1947-57

In Collin Ellis's book, The History of Leicester, published in 1948, he says that in his lifetime , that any member of the PAOLYC going through the streets of Leicester in uniform would be asked the question, "Who shot the pump?". This refers to an incident during the Chartist Riots, when a yeoman took a shot at the town pump, probably because he was nervous, but more probably that he was fed up.

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

1953-57, Hon. Colonel

Pictured above on an LYPAO Charioteer Tank in August 1955 (Capt. Martin Powell-Heath, of Kegworth, alongside.)

The Duke of Edinburgh, Col. Sir Geoffrey Codrington, Lt.Col. J R Hanbury and other officers of the Regiment walk across Bovington Heath to watch the training (August 1955).

Capt. R Watson 7H (Adj), RSM Paddy Cleere (QOH), HRH Prince Philip, Col Sir G Codrington, Capt. M Kimball, Lt. Col J R Hanbury, ADC

DUKE'S VISIT TO THE LEICESTERSHIRE YEOMANRY

by James Du Gard, The Leicester Graphic, August 1955.

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, is no ordinary man. Of that I am certain, having seen him make his bow as honorary Colonel of the Leicestershire Yeomanry (T.A.)

It is almost inconceivable that one man can, within himself, embrace those qualities of leadership that make him equally at home on land, at sea and in the air.

One cannot help but admire the way in which the Duke set out to win the confidence of the Leicestershire Yeomanry at their first meeting, in camp at Lulworth, Dorset.

Having accepted an invitation to become Honorary Colonel in June 1953, the Duke was not content to remain merely a figurehead.

He wanted to mean as much to the Yeomanry as does hi fellow Honorary Colonel - Colonel Sir Geoffrey Codrington - and he succeeded!

That is why he asked that the usual formalities of a Royal visit should be dispensed with during the five hours he spent on Bovington Heath with 44 officers and 400 other ranks of the Regiment on the first day of their two weeks summer training camp.

Piloting a Royal Navy, Westland Sikorsky, helicopter from Windsor, the Duke's visit was away to a flying start.

He was greeted by Colonel Codrington who introduced the Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. J R Hanbury and Mr R B Greenwood, Chief Constable of Dorset.

Then, with Lt.Col. Hanbury at the wheel he was driven swiftly by Land Rover over dusty heathland roads to the field miniature range where firing practice was in progress.

Twenty minutes later, the Duke, in shirt sleeve order, wearing battledress uniform of the Yeomanry returned to Lulworth Camp to inspect vehicles of the Headquarters Squadron.

With Major, the Earl of Lanesborough who, at camp, had command of HQ squadron he then walked to lunch.

He spent an hour chatting with the second-in-command Major G A Murray-Smith who on August 10th becomes the 23rd commanding officer of the Yeomanry, in succession to Lt. Col. Hanbury, and other squadron commanders, Major Marsh of Melton Mowbray, Major K Walker and Capt J B Condon.

Lunch over the Duke rejoined the helicopter for a short flight over Bovington Heath where he "dropped in" to watch Troop training.

He paid little heed to the torrential rain which fell at intervals during the afternoon , appearing anxious to meet everyone.

Finally, he joined Captain Martin Powell-Heath of Kegworth, Nr. Loughborough in planning a mock tank attack on a distant ridge.

Together they directed operation from the turret of a Charioteer Tank - for the uninitiated it has the chassis of a Cromwell for speed and "speaks" with the 20 pounder of the Centurion - advancing tactically towards their objective over fields of heavy mud.

Lt. T Keene seen here talking to HRH Prince Philip next to his Bren Carrier.

Capt. R Watson 7H (Adj), ADC, RSM Paddy Cleere (QOH), Lt.Col J R Hanbury, Col. Sir G Codrington, Mjr. A Murray-Smith, Capt. M Kimball,  Lt T Keene and HRH Prince Philip.

His late Majesty, King George VI

Colonel in Chief, 1938-52

A detachment from the Regiment were part of the Kings funeral procession on the 15th of February 1952.

In 1952 the role of the Regiment becomes "Anti-Tank", becoming at the same time Corps troops, but attached to the 9th Armoured Brigade T.A. The anti-tank platform was possibly (yet to be confirmed) the Charioteer Tank Destroyer (FV4101). This was in service with the TA from 1952-56, it was a 20 Pounder gun with an enclosed turret mounted on a Cromwell chassis. This A-T AFV was in short service with the British Army and was sold off to Austria, Finland and Jordan in 1956. The Charioteer was probably only intended for the export market hence its short production period and service within the British Army. The Centurion tank came into service in 1957 and therefore eliminated the "old generation" of Cromwell variants. 

From 1952-56 the regiment was rolled as an Anti-Tank Regiment in the Charioteer Tank Destroyer (FV4101).

From 1947-52 the regiment was rolled as a Tank Regiment in Comet (A34) cruiser tanks.

The Comet was essentially an enlarged version of the Cromwell, in 1943 attempts were made to mount Vickers' new high velocity 75mm gun in a Cromwell but despite many months and plans to have the tank in production shortly it was found that the gun would not fit into the Cromwell after all. This 75mm weapon was then modified to fire 17 Pounder ammunition and was known as 77mm so that there would not be confusion over ammunition supplies. The High Velocity 77mm was extremely accurate, more so than the regular 17 Pounder and was mounted on the Comet tank.

Interestingly the Comet tank was equipped with a relatively large amount of Amour Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS) ammunition with around 20% of the armour piercing type of ammunition produced for the Comet being APDS. Both the 17 Pounder and 77mm fired exactly the same projectiles but due to the different cartridge the 77mm had a lower muzzle velocity and thus lower penetration. The turret could also be transverse 360 degrees within 24 seconds.

Brigadier R B P Wood

Commander of the 9th Independant Armoured Brigade (T.A.)

Inspecting the Leicestershire Yeomanry detachment before their departure for London to take part in the King's funeral procession.

15th February 1952

9th Armoured Brigade T.A: The horse was chosen because this brigade was formed by cavalry and yeomen units. The 9th Armoured Brigade was formed from the re-designation of the 4th Cavalry Brigade, a 1st Line Yeomanry (horse riding) brigade in the Territorial Army. The small white dots are the markers for cutting off the selve edge to reduce the patch to its proper size.

Sergeants Mess, Leicestershire PAO Yeomanry (T.A.)

South Bodney Camp, June 1951

Back Row: Sgt C Ward; Sgt C Fuller; Sgt L Shore; Sgt L Taylor; Sgt H Cole; Sgt G Kettell; Sgt N Smith; Sgt S Taylor, MM; Sgt A Robinson.

Middle Row: Sgt A Onions; Sgt F Barratt; Sgt R Rayner; Sgt N Sharpe; Sgt J Rawsthorne; Sgt F Smith; Sgt E Carpenter, MM; Sgt A Rose; Sgt J Eden; Sgt W Shaw.

Front Row: Sgt J Brown; SQMS C Wingett; SSM J Wilson; RSM P Cleere MBE DCM (7th Hussars); Lt.Col. The Hon. B T Brassey, MC TD; RQMS E Sheldon; SSM A Rayner; SQMS E Schofield.

Lt. Colonel A Murray-Smith

1955 Commanding Officer of the LY.

Lt Colonel J R Hanbury

1952-55 Commanding Officer of the LY.  Son of Major E R Hanbury (OC A sqn WW1)

Lt Colonel The Hon B T Brassey, MC TD

1947-52, Commanding Officer LY.

Major Bertie Bowes

Major C T Llewellen-Palmer, MC

(2ic LYPAO 1948)

Charles Timothy (Tim) - b.1917 d.1979 - Lt.Col, formerly a Squadron leader in the 7th Hussars and  responsible for the engagement of Paddy Cleere as LYPAO Regimental Sergeant Major in 1949.

The Colonel & RSM Cleere together at an LY function.

Lt. Simon Everard

Troop Leader at Burbage Drill Hall in 1955.

Adjutant Peter Spicer

7583870 RSM  M J O'Connor MM (7th Hussars)

Photo: 1956

RSM Patrick "Paddy" Cleere MBE DCM  (7th Hussars)

1933-58 7th Hussars, 1958-70 Queen's Own Hussars, 1970-75 Royal Engineers and 1975-82 Civil Service. Ending his service as a Major. RSM Cleere did four years with the Yeomanry (1949-54), building them up from 150 men when he arrived to nearly four hundred when he left to return to the 7th Hussars in 1954.

WINNERS 9th (INDER) ARMOURED BRIGADE .22 COMPETITION, 1956

Tpr R Buxton, Tpr J Powley, Sgt D Ward-Boddington

RSM M J O'Connor MM, Mjr The Earl of Lanesborough TD, SSM E Sheldon

Trooper Les Richardson

Ex KDG (NS), Part of the LY Regimental Coronation Contingent 1953

OC Major Michael Marsh MC (1949)

OC Major Hanbury (1947)

Lt. Kimball

Lt. John Inglesant

SSM "Tub" J Wilson

SSM James Lowe (PSI 7th Hussars)

SSM Gray

SQMS N Smith

Sgt. Brooks

Cpl. Coody Cole

Cpl. Gurley

Tpr. Clowns

A Sqn at Camp 1947

Tpr Clowns, Cpl. Cole, {Unknown}

SSM J Lowe,  SSM Gray, Lt. Kimball, Maj. Hanbury, Capt. Marsh, SSM "Tub" J Wilson, SQMS Smith, {unknown}

SSM "Archie" Onions

He was a Sergeant in C Sqaudron. 

Major A P Ridley-Thompson

OC C Squadron LY 1955, formerly OC C Sqn of City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders).

Major. The Earl of Lanesborough

OC 1951-55

SSM Eric Schofield

1955-57

C Squadron Officers and NCOs with RSM Cleere, 1952.

C Sqn lines at annual Camp, Ayrshire, c1952. The AFVs in this picture are the self-propelled anti-tank AFVs (background) that the regiment took on after the Comet cruiser tank was withdrawn from service. Two Bren Carriers are in immediate view.

1947, The Leicestershire (P.A.O) Yeomanry is reformed as part of the Royal Armoured Corps.

The Leicestershire (Prince Albert's Own) Yeomanry

(Roll of Officers on embodiment in 1939 compiled at the cessation of Hostilities in 1945)

Colonel in Chief

His Majesty the King.

Honorary Colonel

Colonel H. Abbot Robinson, T.D.

Commanding Officer 

Lt. Colonel R P Spencer, T.D.