Papers relating to the Royal Goucestershire Hussars

The majority of the collection comprises administrative records which document the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (R.G.H.) as a fighting unit in the Middle East during the 1st and 2nd World Wars. There is particularly full documentation of the Western desert campaigns of 1941-1942.

In addition to official war diaries spanning both World Wars, the collection includes several personal accounts of battle experiences which were used to provide background material for the various R.G.H. histories.

The collection also illustrates R.G.H. social and welfare activities, particularly after the Second World War when only the dedication of certain senior officers enabled the regiment to retain its identity and spirit. The papers preserved by Lt. Col. "Sam" Lloyd are of particular interest in this respect.

Abbreviations

C.O. Commanding Officer

N.C.O. Non commissioned officer

O.R. Other ranks

P.O.W. Prisoner of war

R.A.C. Royal Armoured Corps

R.G.H. Royal Gloucestershire Hussars

R.W.Y. Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry

Sqn. Squadron

T.A. Territorial Army

The catalogue is divided into the following sections. Brief notes are given at the start of each section to place the records in context if necessary.

D4920/1 Early records, 18th and 19th centuries

D4920/2 World War I and aftermath, 1914-1939

D4920/3 World War II and onwards, 1939-1967

D4920/4 Army funds

D4920/5 R.G.H. association

D4920/6 War memorial

D4920/7 Regimental history

D4920/8 Memorabilia

* denotes an original bundle

+ denotes papers preserved by Lt. Col. Lloyd

<p>Other references to the R.G.H. include documents in D1610; D1969/24; D1770; MI 22</p>

(Accs. 4920, 5137)

Documents deposited by the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, 10 December 1984 and 11 December 1985

A brief history of the R.G.H.

The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars yeomanry were first raised in 1795. They saw active service as a cavalry regiment in the South African war and again against Turkish forces in the Middle East during World War One, gathering notable battle honours. In 1922 horses ceased to be used in response to War Office instructions and the regiment converted to armoured cars which were felt to be more in keeping with cavalry traditions than artillery, the alternative option.

In 1938 a second regiment was raised when the Territorial Army expanded, both regiments being mobilised on the outbreak of war the following year. 1 R.G.H. remained in England for the duration of the war, functioning mainly as a training and rehabilitation unit. The regiment was disbanded in 1946 after doing garrison duty in Austria. 2 R.G.H. sailed for the Middle East in August 1941 and fought as an armoured tank regiment in Libya and Egypt. Such heavy losses were sustained that the regiment was disbanded early in 1943 despite strong opposition from its surviving officers. The men were dispersed and used to reinforce other regiments, principally the 4th Hussars, the 8th Hussars and the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry.

In 1947 the R.G.H. was re-formed as an armoured car regiment in the reconstituted Territorial Army and officially affiliated to the 11th Hussars who henceforth provided its permanent staff. Several officers volunteered to re-form their old squadrons and the determination to retain the regimental identity persisted in the face of subsequent re-organisations of the Territorial Army.

Notes on Lt. Col. Sampson "Sam" L. Lloyd

The collection contains papers preserved by Lt. Col. "Sam" Lloyd which his son presented to the R.G.H. after his father's death. "Sam" Lloyd served as an officer with 2 R.G.H. in the Western desert campaigns of 1941-1942 and played a key role in fostering the regimental identity. When 2 R.G.H. was disbanded he was instrumental in ensuring that men were assigned to their new units in squadron groups. He also ensured that the regimental funds were used to start a benevolent fund for Hussars, ex-Hussars and their dependents. Concern for his men's welfare continued after the war. He was an active member of the R.G.H. association of which he was honorary secretary, acting at various times as chairman of the R.G.H. benevolent fund, secretary to the finance sub-committee and serving on the committee of the Yeomanry benevolent fund.