RFA (T.F.) (the battery became C/CCLXIV Battery) and on 30 December back to CCLXIII Brigade, RFA (T.F.).

On that date, the battery was broken up: one section went to A Battery (formerly Hampshire RHA) and the other section to B Battery (former Essex RHA). The brigade now consisted of two batteries of six 18 pounders each.

While with 52nd (Lowland) Division, the battery took part in the Battle of Romani on 4 and 5 August 1916.

2nd Line
In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw.7, c.9) which brought the Territorial Force into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service. Therefore, TF units were split into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. 2nd Line units performed the home defence role, although in fact most of these were also posted abroad in due course.

Unlike almost all of the other Territorial Force RHA Batteries, the West Riding RHA did not form a 2nd line in the First World War.

Post war
West Riding RHA was not reconstituted until 7 February 1920 when it formed 12th West Riding Battery in 3rd West Riding Brigade, RFA (later 71st (West Riding) Regiment, RA) and ceased to be a Royal Horse Artillery battery. 3rd West Riding Brigade, RFA had also originated in the 4th West Yorkshire Artillery Volunteers in 1908.